Feast of Christ the King events in November for King's community

Events will be held to celebrate King’s University College’s history and the accomplishments of some of our finest students. These celebrations are a wonderful opportunity for our community to gather together to celebrate King’s history of excellence as well as our present and the future. We hope everyone in the King’s community takes the opportunity to enjoy them. 

During the Annual Christ the King Lecture, taking place on November 16, 2023, at 7 p.m. in the Joanne & Peter Kenny Theatre, Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, a professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and the author or editor of 21 books, will speak on Healing Our Broken Humanity. Her talk will offer Christian practices that can bring healing and hope to a broken world, such as lament, relinquishing power and reinforcing agency. She says that embodying these practices enables us to be the new humanity in Christ, so the church and world can experience reconciliation, justice, unity, peace, and love.

“Celebrating our Feast Day provides an opportunity to reflect on our Catholic heritage and our hope for the future.  Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s work in intersectional theology provides a framework that puts faith in dialogue with the tapestry of cultures that make up the King’s community,” says Jim Panchaud, Director of Campus Ministry.

We will be Celebrating Excellence in Teaching at King’s on November 22, 2023, at 4 p.m. in the Joanne & Peter Kenny Theatre and virtually via Zoom.

This year’s Christopher Perrin Beatty Lecture, which is delivered by the recipient of the King’s Award of Excellence in Teaching (Full-Time Faculty), will be presented by Dr. Darcy Harris, Professor of Thanatology. Dr. Harris, the award recipient for 2023, will present on “Navigating the Many Shapes of Loss and Grief.” In the lecture, she will explore how change, loss, and transition shape our lives in various ways, and how grief can be viewed as both an essential and potentially transformative experience.

The Christopher Perrin Beatty Lecture was established by the Beatty family to honour the memory of their son Christopher '07, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 23.

As part of the event, Dr. Jennifer Silcox, Assistant Professor of Childhood and Youth Studies and the recipient of the 2023 King’s Award of Excellence in Teaching (Part-Time Faculty) will also give a lecture. In Dr. Silcox’s lecture, entitled “My Unexpected Path: Becoming a Teacher,” she will talk about how she fell into teaching and became passionate about creating a collaborative learning environment. She will describe how her personal experiences have shaped her teaching pedagogy and how she strives to empower students to take learning into their own hands.

All are welcome to attend these lectures. For planning purposes, registration is requested.

All employees, along with their families and friends, are invited to attend the Celebration of the Eucharist Mass at the Chapel at Windermere on the Mount (1486 Richmond Street) on November 26, 2023, at 10 a.m. There will be a procession by faculty, non-academic employees, and board members. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall, which all are welcome to attend.

“Bishop Ronald P. Fabbro, Bishop of London, always looks forward to celebrating mass on the Feast of Christ the King with King’s.  We have an opportunity to thank God for the many ways we are blessed and to ground ourselves in those gifts for our common mission of education,” says Panchaud.

The scholastic accomplishments of our students and the generosity of donors who support student awards at King's will be celebrated during the Student Awards Ceremony on November 26, 2023, in Labatt Hall, Room 105. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. The formal program begins at noon, with a reception to follow at 12:30 p.m.

Please note: Awards will not be presented individually to students at this year's event. Student award recipients, donors, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend this celebratory event. Registration is requested.

“In recognizing and celebrating excellence in teaching and honouring student award recipients with donors’ funds, we not only acknowledge academic achievements but also nurture a profound sense of belonging, support and community. These initiatives serve as pillars, uplifting not only individuals but the entire educational ecosystem. They create an inspiring tapestry, weaving together educators, students and benefactors in a shared commitment to learning. In these moments of celebration, we go beyond mere acknowledgement of accomplishments; we invest in the future by fostering a supportive community of connection and family,” says Terra Ahrens ’94, Executive Director of Foundation and Alumni and Development.

These celebrations are a wonderful opportunity for our community to gather together to celebrate King’s history of excellence as well as our present and the future. We hope everyone in the King’s community takes the opportunity to enjoy them.