Windows on Community Worship: a student reflects on Knox’s 2020-2021 virtual worship services
This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of Presbyterian Connection; reposted with permission.
By Antonio Siracusa
Knox student Antonio Siracusa in his home office for Knox College Community Worship.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, attending Knox College Chapel in person meant so much to me. I always looked forward to walking into Chapel, seeing friends, acquaintances, and staff members while awaiting the beginning of worship. There I found community, yet simultaneously, private time. I would sit down, and pray, or take in the grand neo-gothic architecture — especially when the sunlight would shine through the orange, golden-brown stained-glass windows. Once worship began, I knew I would be affirmed in steadfast faith, encouraged, and, also challenged to delve even deeper into my understanding of the Christian faith.
That particular kind of worship experience was to change, however, as global society felt the ramifications of COVID-19. Throughout 2020, Knox College maintained a keen eye and firm grip on monitoring developments related to the impact of COVID-19 on community and academic life across Knox College and the University of Toronto. Come August 2020, it was confirmed that all classes in regular academic programs would be accessible only through virtual remote platforms — online. These necessary protocols also meant that the Knox College Chapel Worship Services would have to find a way to continue, albeit streamed over Zoom and later uploaded to Knox’s YouTube Channel.
The inaugural COVID-age Knox College Worship Committee was comprised of Dr. Brian Irwin, James Park (MDiv), and me, Antonio Siracusa (MPS/MDiv). We began to meet weekly even before the Fall 2020 academic year began, to start planning how we were going to execute Community Worship in an online format.
Three main challenges presented themselves: finding preachers; finding musicians and singers for hymns; and finding volunteers for scripture readings and prayers. Dr. Brian Irwin received many suggestions for preaching/service leadership from the Knox Community, and he fine-tuned the selection to ensure that those chosen upheld Knox College’s mission and vision. James Park, a skilled violinist himself, sifted through known, unknown, and suggested singers, choosing musicians that would complement the theme of each worship service. I strove to recruit volunteers to record themselves reading Scripture, Calls to Worship, and Opening Prayers.
I was energized in recruiting the necessary and vast number of volunteers needed to undertake our goals for an online, virtual Knox College Chapel. The Knox College Worship Committee had decided we wanted as many people from the Knox Community (past and present) to showcase both their talents and faith, along with the rich and unique diverse population that the Holy Spirit had brought together. It became evident, during Orientation Day that our team’s trusting that the Lord would provide, was affirmed. Many people expressed interest on Orientation Day (with a little bit of egging on), which got the ball rolling at a good speed for Knox College Chapel. The Knox College Community is alive with an abundance of faithful individuals of all stripes, and it soon became clear we would well meet our need for volunteers.
Knox College Principal and Professor John Vissers offered spiritual book-ends for our Knox Chapel virtual series by leading the first worship service in the Fall and, as per tradition, concluded the academic year in worship in April 2021. In between, we saw and heard from preachers representing the rich and Spirit-filled span of leaders both in the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) and the Church beyond Canada’s borders. Some of those preachers were from Egypt, Cuba, and Trinidad & Tobago.
The online worship services facilitated a unique opportunity for the Knox College Chapel Choir – this year known as The Knox College Virtual Choir. Knox College’s own Claire Lemiski (MTS) spear-headed the Choir’s virtual engagement, which initially started out with 10 people in the Fall. “Over the course of the year, we had a total of 18 people participate.” stated Claire. Her YouTube Channel, Sing-A-Part, was inspired by the preparations for working with the Knox College Virtual Choir in the Fall. Claire said, “It started off as a simple way to post some video tutorials for the group. But it occurred to me that many other communities were also trying to figure out how to sing together online, and perhaps these resources would be appreciated by other groups.”
For those interested in numbers – in all, the 2020-2021 Knox College Chapel totalled 24 Online Worship Services, 22 Preachers, 61 Scripture or Prayer Readers, 20 Musicians and Singers, plus the official choirs of 6 other churches beyond the virtual walls of Knox College Chapel. With the weekly turnout of online attendees was up to 45 people.
Through planning ahead, experimenting with editorial designs, and faithfully executing our heartfelt intentions, along with trusting in the Holy Trinity to bring it all together — the Knox College Worship Committee now reflects with gratitude that we did our best to carry out the Mission of Knox College: educating people to think deeply about God, to live authentically in the Christian faith, and to lead courageously in shifting spiritual and social landscapes.
This past academic year, I have dearly missed walking into the grand neo-gothic Chapel at Knox College, seeing my friends – those united in Christ, and worshipping as our beloved Christian Community. I have missed catching the promise of life and rebirth that the sun’s rays would bring as they shone through those warm coloured stained-glass windows. Fellow classmate Christine Samuel (MDiv) agrees that Knox College Chapel is vital for students. “One of the more spiritual experiences at Knox College is the Tuesday afternoon worship services held in the sanctuary. Students know this time is set aside to connect with God and many of us look forward to the break this time offers from the regular routine of lectures and studies.”
Yet we were grateful to be able to worship together online this year. Christine continues: “Worshipping together allowed us to feel the presence of community, connectivity, and continuity at Knox. It was especially meaningful to have former students participate in worship, as this gave us an opportunity to see and experience the richness of culture and diversity of students who attended Knox College. Student participation also increased, as they were able to pre-record and send in their parts, which was done at their convenience with the understanding of meeting the deadlines. There are many moving parts to online worship and it was definitely worthwhile for Knox to put this effort forward as it became a staple and something to look forward to every week.”
This academic year, the windows at Chapel were different, but still meaningful. The window panels on the computer screen showed people from the Knox Community shining their own light, enthusiasm, and reverence for Christian worship. In again seeing those from my cherished Christian Community I have encountered at Knox College, I was surprised to find God’s grace at work in continuing to bring our Knox College Chapel Community together in such a strange time. I discovered comfort and countless blessings in seeing people I respect, look up to, learn from, appreciate, and value. And I was strengthened in knowing that Knox College’s Christian Community is held firm in belief and faith of Jesus Christ.
COVID-19 may have put a temporary stop to in person worship gatherings, but it certainly has not halted Knox’s vision of people of faith building vibrant communities of God’s love and hope. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer so eloquently put it in his classic text, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community:
“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it be a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity.”
From the September 26th, 1912, Laying of the Cornerstone Ceremony, to 2020-2021 when the Knox College Worship Committee laid the foundation for online community worship — Knox College Community Worship continues to grow, to thrive, and to move forward, in deeper Christian faith, and deeper Christian community.
You can view the online 2020-2021 Knox College worship services on Knox’s YouTube Channel: youtube.com/KnoxCollegeCA.
Antonio Siracusa graduated from Knox in May 2021 with a Master of Pastoral Studies degree, and he is now a Master of Divinity student at Knox.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of Presbyterian Connection; reposted with permission.