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The Citizen, 2016-12-22, Page 30THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. PAGE 30. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016. From the Minister's Study Christmas can be a time for cleansing: Dow By Pastor Ernest Dow, Living Water Christian Fellowship (EMC), Blyth One of the prominent religious emblems of Christmas is the nativity scene. It had its modern origins nearly 800 years ago (AD 1223) when St. Francis of Assisi brought together a manger, an ox, and a donkey for an outdoor Christmas midnight mass in Grecio, Italy. Since then, manger scenes have sprung up all over the place - in and beside churches, in community spaces and in homes - even on our dining room tables. Now, stop right there! A stable on our table? Who would ever in their right mind put a barn complete with animals (and the accompanying manure - and smells) right where they're going to eat? We have sanitized the events of that first Christmas to the point we no longer really think about the actual conditions into which Jesus Christ was born. "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7) I grew up on a dairy farm in Perth County. One of my earliest jobs was to spread straw in the loose housing area where the cows were bedded down - this added fresh layers so they wouldn't have to lie directly in manure. Periodically my father would arrange for the inside of the barn to be whitewashed, after the manure pack had been removed in the annual spring cleanout. For a few brief hours the walls were sanitary and fresh... until the inevitable manure pack started building up again. We have tended to whitewash or sanitize the Christmas story to make it more palatable, something of which we would tolerate having a model inside our homes. But when you really stop and think about it, we might have been saying to Baby Jesus, "Welcome to our mess!" Which is precisely the point of the Liteirtfy 111Jatev� atristiarz Teilawcskp Evangelical Missionary Church Christmas Eve CANDLELIGHT SERVICE Sat., Dec. 24, 7:00 P.M. Matthew 1:18-25 "From Shamed to Saved" Sunday, Dec. 25 - NO SERVICE (worship with your family 'round the tree) Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 10:30 a.m. Sunday Worship (regular time) Small Group • Tuesdays 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham Women's Ministry • 1st Wed. each month, 7:00 pm Youth Group • Wed, 6:30.6:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater or) Incarnation: in Jesus, God mysteriously took on flesh, His Son so identified with us messy sinful humans as to become a perfect substitute suitable to take our place and atone for our wrongdoing. The author of the letter to the Hebrews puts it, "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2:17-18) You may recall the `messiness' around Jesus' entry to Planet Earth didn't end with the upheaval of a tax -related census, a long journey over tough terrain while nine months pregnant, and not being able to find any suitable accommodation (hence the necessity to be born in a barn). After the birth, an angel warned Joseph that King Herod was out to kill the newborn, so the holy couple packed up and emigrated to Egypt until the heat died down. Furious at being outmanoeuvered, despot Herod gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and vicinity up to the age of two. Matthew the gospel writer draws a parallel between this and God delivering the Hebrews from Egypt under the leadership of Moses (Mt ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS? Christmas Eve Services Trinity Blyth - 7:00 pm St. John's Brussels - 9:00 pm There will be no church services Sunday, December 25 or January 1 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! ?Jou re SinviteJ ,loin ?is yrl 7L er.s�ii � SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Service at 10:00 am No Evening Service SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31 New Year's Eve Service at 7:30 pm SUNDAY, JANUARY 1 New Year's Day Service at 10:00 am No Evening Service 6, A NEW A NEW ST�ARR BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 2:15). This is described as Jesus "recapitulating" the history of the people of Israel. Messiah the Deliverer first of all identifies with the trials of those He comes to save. At Christmas now in 2016, the news headlines reveal that the world is still in quite a mess. Refugees on the run from Syria and Sudan could relate to Mary, Joseph and the baby fleeing to a foreign country with scarcely more than the clothes on their back. Civilians kill one another, including young children, in incidents of 'road rage' - a brutality akin to that of Herod's soldiers carrying out their slaughter. Continued on page 32 Services At Huron Chapel This Week CHRISTMAS EVE CHRISTMAS MORN @ 10:30am huornchapel.com BRUSSELS P _ United Church Christmas Eve Service at Melville Presbyterian Church at 7 pm All Welcome Christmas Day Service of carols and readings at 10:00 am January 1 - Welcome to the New Year Service at 10:00 am Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175 Blyth United Church Christmas Eve fServicer Est. 1875 "The Magic of Christmas" December 24 Family Fun Event with cookie decorating and hot chocolate at 7:15 pm Join us for a special Candlelight Christmas Eve service at 8:00 p.m. C'1veusfmai Sunday, December 25 We will be celebrating together at Brussels United Church at 10:00 a.m. Please join us! Sunday, Jamcau,t 1, 2017 `-)41 7 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. "" "Heads Up. Its a New Year!" MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. OFFICE: 519-523-4224 eladdeel eI.abicty ea& �i����%� You're Znvitec( ' its to come worshi With 115 m.' .t �• ,,, - ` ,-,- ` Sunday, December 25 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS'4 -" SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25 ' We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7:00 p.m. Christmas play, music and carols Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. 64- Nursery care available 519-887-6687 ?Jou re SinviteJ ,loin ?is yrl 7L er.s�ii � SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Service at 10:00 am No Evening Service SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31 New Year's Eve Service at 7:30 pm SUNDAY, JANUARY 1 New Year's Day Service at 10:00 am No Evening Service 6, A NEW A NEW ST�ARR BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 2:15). This is described as Jesus "recapitulating" the history of the people of Israel. Messiah the Deliverer first of all identifies with the trials of those He comes to save. At Christmas now in 2016, the news headlines reveal that the world is still in quite a mess. Refugees on the run from Syria and Sudan could relate to Mary, Joseph and the baby fleeing to a foreign country with scarcely more than the clothes on their back. Civilians kill one another, including young children, in incidents of 'road rage' - a brutality akin to that of Herod's soldiers carrying out their slaughter. Continued on page 32 Services At Huron Chapel This Week CHRISTMAS EVE CHRISTMAS MORN @ 10:30am huornchapel.com BRUSSELS P _ United Church Christmas Eve Service at Melville Presbyterian Church at 7 pm All Welcome Christmas Day Service of carols and readings at 10:00 am January 1 - Welcome to the New Year Service at 10:00 am Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175 Blyth United Church Christmas Eve fServicer Est. 1875 "The Magic of Christmas" December 24 Family Fun Event with cookie decorating and hot chocolate at 7:15 pm Join us for a special Candlelight Christmas Eve service at 8:00 p.m. C'1veusfmai Sunday, December 25 We will be celebrating together at Brussels United Church at 10:00 a.m. Please join us! Sunday, Jamcau,t 1, 2017 `-)41 7 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. "" "Heads Up. Its a New Year!" MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. OFFICE: 519-523-4224