At Knox we are a people that celebrate Jesus everyday in our lives.  We strive to communicate the timeless messages and truths of the Bible in exciting ways that are relevant and applicable to real people in today's world.  Our style is casual and we invite you to join us regardless of your background or beliefs.  Below you will find some more details on the Presbyterian church and how we are organized.

What is a Presbyterian?

The word "Presbyterian" does not refer to a particular theology or set of beliefs, but rather to a form of church government.  Presbyterians derive their name from the Greek word "presbyteros", meaning "elder".  Presbyterian churches are governed by elders - members of the congregation elected to sit on the session - the governing body of each church.

How Did the Presbyterian Church Start?

The Presbyterian denomination arose out of the Protestant Reformation, a major 16th century religious movement.  Many Presbyterian churchs, including ours, are named after John Knox, one of the leaders of this movement.  Knox's efforts resulted in the establishment of Presbyterianism in his native Scotland, from where it soon spread to North America.  In 1875, The Presbyterian Church in Canada formed.  Our church is part of a "two-point charge", meaning we share a single minister with our sister congregration at St. Paul's Presbyterian church in Carluke, near Ancaster.

How Our Church is Orgainized

The Presbyterian Church in Canada believes that Jesus Christ is the only King, and head of the Church.  There are several widely practiced forms of church government that are based on scripture evidence.  In the presbyterian system, there are four "courts".

The session of each congregation has overall repsonsibilty for the direction of the congregation.  Session consists of a minister who moderates or facilitates the deliberations, and "elders", who are men and women elected from the local congregation, by the congregation.  At Knox, members are elected to sit for a five year term.

Presbyteries, made up of ministers and elders, oversee the congregations within its boundaries.  There are 46 prebyteries in Canada.  Knox Binbrook is part of the Presbytery of Hamilton.

Synods consist of several presbyteries, and focus on the effectiveness of the ministries within their bounds.  There are eight synods in the Church of Canada.

The General Assembly, the church's highest court, meets yearly to deal with issues concerning the national church.

In addition to the above four "courts" found in all Presbyterian churches, Knox also has teams which are accountable to session, and are instrumental in the decision making and day to day operations of the church.  These teams are:

• Worship Design
• Youth
• Christian Education
• Outreach and Missions
• Congregational Life

Membership on teams is open at any time to anyone wishing to participate.  We gladly welcome your involvement if you feel called to contribute.  We believe that ministry is not limited to the Pastor and staff of a church, but includes everyone in a congregation.

Finally, our Board of Managers, also accountable to session, and is responsible for the financial operations of the church, as well as the physical building and grounds.  Members are elected by the congregation to serve for a three year term.