We are so pleased to celebrate and introduce to you these faith-family members who are making new commitments in their faith and in our community to love and serve our God! We hope you’ll find encouragement from reading these small bits of their stories. Be sure to greet and welcome them as you see each other around the church!

At worship on Sunday, June 19, 2022, the following members will be received and elders ordained/received.

New Members

Annette

I came to Knox last year with my husband Chris when we moved to Canada from the US. We were looking out for a church and found Knox on the internet. I was happy to see the diversity in the church and everyone we talked to seemed welcoming and kind. Within a couple of visits we felt at home and wanted to be a part of it.

The aspect of good news that inspires me is that our God loves each and everyone of us unconditionally. Despite our nationality, ethnicity, race, financial status or past sins Jesus is our Saviour and we only need to believe that we are His children. All He asks of us is faith in Him and His Salvation.

When we were in the US even though Chris and I were married we lived separately for almost 2 years because we were on work visas and our visas were tied to our jobs. This frustrated me a lot and made me feel hopeless. But during the height of the pandemic when things were difficult for everyone else He brought us together in San Diego. And last year by His grace our permanent residency to Canada was approved and we moved here. Even though I was frustrated and impatient, He has not left my side and has been my comfort in some of the most trying times, helping me rely on Him for every aspect of my life.

Chris

We moved to Toronto from USA last year. After a big long discussion about Presbyterian vs Assemblies of God vs Methodist Styles; we decided to attend Knox in the Summer of 2022 due to its proximity to our rental home. The loving embrace of the congregation and the worship leaders made us feel at home and we thus decided to make it official.

As a kid I always got scared thinking about what happens when one’s dead (I was thinking about death even before my life started).Scripture from 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 “Christ must rule until God puts all enemies under his control.[a] 26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death.” Put those fears away as I realized Christ will be there no matter where I go. This Scripture fills me with Hope and excitement knowing that we came from Christ and we are destined to be with Him.

One Key moment propelled by God in one of the lowest moments in my life revealed that He was still on the Throne. I had spent 3 years struggling to find a job in the USA. He had however kept me in Church working for the Media team (I believe He was keeping an eye on me). Once the Pandemic hit, I was eligible to serve in Church as I lived relatively alone. I was blessed to be in Church every Sunday while others were at home. After that He gave me a good Job, settled my personal problems and propelled our application to Canada in a time when others found it tough to even work. Every step we took was by HIS design and no matter what happens in the Future He is still on the Throne.

Jerusha

I first visited Knox in 2014, when I moved to Toronto for my undergrad. After moving back home, I became connected again via the online worship. I was reminded of how much Knox feels like a spiritual home to me!

I find it astounding that our Creator God, the Creator of our entire universe, can actually understand the depths of our pain and heartbreak – both our individual traumas, and our world collectively. God coming to us in the person of Jesus means he lived the full range of the human condition. My little human brain can know that God knows exactly how we feel, because he cared so much to come and go through it too. And, I can have hope by seeing how Jesus lived, and because of his (successful!) rescue mission.

I’m super grateful for the wisdom that Sue Schaafsma shared with me as I was journeying through my faith. To paraphrase ~ God is big enough for all your questions, and is big enough / can handle all your anger. Communication is important in all relationships; bring it to Him.

Elders

Martha Brown

I accepted Christ as a 5-year-old in Sunday School in Kingston. After completing graduate school, I moved to Sherbrooke, where I attended St. Andrew’s when Blake Walker was the minister. Two years later, when I told Blake I was moving to Toronto, he told me that I had to go to Knox, and I did. That was 1981 and I’m still here!

I have a fulfilling career as a faculty member at the University of Toronto, teaching and doing research with viruses in the Dept. of Molecular Genetics.

At Knox, I’ve had the privilege and responsibility of serving on the Board of Managers at Knox for many years and the Trustees for more than 17 years. I take strength in knowing that God is always with us, no matter what.

Eva Aboagye

I was born and baptised into the Ghana Presbyterian Church in Ghana. I made a personal commitment to follow Jesus at the time of my confirmation in my teenage years. I came to Knox in 1989 after arriving in Toronto to study at the University of Toronto. Since I was already a member of the Presbyterian church, I was looking for a Presbyterian church when I arrived. Knox was on campus, so I made the connection. I felt at home and welcomed; I found a family away from home. I became a member in 1996.

The Psalms are the place I go to in times of joy, sorrow, worry and doubt, there is always a Psalm for me. Usually when I am looking for guidance, I remember Psalm 32:8 — I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee. It reminds me to be quiet and listen for his voice.

I am currently an Elder at Knox coming to the end of my first term. It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve God and Knox as a member of Session. I have also been a member of the Greeting Team for a couple of years and before that served with children’s ministry.

I am married to Felix Quaye, and we have three children—Michael, Michelle, and Melissa—who all grew up at Knox. I am Senior Program Manager in Research and Innovation at George Brown College. It will be a great privilege to continue to serve the Knox community as an elder.

Norine Love

My childhood (third in a large family on a dairy farm near Owen Sound) included weekly Sunday School, but my coming to real faith and trust in Christ was not quick. There were several partial, tentative commitments, and I envied those who could point to one decisive crisis. At 19 in my second year of University, the Hound of Heaven tracked me down after all my hesitations.

I made the transition from rural life to city life in 1973 when I moved to attend Ontario Bible College (now Tyndale). For almost 5 decades now, Toronto has been my home and Knox my beloved church home. I’ve always appreciated the exciting, clear biblical teaching focusing on Christ and I’ve been blessed through many friendships.

It wasn't until after I returned from a short term as a librarian with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea (1980-83) that I really became aware of the value and needs of the wider congregation. Grace! Those "old ladies" in the missionary groups (the Mackay sisters and their ilk) had been praying faithfully for me through that time, though I seldom wrote. Since those years, I have served as a Sunday School teacher, Bible study leader, Board of Managers member, and the past six years as an elder.

The Lord continues to teach me that His grace is sufficient, that His power shows up best in weak people like me. Prayer and personal Bible study have grown more and more important to me, to be able to answer Christ's question, "Do you love me?" with a clear "Yes", and then to hear, "Feed my sheep".

Introducing New Members & Elders!