KnoxCentre

Join us as we explore Canadian identity and Canada’s founding myths through John Ralston Saul’s seminal book A Fair Country as we reimagine Canada and revisit our founding myths. From the book description:

"In this startlingly original vision of Canada, thinker John Ralston Saul unveils 3 founding myths. Saul argues that the famous “peace, order, and good government” that supposedly defines Canada is a distortion of the country’s true nature. Every single document before the BNA Act, he points out, used the phrase “peace, welfare, and good government,” demonstrating that the well-being of its citizenry was paramount.

He also argues that Canada is a Métis nation, heavily influenced and shaped by aboriginal ideas: egalitarianism, a proper balance between individual and group, and a penchant for negotiation over violence are all aboriginal values that Canada absorbed. Another obstacle to progress, Saul argues, is that Canada has an increasingly ineffective elite, a colonial non-intellectual business elite that doesn’t believe in Canada. It is critical that we recognize these aspects of the country in order to rethink its future."

April 26th, 7:00pm $10.

In the spring of 2009 we began a series entitled Our World. These plays are written in the form of a news talk show and will take a look at the history of Knox as a downtown church.

The series of plays began with Behind the Rainbow, our show on Knox becoming an affirming congregation. Part 2, Opening Doors will look at the involvement Knox has had with community outreach groups such as Inn from the Cold and CUPS. Knox will celebrate its 100 birthday in this building in 2013 and the Collective is joining in the celebration by showing the people of Calgary what the people of Knox have contributed.

May 6th and 7th 7:30pm $10. A play by Helen Young.

What do secrecy, police provocateurs, an assault on democracy and infringements on citizens’ rights have in common? The Security Prosperity Partnership.

‘You, Me, and the S.P.P: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule’ is a feature length documentary which exposes the latest manifestation of a corporatist agenda that is undermining the democratic authority of the citizens of North America.

Two processes, the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and the Trade Investment Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) are rapidly eroding and eliminating standards, civil liberties, regulatory systems and institutions put in place over generations through the democratic process. Proponents of the SPP and TILMA say that they are needed to keep trade flowing, opponents say these agreements not only undermine the democratic authority of citizens they threaten the sovereignty of the three nations through the integration of military, security structures and regulatory regimes.

Join us for the film screening, then we'll head to a local pub for good talk and good times!

March 15th 6:45pm. Leadership: Joel Laforest

March 7th, noon hour
Get your hands on the books of last year’s and this year’s outstanding guest lectures and  speakers at Knox Centre’s Annual Book sale!!!

Click here to order Knox Centre's books online. Knox Centre gets a portion of all sales from orders through our site on Amazon.ca.

Join John Akim Gosaw as he shares his knowledge and experience in a meditation of sound and light – an unforgettable experience in the Knox Labyrinth.           

Gosaw’s life has always been motivated by sound and light. At age 15 he was initiated into the nada, or sound. He discovered the Tibetan Singing Bowls after a near death experience at age 25. True healing and insight touched him from the sounds and vibration from these ancient instruments.

Spring Equinox March 21, 7-9pm $20

Image courtesy "Wonderlane" with a CC license.

Lecture: Introduction to Biblical Economics
Friday, March 5, 7:00 – 9:00pm $20
The people of Israel broke away from the “advanced civilization” of Mesopotamia and Egypt and formed an alternative society. In the ancient Near Eastern empires, as in the global capitalist economy, the centralization of wealth and power led to increasing exploitation of the people’s labor, fragmentation of supportive community, privatization of the public resources, and neglect of human welfare. In its covenant with Yahweh on Sinai, however, early Israel outlined principles of an alternative economy devoted to the common good, the protection of people’s economic rights, and mutual assistance in cooperative community. The monarchy centralized wealth and power again, in violation of the covenant. The prophets pronounced Yahweh’s condemnation of the wealthy and powerful for exploiting the people, and Jesus called for a revival of mutual support and cooperation in renewed covenantal community. “Biblical economics” may pose some significant challenges to the unprecedented concentration of power and wealth in the global capitalist system in these “depressing” times.

Workshops:
Saturday, March 6 10am-12:00pm $20
Economics of the Mosaic Covenant 
The Ten Commandments, often taken as rules of morality, were principles that protected the people’s social-economic rights in key areas of social interaction in Israel’s Covenant with God on Sinai. On the basis of these principles Israel developed mechanisms of a “moral economy” in which the people protected each other’s rights to a livelihood by mutual aid rooted in recognition of the common good. Discussion of how the covenantal economic principles may be applicable to the overlapping covenantal communities of the church, constitutional countries, and international economics, especially under globalization.

Saturday, March 6 1pm-3 pm   $20
Jesus’ Renewal of Covenant Economics
The very center of Jesus’ prophetic teaching was the renewal of the Mosaic covenant among village communities in Galilee – communities that were disintegrating under the multiple demands of their high priestly, Herodian, and Roman rulers for tithes, taxes, and tribute.  Exploration of the “Sermon on the Plain,” the “Sermon on the Mount,” and other Gospel texts. Discussion of the pertinence of Jesus renewal of covenant for disintegration of community today under economic pressures of centralization of wealth.

$60 for all 3 lectures, lunch included.

Richard Horsley, Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and the Study of Religion, University of Massachusetts Boston, is author of a dozen books and editor of another dozen. In books such as Bandits, Prophets, and Messiahs, Jesus and the Spiral of Violence, and Galilee: History, Politics, People. He pioneered exploration of the historical Jesus in his social and political context, including popular movements. He opened up the recent discussion of Empire as the context of Jesus and Paul in Paul and Empire (1997) and Jesus and Empire (2003) and In the Shadow of Empire (2008). His new book, Covenant Economics: A Biblical Vision of Justice for All is a survey of how central economic concerns are in the Mosaic covenant, the prophets, and the teaching of Jesus.

Feb. 1, 8, 22, Mar. 1, 8, 15 7-9pm $10

Would you like to try acting but are afraid of all the lines you have to learn? This workshop is your chance to take a scene, learn it and perform in six weeks.

Leadership: Helen Young 403-281-7065 kctc@nucleus.com

Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis.

Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.

Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question "CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?"

Beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround. Check out the website at

On December 10th, 2008 FLOW was invited to screen at the United Nations as part of the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. Watch the video here:  FLOW at the UN

February 17th, 6:45pm. Leadership: Joel Laforest

The insights of best-selling author and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle have been transformative for a growing number of people around the world. His best known books are The Power of NOW: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, and A New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose. You are invited to join the MeetUp Group and meet with new friends for a Tolle DVD presentation, discussion, refreshments and meditation.

Light refreshments are available. We have changed the format slightly. We will begin by listening to a recorded lecture for 15 or 20 minutes. This is followed by two rounds of dialogue in a "talking circle" format. The first time around the circle participants are encouraged to give their own reflections without addressing one another's comments. In the second round, participants may engage what another participant has said or expand on what they said earlier. This will be followed by free discussion for as long as time permits. Following a brief break, we reconvene in a nearby room sitting in a circle and share a silent meditation for 20 to 30 minutes. Participants then take their leave in silence. Tolle recommends an entirely silent meeting. The compromise we have reached is to observe silence following the break. Participants who want to socialize are invited to do so at a nearby Tim Horton's following the Meetup.

Sign up online only, times at www.etolle.meetup.com. Meeting 7 – 8:30pm starting January 4th, meets two Mondays each month.

Guided by: Tim Nethercott, University of Calgary Chaplain. Drew Strickland, Knox United Church

Image courtesy "~C4Chaos" with a CC license.