1

What’s Up? . . . KNOX

May & June 2012

Knox Presbyterian Church

142 Ontario Street, Stratford, ON N5A 3H2

519-271-0373 knoxs@wightman.ca

Knoxstratford.com

2

UPCOMING EVENTS

There are several special events planned for Knox over the next couple of months and Session encourages you to participate fully.

� May 20th Service of Baptism

� May 27th A Congregational Meeting will be held immediately after the service to discuss much needed repairs to our organ.

� June 3rd Heritage Service Come and enjoy a service that will bring back many memories: “Holy, holy, holy” to begin the service; responsive Psalm, etc. but we promise the sermon will not be an hour or two long!

� June 10th Communion Service . It will also be a New Member Sunday. We are aware of people wishing to join us in Knox membership. If you are interested please contact the office or Margaret Lupton soon so arrangements can be made.

� Spring Roadside Clean-up on Saturday May 12th

Thank you to everyone who came out to help!

� Community Meals here by Avon, St. James and Bethel Churches

� Sing for the JOY of it Community Choir - May 15th - Amphitheatre at 7pm

� Market Project - May 16th

� Swing into Spring Community Living Fundraiser May 24th

� Diner Club - May 24th

� Heritage Service - June 3rd

� Horticultural Society Fundraiser - June 9th

� Loreena McKennit in Concert - June 11th and 12th

� Phoenix Survivors Fish Fry - June 23rd

� Kintail Retreat - June 24th (No Sunday Service at Knox)

3

BIG BIKE RIDE FOR HEART AND STROKE May 6th A heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our great ride – The Heavenly Riders, those who sponsored and to those who came out to cheer us on. Together we raised $4,639.00 for Heart and Stroke! As well we showed Stratford that Knox is alive and full of great spirit. Working as a team Knox is making a difference in our community Thank you to those who were riding: Suzanne Strahan, Anne Marie Pauli, Tim Pauli, Shirley Weitzel, Sharon Tays, Jim Dougall, Mary Dougall, Viv Harding, Allan Rothwell, Nancy Rothwell, Ben Rothwell, Carolyn Lapier, Bryan Lapier, Margaret Lupton, Lois Wells, Bev Dougall, Pete Dougall, Sue Orr, Gerry Feeney, Jonathan Perry, Cheryl Hillier, Mary Cooper, Pat Scott, Anna Drake, Ginny Smith, Sean Raleigh, Heather Hislop, Tom Hislop, Casey Hutchinson.

What a great cause! What a great way to reach out to our community! WHAT GREAT KNOX SPIRIT!

Body and Soul Spa Evening

“Springtime in Paris” A sincere thank you to Stratford and surrounding communities for supporting the “Springtime in Paris” 10th Annual Body and Soul Spa night! Thank you: to the spa providers for time and talents; to local businesses, congregation and community members for

food/refreshments; The Screaming Avocado for catering; for the silent auction items and monetary sponsorship. The church was absolutely stunning thanks to our in-house decorators! The proceeds are used to fund the Cancer Care Mission including the ongoing costs of the Wigs and Accessories Room at Knox, where cancer patients can obtain, a wig and wig care kit, hats and scarves – ALL FREE OF CHARGE - and with personal and confidential services from the volunteers and hairdresser. This Mission helps people with cancer throughout the community and extends into Southwestern Ontario. The organizing team and volunteers that accomplish this special fundraising event and operate the Cancer Care mission are incredible. Thank you everyone who worked on the planning team, cleaning, decorating, setting up and tearing down, preparing food, picking up food and silent auction items, donating food, volunteering that night and any and all donations. Also thank you for your prayers for another successful evening of fun and fundraising for the Wig Room!

Knox Church continues to serve with mission work in Stratford and the surrounding communities in many ways.

