Knox Church is in need of a new roof. On May 3, 2026, the One Roof for All fundraising campaign was launched, with a target to raise $100,000 by November 30.

The roofs over the church’s sanctuary and tower have been degrading. Sun and heat have caused cracks in the membrane, allowing water to seep in during rainy periods, and over time the underlying wood structure has begun to rot. Signs of leaks can be seen on some of the sanctuary walls, and our choir has had the unfortunate experience of sitting down in a puddle of water on a Sunday morning.

The fundraising goal represents roughly half of the total cost of the roof replacement, which is estimated at $194,000. It’s a lot for the church congregation, about 75 regularly attending members, to manage. We are hoping that friends of Knox, be they in the neighbourhood or connected online, will pitch in to help.

The stone-clad church has been a solid presence on the corner of Elgin and Lisgar streets since 1932, with the congregation going back even farther, to 1844. Throughout its history, Knox has been not just a house of worship but a home to services for the wider community.

In its early days, the church housed a program teaching Chinese immigrants to read, and a lunch program supporting the war effort in the 1940s.  Today, Knox provides affordable space for non-profit groups serving the Centretown community, as well as arts organizations. Users of its facilities include an LGBTQ+ choir, AA groups on Mondays and Fridays, Daybreak Housing, the Islam Care Centre and recently, an Indigenous theatre group.

It also provides space for cultural events such as the Fever Candlelight Concerts and Ottawa Writers Festival which bring people to the Elgin Street neighbourhood.

But Knox’s signature program is Out of the Cold, providing meals on Saturday nights to vulnerable and unhoused people in Ottawa’s downtown. The program is offered from November to April and gives people a hot meal as well as some social connection. Thanks to the generosity of community donors as well as Knox members, the Out of the Cold program is well-funded to carry through 2027.

But Out of the Cold and all of Knox’s users depend on having a roof over their heads.

We hope that everyone who has a connection to Knox or supports its missions will donate to One Roof for All, and help us restore our house to serve the community.

There are several ways to donate:

• For Canada Helps, please click HERE
• To use your credit card through Square, please click HERE
• E-transfers are accepted at knoxottawa@rogers.com. Please be sure to include One Roof for All and your address in the memo line.
• Cheques, payable to Knox Presbyterian Church, can be forwarded to 120 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 0C2.  Be sure to designate your donation to One Roof for All.

All donations are elligible for a tax deductible receipt. Receipts will be issued in early 2027.