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KNOX COLLEGE, CANADA | SPRING 2021 Receiving the gifts OF COVID TIMES ALSOALSO: EMPOWERING: DAILY, DOWN-TO-EARTH VICTIMS OF SEX DISCIPLESHIP; TRAFFICKING, FROMSPIRITUAL THESPIAN CARE TO THERAPIST; IN A PANDEMIC, & THE WORK& 2019-2020 OF CHRISTIAN YEAR IN REVIEW EDUCATION A prayer for our students FROM KNOX COLLEGE FACULTY VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 | SPRING 2021 IN THIS ISSUE O Creator of bodies, minds, and hearts, Vocations is published three times per year for Abundant life — not just Let your creative Word shape the minds of our students. graduates, former residents, and other friends of Knox College. We welcome your news and a pulse suggestions. Let your creative love caress their hearts; Matthew Ruttan sees daily, down-to-earth Let your creative beauty enfold their bodies. Please send comments, changes of address, or discipleship as vital, moving people from requests for mailing list removal to us at knowing about God to knowing God. [email protected], 416-978-8738, or: O Jesus, our Healer and Friend, 4 Knox College - Vocations Let your healing touch grace each student. 59 St. George Street Let your healing words form their thoughts; Toronto, ON M5S 2E6 The gifts of COVID times Let your healing embrace return health to Tel: 416.978.4500 The pandemic has been exhausting. Fax: 416.971.2133 But Gale Macdonald shows us that body, mind, and soul. Web: knox.utoronto.ca this time has also given gifts – shaping Knox College respects your privacy. We do not who we are and the way we live as a O Spirit, our Comforter, Advocate, and Guide, rent, trade, or sell our mailing lists. community of faith. Let your presence walk with each student. Knox College is a theological college of The 6 Let your encouragement sustain each journey; Presbyterian Church in Canada, federated with the University of Toronto, and a founding member of Let your guidance make each path known. the Toronto School of Theology. Knox holds its ac- From thespian to therapist creditation through the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. After decades working in theatre, Bruce Then in you, O Creator, Dow has become a Master of Pastoral Healer, and Comforter, Editor: Stephanie Hanna Studies student at Knox, learning a new way to serve and to explore who we are We rest our prayers; Special thanks to Helen Cheung, Wan-Kit Keng, and Nam Soon Song for translating the Principal’s as God’s people. We find our hope; Message. 8 We discover our Page 2 photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels. meaning in life. Guiding us to life change Professor Nam Soon Song’s lifelong Let your work is rooted in her heart for Christian kingdom come Education – an academic area “that ON THE COVER: Gale Macdonald, minis- guides us to life change.” and let your will ter at Clarkson Road Presbyterian Church, records a Sunday worship service in her 10 be done. home. See story on pages 6-7. Photo by Amen. Stuart Macdonald. 12 Principal’s Message in translation 14 Knox news and alumni notes 16 Principal’s Message In these difficult times, we note that students are managing in special circumstances and are facing especially uncertain futures. We stand with them in prayer and hope, and we are grateful that they are responding to God’s call. Prayer written by the Rev. Dr. Charles Fensham, Professor of Systematic Theology at Knox College. 2 SPRING 2021 KNOX COLLEGE VOCATIONS 3 ALUMNUS STORY DAILY, DOWN-TO-EARTH DISCIPLESHIP FOR INSPIRATION FOR THE Abundant life not just a pulse JOURNEY Following are a — few ideas that I’ve By Matthew Ruttan found contribute to daily, down-to-earth discipleship. None of them is original, not well enough to do odd jobs or errands on their own. expensive, or a silver I was recently talking to a man who never misses an oppor- bullet. But in their AS I STUDIED MY POCKET-SIZED New tunity to share his faith in Jesus. He’s not pushy – just honest, own way, especially in this strange and disori- well-spoken, and confident. He has the ability to leave people enting time, they can help us mature as appren- Testament over lunch hour in high school, Jesus with the impression that life with God is actually good news! tices of Jesus each day. —Matthew Ruttan burst out of the pages in a way that made me feel For most people I know, daily, down-to-earth discipleship is rooted in regular prayer, Bible-reading, worship, and intention- DAILY DEVOTIONAL excited – and a little bit scared. Standing tall and al fellowship with other believers. It is propelled forward by the radiating integrity, Jesus was a power of incomparable Holy Spirit