4

Open Thursday, Friday andOpen Thursday, Friday andOpen Thursday, Friday andOpen Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 am Saturday 10 am Saturday 10 am Saturday 10 am –––– 3 pm3 pm3 pm3 pm

The Alley Thrift Store has swung into spring and summer with a great selection of t-shirts, capris, shorts, dresses, and two piece outfits. We have some great prom dresses too. There are lots of cool clothes for kids. Tell your friends about the great deals to be found at the The Alley. We are starting to see that the tourists are returning to Stratford and are visiting the store. Some are return customers who tell us that The Alley is on their list of places to visit when in Stratford. We often have customers who have just made a day trip to Stratford from London or Kitchener and like to shop at our store. We also have very regular customers who come to the store every week. To keep these people coming we need a constant supply of new merchandise. We are committed to putting only clean items in a state of good repair in our store. When making donations we ask that you check for the condition they are in. This will save us from having to pay a lot of garbage fees. Pass this on to people who ask you about bringing donations to the store. We are looking for the following: Linens – sheet sets, blankets, towels, etc. Summer Clothing (Please keep your winter things, as our storage space is over flowing) Kitchen items, small appliances Fancy dishes, knick knacks, candles, etc. We can also use help in the following ways. Taking items home to wash and/or iron. Taking cardboard and garbage to the dump. We collect things for Evangel Hall. If anyone is going to Toronto and will be downtown near Evangel Hall (Spadina and Adelaide area) please let us know.

5

CCCChristian EEEEducation EEEExcitement Sunday School Update

The children have been busy learning about

“The Ten Commandments”, “Easter” “Love”

and “The Bible” in their sessions so far in

2012.

We take advantage of our great craft room, kitchen, cinema and drama costumes so the

kids can have fun while we have meaningful discussions with them on the session

topics. Our activities have included;

• Making “Heartfelt Pancakes”, “NoodleMan Puppets” (I think this was a

favourite) and Heart Angel crafts.

• Retelling the story of “Palm Sunday” and making a beautiful Spring craft –

thanks to Sue Orr for the supplies and the idea.

• Re-enacting the “Last Supper” and learning the significance of communion.

• Playing Bible games, making “Scripture Cupcakes”, making a Bible facts

book and watching a movie on the Bible.

Throughout the Sunday School year the children have been adding worksheets into a

journal that they will take home with them on the last day of Sunday School, June 17th.

The journals will give you the opportunity to reflect together on everything learned

over the past year.

I would like to thank everyone that has volunteered in the Sunday School - without your

leadership we wouldn’t be able to deliver all of the Sunday School workshops. To

honour those that have volunteered we will be having a Sunday School Teacher

Appreciation Luncheon immediately following the service on June 3rd. The children will

be serving. An invitation will be sent home shortly with the children and to those that

have volunteered.

Dates to Remember:

May 13 – Singing Sunday in the Sunday School

May 20th – Backpack Sunday

June 3rd – Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Luncheon

June 17th - Last Day of Sunday School

June 22-24th – Camp Kintail Retreat Weekend

6

TO OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS

There's a time and a place that's special each week , Where we're eager to learn of the Word that we seek .

The lessons are studied and scripture is read But let us go back a few days, instead.

Your week is so busy and filled with "to do's" Like everyone else not a minute to lose.

Your family, your business, work never ending Your precious few moments you're ever still lending .

But you make the time to prepare for Sunday When you know someone will listen to the words that you say.

So with God's special guidance, with prayer and wit h time You prepare for each Sunday, the Word we can find.

Thank you for giving us an hour each week Knowing it is the Word of the Lord that we seek.

And today we are blessed and grow more each day Because you dedicate your love to the Lord in this way.

We wouldn't have Sunday School if it weren't for yo u. So today we say thank you for all that you do.

Author: Dania Hann-Lachapelle

7

CHURCH LIBRARY………………………..

You will find a book trolley with books from the church library in the Narthex. We are hoping that by making the books more accessible that more people will borrow them. Take a few minutes before or after the service to look for some good reading!

MEMBERSHIP ROLL STATUS: You may be aware that we are reviewing our membership roll. This is part of the Search process. It is important that we know each person’s membership status. We would prefer to have everyone be a Member but we understand that for some an Adherent’s status is preferable for now. Please remember that people who choose to move from “Member” to “Adherent” can just as easily be reinstated when your situation changes. Both of these do expect a level of commitment and support. If you feel you cannot commit to this, consider “Associate” status which will guarantee you are kept on the mailing (email) list so you are kept up with Knox happenings until such time as you can commit to more.

