Knox College, Toronto

Last week, Knox College was proud to take part in the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. We were grateful for the opportunity to engage in important conversations, strengthen relationships, and share in the life and ministry of the Church.

To kick off Alumni Reunion, we are pleased to share a special feature with Professor Emeritus of Church and Society, Stuart Macdonald.

In this heartfelt journey through Knox College, Stuart revisits beloved spaces and hidden details throughout the College, sharing stories and reflections on its architecture, the Margaret Wilson statue, and a rare copy of the National Covenant that connects us to Knox’s rich heritage.

Having recently retired after years of faithful service, Stuart's wisdom, scholarship, and presence have shaped generations of Knox students. We invite you to join him as he reflects on the people, places, and traditions that make Knox College such a special community.

Through the Doors of Knox: Reflections with Professor Stuart Macdonald Join us for a special online event as we premiere an exclusive vide...

Join us TOMORROW (Sunday, June 14th) at 3:00 PM for a special Soccer Sunday service at Knox College Chapel in Toronto, a gathering celebrating community, reflection, and the global game that connects people across cultures and nations.
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This tradition dates back to 1919, when Rev. John Linton led a “Soccer Sunday - working towards the goal” service that filled the church and captured public attention. Knox College itself also holds a unique place in Canadian soccer history, with its 1878 team recognized as the first Canadian Soccer Champions.
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We are especially excited to share that Rev. John Borthwick, Director of Ministry Forum, will be preaching for this special service.
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More than a century later, as Toronto welcomes the world through soccer, this special service offers a space to celebrate teamwork, joy, discipline, and our shared humanity.
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You do not need to be religious to attend. Come as you are, wear your team colours, bring your friends, family, or teammates, and be part of this unique moment connecting sport, history, and community!

New at Caven Library for your summer planning:

The Faithful Families Toolkit: A Companion workbook to Faithful Families by Traci Smith (Chalice Press, 2025)

In the decade following the publication of her book Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home (Chalice, 2024), author Traci Smith gathered responses from many families who appreciated the practices, but wanted help developing the habits that build lasting and transformative faith.

The Faithful Families Toolkit aims to do just that. It guides small groups of parents and caregivers through an eight-session journey in which they learn from and support one another in building faith at home.

Lessons include storytelling, group reflection and discussion, scripture and prayer. In between sessions, families are provided with specific practices selected from the original book, as well as a log to keep track of memorable moments, modifications, and notes on how the practices worked in their own households.

The Faithful Families Toolkit is part of the Family Faith Everyday initiative. Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4o8g828

Also, in November 2026 Traci Smith and David Csinos will be presenting a webinar in the Grow series from the McKay Educational Resource Centre based on their new book, Church Together: An Essential Guide to All-Age Ministry (Chalice, 2026). Stay tuned for more details!


Family Faith Every Day Traci Smith, Author

⚽ Soccer Sunday is almost here!

Join us at Knox College Chapel in Toronto for a special service celebrating community, reflection, and the global game that brings people together across cultures and nations.

During the service, Knox College will be inducted into the Ontario Soccer Hall of Fame in recognition of the 1878 Knox College team, recognized as Canada's first soccer champions.

Alumni Reunion at Knox College starts next week, and everyone is welcome!

Alumni Reunion starts next week!

We look forward to welcoming Knox alumni back to the College as part of U of T Alumni Reunion, June 14–20, 2026. Knox College is pleased to host both online and in-person events throughout the week, offering opportunities to reconnect, learn, and celebrate our community.

Visit knox.utoronto.ca/alumnireunion to explore the full schedule of events and find registration details.

Brand new in our Picture Books in Ministry collection, the debut picture book of acclaimed Canadian (and Presbyterian) author Shari Green:

Savor the Day by Shari Green, illustrated by Gabby Grant (Sleeping Bear Press, 2026)

Savor the song in the voice that wakes you—
savor the hands of care.
Give thanks for the giggles and breakfast-time wiggles
and thanks for the meal you share…

On one level, Savor the Day is a lovely lilting rhyme about a beach day shared by a child and her grandfather—a perfect summer read-aloud. But as the title suggests, the book is also about attentiveness and gratitude. Seeking, finding, looking, noticing, wondering, absorbing the world through our senses, and exulting in its goodness are spiritual habits depicted throughout as natural and joyful. At the end of the day, when the child goes home and crawls into bed, the text gently reminds her:

Savor the home time,
the place-that-you-know time,
the love that holds your heart tight.

While Savor the Day is not explicitly religious, it is saturated with themes that could be connected to God, especially the love that holds everything together. This is a book to savour. It’s also a book that nudges us outside so we can savour our own days.

Browse our Picture Books in Ministry Collection: https://bit.ly/4dl2RO2

Knox College congratulates PhD graduate Michael Anderson on the successful completion of his Final Oral Examination and the defense of his doctoral thesis, The Kerygmatic and Free Catholicity of P. T. Forsyth, on March 16, 2026.

⚽🏆 A proud moment in Knox College history!

Knox College is delighted to announce that its historic 1878 soccer team will be inducted into the Ontario Soccer Hall of Fame in recognition of its victory in the 1878 Dominion Football Association championship, widely recognized as Canada’s national soccer title of its era.

The induction honours a remarkable chapter in the College’s history when Knox students distinguished themselves not only through theological education and public leadership, but also through athletic excellence. The team’s championship victory is recognized as one of the earliest national soccer titles in Canadian history and helped establish Knox College’s place in the development of sport in Canada.

“This recognition speaks to the remarkable depth and breadth of Knox College’s history,” said Rev. Dr. Ernest van Eck, Principal of Knox College. “We are delighted to see this early chapter of student life and achievement recognized on the national stage.”

Founded in 1844, Knox College has long been a place where intellectual, spiritual, and communal life intersect. The 1878 championship came during a formative period in Canadian sport, when soccer was taking shape through intercollegiate and club competition.

“This honour reminds us that the Knox story has always been one of excellence, leadership, and service in many forms,” said Dr. van Eck. “We are proud to celebrate the students whose achievement nearly 150 years ago continues to inspire us today.”

The formal induction ceremony into the Ontario Soccer Hall of Fame will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in the Knox College Chapel, where representatives of Knox College invite its alumni and supporters to celebrate this extraordinary legacy.