as people humbly seek to glorify Jesus in their deci- From Monday to Friday I write a devotional sions, priorities, and relationships. called “Up!” It comes out on email, social media, and at TheUpDevo.com. It’s a succinct magnetism. He summoned others to trust, repent, The Bible has a word for this: zeal. I see it in these people. It biblical thought with a practical application that takes zeal to battle against the selfishness, apathy, and individu- rejoice, learn, and follow. Not one day a week, but you can read in under a minute. Spiritual espres- alism that are so dominant in our day, and to battle against the seven. Not just with the head, but also with the heart, so. It’s a reminder – five mornings a week – to pressure to fit into a society that often rejects fix our minds on God and to live that specific hands, and feet. Abundant life, not just a pulse. the ways of God. Being a child of God to- day for his glory. Pause, pivot, act. day is not child’s play. Fortunately, they – Fast-forward: I’ve been the pastor at Westminster and we – are not alone. Presbyterian Church in Barrie, Ont., for twelve years. I’ll be honest. I fail. A lot. But this Q&A FORUM Daily, down-to-earth discipleship in the footsteps of doesn’t tarnish my desire for discipleship. Ministers get a healthy number of questions a resurrected Redeemer – who is both exciting and a Instead, it makes me value the gospel all the about God, life, faith, and the Bible. Since little bit scary – continues to motivate me. Not just for more, because I know that my status with the answer I share with one person me personally, but for God’s people collectively. God isn’t based on what I have (or hav- might be helpful to more people, we One evening after small group, a woman said to en’t) done, but on what Jesus has done at Westminster decided to create a me, “You know, I have gone to church through differ- on my behalf. He is renewing and mechanism for people to anonymously ask these questions. Then, once a ent periods of my life, and I would have thought of renovating all things, including me! month after worship, I respond. It’s myself as a Christian. But now I can tell you that I tru- It’s about knowing God and important for people to know that it’s ly am one.” Shabamo! Angels singing! Something had ronment. A thoughtful and disarming manner creates living differently as a result – consistently. Jesus sum- okay to have and ask serious ques- clicked. This was more than knowingabout God, but space for sharing and encouragement. “Do you have a moned people to trust, repent, rejoice, learn, and follow. tions. Questions have come forward knowing God. It was starting to make choices based minute? I’d love to talk about something...” Not one day a week, but seven. Not just with the head, about evil and suffering, persecution, on faith – not occasionally, but consis- I know someone else who makes food for families but also with the heart, hands, and feet. It’s exciting, and a lit- evolution, the reliability of the Bible, “This can be exciting – tently. This can be exciting – and also a lit- going through grief and hardship at the local Hospice. tle bit scary. Abundant life, not just a pulse. forgiveness when it’s hard, and tle bit scary – as we find ourselves briskly They know what it’s like to give all your time, attention, John Owen’s epitaph says he was “a traveller on earth who COVID-19. Answers are also posted and also a little bit scary following Jesus out of our comfort zone. and energy to a loved one who is dying, and how nice grasped God like one in heaven.” Wouldn’t it be great if we online (westminsterpc.ca/qa-forum). – as we find ourselves One person I know goes out of the it is to have food “magically” appear. They remember. could seize some simple, accessible, and practical ideas to do briskly following Jesus way to make friends with people who are And so they act. Presto. just that? SMARTPHONE APP unpopular and otherwise lonely. This is a I know someone else who, when they see someone Matthew Ruttan, pastor at Westminster Presbyterian in Westminster launched a smartphone app out of our comfort zone.” push-back against the thinking that you sullen, approaches them to see if they want prayer right Barrie (Ont.), graduated from Knox College in 2008 with a with resources, videos, pictures, an online should only “surround yourself with peo- then and there. It doesn’t matter if they’re at the mall, Master of Divinity degree. He has published two devotional Bible, and a prayer wall (the most popular ple who make you happy,” a philosophy that certainly rink, or playground.

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