The Search Committee met again on April 20th. This committee continues to review applications, conduct interviews, and visit churches of potential candidates for a full time minister. The committee will report back to the congregation as soon as they can. The details are CONFIDENTIAL at this moment. Thank you for your continued prayer and patience.

CAMP KINTAIL Brochures are available in the narthex and

office. Sign up online or via mail.

Michael Bachner and Mary Rothwell will be counselors there this

year! Come and join them in some summer fun!

Plans are underway for the ANNUAL RETREAT to Camp Kintail

June 22nd to 24th with St Mary’s Presbyterian Church. Come for all or

part of the weekend. There will be an outdoor Church service on the

Sunday starting with singing at 10:45 am.

8

Who is doing what these days………………………

Many of our youth and adults have been busy over the past months with their

extra-curricular activities, sports, music festivals, hobbies etc. Below are a few people that

we are featuring this month. Let us know what you are up to and we can add it here for our

next newsletter. It is a great way to share information with our congregation and they can

cheer you on and give encouragement!!

• Alicia Pitts traveled to Toronto on April 21st for a Tai Kwon Do

tournament and placed 2nd in Sparing and 3rd in Pattern. Alicia also

received her Bronze Medallion in swimming over the winter and is

continuing her weekly swimming lessons. She will be on the Lions

Pool swim team this summer.

• Jillian Pitts was a left wing for the Stratford Aces Atom C team this

winter. They had a great year and Jillian had some great goals for

her team. Jillian also played volleyball in the winter and swims at the

YMCA. She will be on the Lions Pool swim team this summer.

• Sierra Pitts enjoyed playing rotary hockey for the first time this

year. She scored her first goal this winter. Sierra takes weekly swim

lessons at the YMCA and will be on the Lions Pool swim team this summer.

• Stay tuned for an update on some Knox runners next

newsletter!

9

Addie is 96 years old and has an amazing collection of turtles! She has over 1000 turtles in her apartment from all over the world.

10

TOP TEN REASONS TO SING IN KNOX CHOIR 10. From your special vantage point every Sunday, in which you view the entire congregation from the choir seats, you will develop interesting new hobbies. Among these is a little guessing game called, “Who’s Praying, Who’s Sleeping.” 9. Singing in a choir is one of the few activities for men that does not require complex electronics or expensive power tools. This could be good for the family budget. 8. You’ve just been selected for jury duty and want to get used to sitting with a group of your peers. 7. You’re running out of clean clothes and the choir robes save on laundry. 6. You’ve been known to nod off during the service and don’t want the minister to catch you (but Suzanne will!). 5. Rehearsals provide a relaxing time away from the grumpy spouse and wild kids without the need to nurse a hangover the next day. 4. It’s exactly like singing in the shower, except you’re not naked and people are actually listening. 3. The offering plate is never passed to the choir. 2. It’s true: If you’re a tenor, you’re a babe magnet! Just ask Jim or Dave!

And the number one reason to join the choir is: Your favourite movie is Sister Act!

What are you waiting for? Join us!

11

A BRIEF MESSAGE FROM YOUR WORSHIP TEAM Sunday, June 3rd is being planned as Heritage Sunday at Knox. There will be a presentation on the history of Knox, the people and the building. The service will be one that many remember as traditional in form. We will sing a Psalm and familiar hymns of faith and service. Plan ahead! Your presence will make it a great day. On Sunday, April 29th we sang Hymn 472 in the Book of Praise, We Are God’s People. The final 2 lines of verse 4 of this relatively modern Hymn (words by Bryan Jeffery Leech, 1931-, set to music composed by Johannes Brahms, 1833-1897) read “alone,we die, for on its own each ember loses fire: yet joined in one the flame burns on to give warmth and light, and to inspire”, and I was reminded of the following story.

