| Knox United Church | |
| Denomination | United Church of Canada |
|---|---|
| Website | Knox United Agincourt |
| Administration | |
| Province | Ontario Toronto Conference |
| Presbytery | Toronto Scarborough |
| Clergy | |
| Minister(s) | Rev. David Bruce |
| Pastor(s) | Paul Neary (Pastor Emeritus) |
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.
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In 1925, this Presbyterian 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.