HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-12-19, Page 39THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013. PAGE 39.By Rev. Tom Murray,
Knox United Church, Belgrave
Some homecomings stay forever
in our hearts and minds; so
beautiful, so magical, so perfect. A
Christmas, as a snow-storm raged,
and your intended came down a
candlelit aisle to the spot on which
you exchanged vows. The time the
local Christmas parade in Wingham
went over the top. The year you
made the trek across 1,500
kilometres through rain/sleet/ice and
snow to spend your Christmas
holidays with parents.
But other Christmases
approached, that are forever etched
in our memories because they were
so imperfect, like the year you had to
escape from a power outage and
returning home you found a hawk
and three starlings who’d taken up
residence. The time Sam the Old
English Sheep dog scarfed the
remainder of the pork roast right off
the dinner table. The year
Mississauga was closed due to a
train derailment and a family of
welcome relatives became a
growling, surly captive audience for
a few days that seemed like an
eternity. Potential disasters, maybe.
Then, maybe not. Sometimes, times
like these help us discover the Christ
Child most firmly in our midst!
The first Christmas would never
make it into anyone’s family photo
album of perfect holiday moments:
Luke’s Gospel recounts lots of
details about everything that went
wrong when Jesus was born. Joseph
and Mary had to hit the road for
Bethlehem. There was no room at
the inn. The baby was born in a barn.
A random bunch of smelly
shepherds horn in on the new family.
In this coming week’s reading of
Matthew’s Gospel, we learn that
things were “messed up” way before
Jesus was even born. Note that
Matthew’s Gospel starts with a
careful genealogy, a selected list of
ancestors, dating back to Abraham,
who made up the family tree of the
one Matthew is presenting to his
readers as “The Messiah.” There are
some impressive characters named
here – the ultimate patriarchs,
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.
As You Prepare For Christmas
Remember to Include:
iHope Christmas:
A Christmas Extravaganza
Sunday, December 22nd @ 7:00pm
(no admission - just bring yourself)
and the
Christmas Eve Service
@ 7:30pm
all in Auburn at
HURON CHAPEL
huronchapel.com
December 22 ~ Advent IV ~ “Finding the Love”
December 23 ~ Christmas Fun for Kids - Cookin’, Crafts, Mini Sticks
Ages 4-12, 10 am - 1 pm. Register by calling Kathy at 519-523-4380
December 24 ~ Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm
~ Guest Minister Kathy Douglas sharing “The Story”
December 29 ~ Share in family fun time with Rev. Gary Clark!
“Carry Christmas throughout the year”
Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m.
PASTOR
Sandra Cable, DLM
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
All Welcome
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
Minister: Pastor Gary Van Leeuwen
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22
Morning Service ~ 10:00 am
Evening Service ~ 7:30 pm - Sunday School Program
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25
Christmas Service ~ 10 am
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29
Morning Service ~ 10:00 am
No evening service
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31
New Year’s Eve Service ~ 7:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1
New Year’s Day Service ~ 10 amYoure Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, December 22
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
BRUSSELS
Sandra Cable, Pastor
Church Office 519-887-6259
E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am
December 22 & 29 ~ No Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
United Church
Dec. 24 ~ 7:00 pm - Christmas Eve Service
- Everyone Welcome
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22
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.
getlivingwater.org
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Evangelical Missionary Church
Dec. 22, Is. 7:10-16
“Immaculate Conception &
Public Perception: Does the
Virgin Birth Really Matter?”
Dec. 24, 7:00 pm:
Christmas Eve Pageant
(kid-friendly)
“The Most Wonderous Thing
About Christmas”
Dec. 29: Is. 63:7ff; Heb. 2:10ff
“Love Does Its Own Dirty Work”
From the Minister’s StudyHave an Incarnate-Messiah-perfect Christmas
Sunday, December 22
Holy Eucharist with Perry
Christmas Eve Tuesday, December 24
Trinity Blyth - Traditional Service of Lessons and Carols 7 pm
St. John’s Brussels - Christmas Eucharist with Pastor Perry 7 pm
Sunday, December 29
Morning Prayer service at both churches
Continued on page 40