“The Silent Message" A member who had been attending church regularly stopped going. After a few months the minister decided to visit the member. It was a chilly evening and the minister found the member at home, alone, sitting in front of a warm fire. The minister was welcomed and given a comfortable chair near the blazing fire. Little was said. In silence, the minister contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes the minister took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth, all alone. Remaining silent the minister sat back down. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the flame of the one lone ember flickered and diminished there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Few words had been spoken since the initial greeting. Checking the time, the minister rose to leave but before going slowly picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the minister reached the door to leave, the host said, in a quiet and sincere tone, "Thank you so much for the fiery lecture. I will be back in church next Sunday." How is the ember of your Knox Flame? Is it flickering and diminishing? Is it burning bright? Remember, your presence adds to the light and warmth that burns within. We hope to see you at church in the near future

12

13

14

Celebrating Anniversaries in May

May 1 – Ann Parsons May 9 - Daniel and Amy Trela

May 22 - Sean and Jennifer Raleigh May 28 - Clive and Janet Lawry

May 30 – Rick and Cathy Whelan May 31 – Paul and Deb Barton

Celebrating Anniversaries in June

June 4 - Earl and Elizabeth Barton June 14 - Joe and Bev Hanna

June 15 - Wendell and Shannon Archer – June 15th June 17 - Tim and Susan Adair –June 17th

June 27 - Jim and Mary Dougall - June 27th June 28 - John and Lorene Brodhagen – June 28th June 29 - Jim and Brenda Ferguson – June 29th June 29 - Don and Ann Heimrich - June 29th

HOLLIE’S TURNING 75! In celebration of Hollie Archer’s 75th birthday we are having an open house. Please join us in the celebration. When: Saturday June 9, 2012 Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm Where: 21 Braemar Crescent, Stratford Ontario We are hoping for sunny and warm weather that day, please bring along your lawn chairs to enjoy the outdoors. If you require any further information or need directions, please contact Shannon or Wendell at (519) 305-1445 or shannon.wendell@rogers.com Looking forward to seeing you!

15

HAPPY MAY BIRTHDAYS! Janice Small - May 2 Lily Barton – May 23 Greg Orr - May 3 Kenneth Malvern – May 23 Paul Ballantyne - May 6 Bessie Wilhelm May 23 Mary Jarema - May 6 Nick Pauli May 24 Susan Adair - May 10 Nicole Orr May 25 Michael Bender May 10 Kelly Pehlke - May 25 Meryl Tourigny - May 13 Lillian Parker - May 28 Sarah Hislop May 14 Jim VanNes – May 28 Hannah Kipfer - May 18 Elijah Adair - May 29 Janice Berg - May 19 Anne Marie Pauli – May 29 Rosemary Vail – May 19 Michael Scott – May 30 Tim Adair - May 22 Steve Scott - May 30 Sarah Drake - May 22 Florence Landreth – May 31

HAPPY JUNE BIRTHDAYS! Grace Knechtel – June 1 Pat Hislop – June 13 Ryan Berg – June 2 Kelsey Brubacher - June 14 Kelly Shiell - June 2 Ryan Harris – June14 Robert Macalpine – June 3 Philip Waldie – June 14 Sean Raleigh – June 3 Tori Savelle – June 15 Brenda Ferguson – June 4 Sinead Raleigh – June 17 George Kasler Sr – June 4 Jared Harding-Shier - June 20 Nancy Rothwell – June 4 Olivia Harding-Shier – June 24 William Forbes – June 5 Ann Heimrich – June 24 Maklane DeWever – June 6 Margaret McMillan – June 25 Hollie Archer –June 8 Marlene Hanson - June 26 Sharon Ewart – June 8 Doug Phillips – June 26 June Macapline - June 8 Anne Pottle – June 26 Elizabeth Scott - June 8 Barbara Fink – June 27 Andrew Strahan – June 8 Carolyn Lapier - June 27 John Waldie - June 8 Keith Hislop– June 28 Chris Fisher – June 9 Earl Barton – June 30 Laura Lawry – June 9 Kody Forrest – June 30 Katelyn Pehlke – June 9 Amy Hislop – June 11 Wendell Archer – June 12 Alainah Pottle - June 12 If we have made an error or omitted someone in the Anniversaries or Birthdays, please notify

the Church Office and we can make the correction in our Database. Thank you!

- 16 -

HUMOUR ME…………… A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, "I know what the Bible means!" His father smiled and replied, "What do you mean, you 'know' what the Bible means? The son replied, "I do know!" "Okay," said his father. "What does the Bible mean?" "That's easy, Daddy..." the young boy replied excitedly, “It stands for 'Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.'" (This one is my favorite.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk. "Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, its morning."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses." When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket I'll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is we have enough money to pay for our new gym - fellowship hall building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."