Now that I am in the final stretch of serving as Moderator, over the next few posts in the “Moderator Monday” series, I will share some of the experiences and visits I had while connecting with this Presbyterian Church of ours.
The church is well served by three theological colleges (Presbyterian College, Knox College, and St. Andrew’s Hall). In January, I had the opportunity to visit two of them – Knox College, within the Toronto School of Theology, and St. Andrew’s Hall, affiliated with the Vancouver School of Theology. I enjoyed these visits because they provided an opportunity to connect with faculty, staff, and students and, more importantly, to catch a glimpse of how our Theological Schools have adapted to the changing landscape of the church today as they seek to better serve congregations and ministries of our denomination.
Walking through the halls of Knox College, the school I graduated from, brought back memories of my time there and the faith and theological growth I experienced there. Back then and still today, Knox helps students think critically about their faith and how it connects with the contexts of ministry one serves in, within the changing landscape of faith and culture, and for the world Christ entered to show God’s love.
When I attended Knox, most of us were in the M.Div. program, and many might still view our theological colleges as having a limited mandate: preparing persons to become ordained ministers of word and sacraments in the church. While this is still an important function of the colleges, the commitment to theological education is far more expansive, recognizing that gifts for ministry in the church extend beyond teaching elders. The vision of the colleges today reaches beyond their respective locations to encompass alumni, lay leaders, congregations, and individuals seeking to grow in faith and theological understanding. For example, Knox’s Ministry Forum focuses on lifelong learning by providing resources, facilitating discussions, and offering spaces to gather both online and in person to foster connections and enhance the ministry of church leaders. Knox also has a Counselling Centre that provides free or affordable counselling services to anyone in the local community and students at the University of Toronto.
Staying in the guest suite at St. Andrew’s Hall was a welcome opportunity to get a sense of the intentional Christian community it fosters through weekly worship, soup nights, Bible studies, a knitting club, and social gatherings. This demonstrated to me how a college looks beyond the mandate of theological education to consider how Jesus invites us to live our common life together, whereby the gospel is shared and lived out in community. St. Andrew’s Hall seeks to model the wide welcome of Jesus through the missional theology it teaches and equips churches to share.
When I was visiting, I had a chance to learn more about the Centre for Missional Leadership (CML). CML contributes to congregational life and mission through its thought leadership, programs, and publications, fulfilling St. Andrew’s Hall’s mandate to equip clergy, elders, and lay leaders. Leadership development for clergy and lay persons is also a feature of Presbyterian College in Montreal, through its Leadership Centre and lay leadership certificate programs.
While visiting Knox, St. Andrew’s Hall, and the Vancouver School of Theology, I had the opportunity to attend community worship, where future PCC ministers led and preached, and to have engaging conversations. The experience filled me with hope for the future of our church, as I was inspired by their words, questions, insights, and love for the church.
You can find out more about the life, ministry, and programs of our three theological colleges here: