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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2013-10-17, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013. By Rev. Gary Clark Blyth United Church I know for most Thanksgiving was last weekend and now it is time to move on to the next calendar event of the year: Halloween, followed by Remembrance Day followed by Christmas, and then…. If you think I sound a little jaded then you guessed right. My problem is that I have been doing a lot of work around the idea that as individuals and as a society we operate out of a set of ‘core values.’ A core value is a principle that guides our thinking and actions. If we value generosity, then we will not only want to give to others but we will not be able to stop ourselves. Indeed a true core value is a principle for which we would lay down our lives. For example, you have probably heard of Malala Yousufzai. She was the young girl shot in the face by the Taliban in an attempt to stop her speaking out and living her core value. Her core value is education. It was so important to her that she dared go against the proclamation of the local Taliban that girls should not go to school. She knew the danger that continuing to go to school placed her in but she could not give up a value so close to the very core of her being. That is a core value. So here is my problem, as I look around I see the traditions we celebrate and the core values that gave rise to them as out of step with today’s reality. I do not think that one of the core values of North American society is thankfulness. And I am not talking about the younger generations, but of all generations. I have heard people of all ages say things like, “What’s in it for me?” or “Is this all I get?” or “I deserve more.” Gratitude and thankfulness has left the building. Unfortunately simply having a preacher or a holiday say, “Hey you people get to be grateful!” isn’t going to change a core value. Those things go pretty deep. We might ponder how we got here and we might wish for a different truth but here we are and Remembrance Day, Christmas, and all the rest of our holidays seem powerless to change things. That doesn’t mean I’m ready to give up on those values, but I think we need to look again at how we as a society teach/model/encourage a more generous and appreciative society. One way might be to talk at school and in our homes about the news from Syria and other war-torn countries. Today there are over seven million Syrians that are displaced from their homes and winter is coming. Imagine what it would be like if the table wasn’t just empty, but that there was no table! Imagine not knowing if your loved ones in the next town were alive. Imagine that the most basic of human necessities were denied you day after day for two years! It does us no good to hide these facts from our children or ourselves. Does it change us or what we expect from life if we know about the depth of others suffering? Or does it change us if we see one or more people in our own communities who are really grateful for getting up in the morning? I don’t know, except to say that, “gratitude, like faith, is caught not taught.” Holidays are nice but let’s not expect them to change us into a grateful people. If we want society (and our own families) to be thankful then we have to live that thankfulness out. Of course that assumes that gratefulness is one of your core values. By Claire Gordon We had a very thankful week at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School. We began our annual Thanksgiving coat drive on Monday and it took place all week. We are grateful for the local business in Clinton who donated boxes of coats to help our cause. On Wednesday night this week, we held the movie premiere for Girl Rising, an inspirational movie about young women all over the world rising up against the struggles they face. Our girls basketball, boys volleyball, cross country and field hockey teams were also all in action. Students received their interim report cards on Thursday. This allows the students to have an indication of how well they are doing in their courses thus far. Also on Thursday, St. Anne’s held a Thanksgiving prayer service. Here staff and students had a time to reflect on all of the things they are thankful for. It was a great way for everyone to once again be reminded of the importance of gratitude and being thankful for all that we have. We are heading into Eagles’ Spirit Week with lots of exciting activities planned. We are proud to be Eagles. Our annual Walk-for-Wellness is happening on Thursday, Oct. 17 and we are keen to have fun and raise money for local and global charities. Sponsor an Eagle and help us make a difference. THE 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 Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. Live. Life. Today. $-*$, )BQQJOFTT4IPVMEO`U#F3FNPUF HuronChapel.org “Always A Place For You” Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, October 20 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 11 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 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, October 20 “Persistence Pays Off” Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. PASTOR Sandra Cable, DLM MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: 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. SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Teen Challenge Testimonies on Oct. 20th at 10:00 am service Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary Van Leeuwen You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH BRUSSELS Sandra Cable, Pastor Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am Sunday School Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship United Church getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School Tuesday - Wingham Bible Study 7:30 pm Thursday - Youth Group at CRC 7:30 pm Women At The Well - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 October 20: Pr. 30:7ff, 1 Tim. 6:6ff “The One Percent” - Sherri Grosz, Mennonite Foundation Financial Workshop “Talking About Money” after worship. Evangelical Missionary Church October 19 ~ 7:30 p.m. FREE MOVIE - “Home Run” 250 Princess St., Brussels 519-887-6388 www.bmfchurch.com Pastor Jim Whitehead Guests Welcome Jesus Is Lord! Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship Service 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am From the Minister’s StudyLive your thankfulness out says Clark Coat drive commences