Knox United Church, Scarborough
Encyclopedia
The Knox United Church, 2569 Midland Avenue, began as Knox Presbyterian Church, Scarborough Township
, Ontario
, in a wood frame church built in 1848, the result of the Church of Scotland
disruption, that led to the formation of the Presbyterian Church of Canada in Connection with the Free Church of Scotland
.
Elder William Clarke, Sr., was one of the group who withdrew from the "Auld Kirk" at the Synod
Meeting held in Kingston, Canada West
in July, 1844; his Minister, Rev. James George, and much of the Presbyterian Church at Scarborough in Connection with the Church of Scotland (now St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Scarborough) remained.
The original Knox Congregation (named after Scottish Church reformer John Knox
) met first with another congregation located in York Mills
, until settling in the developing Scarborough Township village of Agincourt.
In 1853, it became the centre of the "Scarborough Township Pastoral Charge", along with Melville (formed 1851) in West Hill
, Zion Church, Cedar Grove (formed 1855), in Markham Township
, Chalmers Church, York Town Line (1863-1890), and other occasional preaching points.
By 1883, Knox Church had grown to become a single-point charge.
With a growing membership, the current brick church was built in 1872, and the Christian Education Centre in the 1950s.
The church still stands at the corner of Sheppard Avenue
East and Midland Avenue, surrounded by a large cemetery containing many early settlers, and a number of prominent Church leaders.
congregation voted 136-106 to join the United Church of Canada
. A number left to form a "Continuing" Knox Presbyterian Church, who are now located nearby at 4156 Sheppard Avenue East. The latter congregation was initially assisted by the Minister and Elders of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Scarborough, but has also grown over the years; their 1950s extension is named the "John Forbes Hall" after the Minister of that era (1950-1969).
Recent ministers of this church included: Rev. Dr. Robert P Carter (1974-1987, died August 2007), Rev Gordon Hastings (1988-1996), Reverends Dr H. Glen (Moderator of the 2000 General Assembly) and Joyce Davis (1996-2003), Dr. Jeff Loach (2004-2006), now the regional director of the Canadian Bible Society
. Interim Moderator Rev. Dr. Ian Clark served in 2004, and returned for 2006-07, and led the Induction Service on July 29, 2007 for Rev. Harry J. Bradley.
There is great co-operation between the two Knox Churches, as well as other congregations in the Agincourt area with joint ministerials, and social ministries and spiritual programmes such as Alpha
.
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, in a wood frame church built in 1848, the result of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
disruption, that led to the formation of the Presbyterian Church of Canada in Connection with the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
.
Elder William Clarke, Sr., was one of the group who withdrew from the "Auld Kirk" at the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
Meeting held in Kingston, Canada West
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in July, 1844; his Minister, Rev. James George, and much of the Presbyterian Church at Scarborough in Connection with the Church of Scotland (now St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Scarborough) remained.
The original Knox Congregation (named after Scottish Church reformer John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
) met first with another congregation located in York Mills
York Mills
York Mills is the name of an affluent neighbourhood around Yonge Street and York Mills Road located in the district of North York in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
, until settling in the developing Scarborough Township village of Agincourt.
In 1853, it became the centre of the "Scarborough Township Pastoral Charge", along with Melville (formed 1851) in West Hill
West Hill
West Hill may refer to:in Canada* West Hill, Ontarioin the United Kingdom* West Hill, Brighton* West Hill, Wandsworth, London* West Hill School, Stalybridgein the United States...
, Zion Church, Cedar Grove (formed 1855), in Markham Township
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
, Chalmers Church, York Town Line (1863-1890), and other occasional preaching points.
By 1883, Knox Church had grown to become a single-point charge.
With a growing membership, the current brick church was built in 1872, and the Christian Education Centre in the 1950s.
The church still stands at the corner of Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
East and Midland Avenue, surrounded by a large cemetery containing many early settlers, and a number of prominent Church leaders.
Knox Presbyterian Church, Agincourt
In 1925, this PresbyterianPresbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
congregation voted 136-106 to join the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
. A number left to form a "Continuing" Knox Presbyterian Church, who are now located nearby at 4156 Sheppard Avenue East. The latter congregation was initially assisted by the Minister and Elders of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Scarborough, but has also grown over the years; their 1950s extension is named the "John Forbes Hall" after the Minister of that era (1950-1969).
Recent ministers of this church included: Rev. Dr. Robert P Carter (1974-1987, died August 2007), Rev Gordon Hastings (1988-1996), Reverends Dr H. Glen (Moderator of the 2000 General Assembly) and Joyce Davis (1996-2003), Dr. Jeff Loach (2004-2006), now the regional director of the Canadian Bible Society
Bible society
A Bible society is a non-profit organization devoted to translating, publishing, distributing the Bible at affordable costs and advocating its credibility and trustworthiness in contemporary cultural life...
. Interim Moderator Rev. Dr. Ian Clark served in 2004, and returned for 2006-07, and led the Induction Service on July 29, 2007 for Rev. Harry J. Bradley.
There is great co-operation between the two Knox Churches, as well as other congregations in the Agincourt area with joint ministerials, and social ministries and spiritual programmes such as Alpha
Alpha course
The Alpha course is a course which seeks to explore the basics of the Christian faith, described as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life" . Alpha courses are currently being run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations...
.