HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-05-03, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012.
Fundraiser at St. Anne’s
By Rev. Gary Clark
Blyth United Church
This past week I had the honour of
celebrating the life and work of Fire
Chief John Black. Of the many
achievements he has left with us is
the integration of fire departments in
North Huron into a single
department. This was not easy and it
was not achieved without some
bruised feelings and, let’s be honest,
anger.
There is always a fear of what
change will bring and who will lose
power/authority in the process.
Those who want to make the change
have to have nerves of steel and
the conviction of a solid vision to
see them through from the
beginning of such a dream to its
completion.
Chief Black had those qualities
and inspired enough of those
involved in the process to see this
dream to completion.
As a relative outsider I can see
how well this new vision is working.
The firefighters have two options of
where to train on a given week. They
have a chance to get to know the
equipment in each of the stations
and they get to know each other. The
end result of this is that this greater
fire department is safer and more
efficient. And when it comes to
saving lives of victims and
firefighters alike this is no small
deal. Chief Black has left us with a
great legacy.
This is really just the beginning.
Even if our population wasn’t
decreasing, the vision of greater co-
operation for safety, efficiency and
community is becoming a reality.
The Blyth and Brussels hockey
associations combined this year and
we were able to put on the ice teams
and players that would have
had to sit this year out. That’s a
significant win for all involved. Yes
it involved more driving but the
kids got to play and we as
communities got to be proud of
them on the ice.
This will need to happen more in
churches and other organizations.
We need to work together. In this we
are safer and I believe more efficient
than if we struggled on our own. The
cost can look like a loss of power
and the fear that our facility will get
closed while other facilities stay
open. So the challenge is to be clear
of the vision so that together we feel
we are on the same path and share
the same goals.
Yes there will come a time when
even with this co-operation some
facilities will have to close because
of a lack of resources (people or
money). But if that happens we will
have at least tried hard as a group
and a larger community to achieve
shared goals which means we all
will grieve the loss of one of OUR
facilities. Because that is really what
we are talking about when we speak
of co-operation. In co-operation the
individual facilities become ours,
not theirs or mine. We become
familiar with and value each facility
for the gifts they offer to the whole.
Then we will do everything in our
collective power to keep these
places of worship and sport and
service open because we all lose if
one of them closes.
In the Bible the Apostle Paul talks
about this when he imagines the
various churches as being parts of
the Body of Christ. In Christ we are
one. In Christ our differences (and
they might be deep seated biases)
matter less than one common vision
and love of Christ. This idea says
that no part of the body, eye, ear or
hand is greater or lesser than
another. Every part has its part to
play and the body is decreased if one
part becomes ill or dies. Look
around folks, we are part of one
body. And the sooner we start acting
like it the better we will be today and
into an uncertain future.
By Madelaine Higgins
The week of April 23 - 27 at St.
Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
was focused on providing awareness
to students on the importance of the
millennium development goals.
Monday introduced a guest speaker
on human trafficking as part of a
chapel series and cooking classes
continued at the REACH for French
classes. Also on Monday, the girls
rugby team played in Mitchell and
all St. Anne’s students received their
mid-term report cards.
Tuesday’s millennium
development theme was to reduce
child mortality, with a morning
announcement activity. The senior
badminton team headed to Strathroy
for the WOSSA tournament, and
both the senior girls’ and boys’
soccer teams had games at St.
Anne’s.
Wednesday, April 25 was
Administrative Assistants
Appreciation Day and students
thanked these individuals for the
contributions they make towards the
school. There was a special
Wednesday pre-recorded video on
the millennium development goal to
improve maternal health and
Specialist High Skills Majors
students participated in the Confined
Spaces and Electrical Basis
certifications.
Thursday’s focus was to combat
HIV/AIDS and a chapel series was
held by Ms Weernink’s class to
promote this goal. The Junior boys’
and girls’ soccer teams departed for
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.
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
MAY 6 ~ Conference Sunday
Guest Speaker: David Onn
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, May 6
Brussels Public School
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 - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, May 6
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, MAY 6
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
May 6: Eph. 5:21ff
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women At The Well
Thursdays 7:00 pm - Truth Project Small Group at Dows’
Evangelical Missionary Church
Truth Project #7:
Sociology: The Divine Imprint
Saturday, May 5, 8-10-:30 am at CRC:
Youth Group Fundraiser BREAKFAST
250 Princess St., Brussels
Pastor Brent Kipfer
519-887-6388
www.bmfchurch.com
Guests Welcome
Jesus Is Lord!
Worship Service 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:15 am
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Rev. Mark Royall, Sr. Pastor
9:25 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m
Morning Worship Service
Friday, May 4th
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Saturday, May 5th
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
HOME, GARDEN &
CRAFT SHOW
at Huron Chapel, Auburn
Lower Level
From the Minister’s StudyWorking together essential going forward
Continued on page 30