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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2011-12-01, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011. St. Anne’s hosts culture night By Madelaine Higgins This past week St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School celebrated student success in many ways. On Monday, Nov. 21, midterm report cards were distributed to each student which highlights their academic achievements. Grade 10 students continue to prepare for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test which will take place later this year. The Boys hockey team played in Stratford. The curling team’s first bonspiel was in Stratford and the swimming team continues to practise for their upcoming meet. On Wednesday, Nov. 23, students assembled in the gym to view a special presentation that is offered by MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving) each year to educate young people and teens about the harmful effects of impaired driving. The video presentation was emotionally charged and described real-life stories from people who have been personally affected. We’d like to offer a special thanks to the OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving) group at our school, lead by Mr. Romijn. The God Squad has launched its annual Advent Campaign. Classes are encouraged to support a Huron County family by bringing in clothes, toys and treats. The evening of Nov. 24 at St. Anne’s was quite special, as the Students for Social Justice group, along with the help of staff advisors, organized “a Fair Christmas”, inviting Ten Thousand Villages to come and offer a variety of fair-trade products and gifts. These products are created by people living in the global south and specifically geared towards Christmas shoppers, who can be assured that they are supporting our friends in other countries by buying their goods. The Me to We group continues to prepare for African Culture Night which takes place on Dec. 8 at the school. The evening will celebrate agriculture in both rural Ontario and Kenya. Guests will be treated to the culture around agriculture with Huron County fiddlers and cloggers performing an addition to African drummers and dancers. A traditional African meal will be served. Please call the school for tickets at 519- 482-5454. By Pastor Andrew VersteegBrussels Community Bible Chapel We have all been in desperate circumstances at some point in our lives. These kind of circumstances take many forms such as health issues, financial difficulties, relationship problems, etc. These are always humbling times when we are brought face to face with the fact that we do not have everything in control and we are not as strong as we would like to think. This past Sunday we had a sermon at church from Mark 5:21 – 43. This passage is about two very different people who faced impossible situations and in their desperation came to Jesus and were helped. The first man, a prominent religious leader, had a very ill daughter who was at the point of death and he came to Jesus for her sake. The second was a poor ill woman who had a chronic haemorrhage that had plagued her for 12 years and she came hoping for healing. Both of them were helpedand both of them had their sorrow turn into gladness and joy. Desperate circumstances often cause us to turn to God for help. I remember a time when I was sliding sideways down a slippery road and my first instinct was to cry out to the Lord with a short prayer; “O God help me.” My parents lived in Europe during the second World War and those were desperate days. They told me how the churches were full all across Europe as the people reached out to God in their desperation looking for His help. Recently we remembered that 10 years ago the World Trade Center in New York came down. Some of the churches, especially in that area, reported many new faces in attendance. You may have been faced with something like this too, or you may be dealing with something right now in your life that may seem to be impossible. Where do we turn for help at times like these? The woman in the passage hadlooked everywhere. It says about her that she “had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse” (Mark 5:26). In Jesus’ day physical illness was believed to be a judgment from God for sins that had been committed. When a person came to the Lord asking for healing they were also asking for forgiveness and their healing would be the assurance that their sins were forgiven. The woman was healed and the Lord gave her this reassurance: “Daughter your faith has saved you; go in peace and be made whole from your affliction” (Mark 5:34). The Lord did a miracle for the religious leader as well and raised his daughter who had died. Both received a gracious miracle because in their desperation they turned to the Lord in faith trusting and believing that He was able. Today we understand that sickness and calamity are not specificallysigns of God’s judgment for our sin but are rather symptoms of living in a fallen world. We all face these situations at some point in our lives and God is still able and powerful to help us in our times of need. More importantly is the fact that we are all faced with the desperate situation of our own sinful hearts. We face God’s judgment for our sin but we are also offered His grace. The religious leader and the woman both came to the Lord believing, and they were healed. Jesus died for those who would come to Him in faith looking for forgiveness. He also promised that everyone who came to Him would not be rejected or disappointed. Come and you will find healing for your soul. Jesus said, “all that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I willcertainly not cast out” (John 6:37). 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. Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, December 4 Brussels Public School at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 11 years of age (mornings only) Childcare provided for infants and toddlers 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 Chris McMichael 519.482.1644 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Sandra Cable, Worship Leader Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca Sunday, December 4 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, DECEMBER 4 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-2664 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School getlivingwater.org Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Living Water Christian Fellowship 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 Evangelical Missionary Church Why is Peace so Elusive? December 4: Psalm 85 December 11 at Memorial Hall 7:30 pm: Community Christmas Service 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 DECEMBER 4 Christmas Stories Series, A Christmas Carol. DECEMBER 11 Christmas Stories Series, Christmas Vacation. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Welcomes you to come and worship with us Trinity, Blyth 9:15 a.m. Church Office: 519-357-4883 St. John's, Brussels 11:15 a.m. 519-887-6862 Sunday, December 4 Rev. Perry Chuipka www.nabcom.ca/church 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 Celebrating the Birth of our Saviour 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. Friday, December 9th at 6:30 pm Special Musical Guests: The Kingsway Quartet Tickets are $15.00 Call the church office if you would like tickets! Huron Chapel Christmas Banquet From the Minister’s StudyIn times of struggle, people turn to the church