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The Citizen, 2010-09-16, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. PAGE 7. HAPPY GANG SENIORS The Londesborough Happy Gang Seniors held their September card party at the Londesborough Community Hall on Friday, Sept. 10. There were 17 tables of euchre players that evening. Villagers Jack and Helen Lee won first place with a score of 80 points. A tally of 73 points won second place for Lillian Appleby and Delores Howatt. Close behind in third place with a score of 72 were Ken and Wilma Preszcator. Bush and Olav won the money for the most lone hands having scored on seven. The group’s next card party will be Oct. 8. Their first regular meeting for the fall season will be on Sept. 29 with a potluck meal at 12:30 p.m. LONDESBOROUGH UNITED CHURCH Pastor Terry Fletcher chose “Lost and Found” as the theme for the service at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Sept. 12. The morning’s supporting scripture passage was Luke 15: 1-10, the storyof the Good Shepherd. Psalm 121was the responsive reading.The senior choir sang the hymn,“Make a Joyful Noise” from Psalm100 as anthem. Sunday schoolresumed that morning.During the children’s time at thefront, Terry Fletcher told thechildren that Jesus taught people by telling parables. Parables always contain a lesson and Terry wanted to show the children the parable of the Good Shepherd. He had a basket that should have contained his flock of sheep. But when the children looked in the basket there was only one sheep; the rest had wandered off. The children suggested they should go find those sheep as a real shepherd might. They found all the sheep hiding about the sanctuary. In this particular parable the shepherd made sure 99 of his sheep were secure and then went in search of the lost one for the night held many dangers for a sheep. In the same way Terry explained to the children, people can wander away from God’s care and He tries to bring them home to His care, to church and to Sunday school. Fletcher related an experience he had of misplacing his keys. He noted that he eventually became rather panicky as he searched for them and retraced his steps. The experience gave him a better understanding of how the woman in the parable aboutthe lost coin must have felt as shesearched. Terry had other keys andthe woman had other coins and theshepherd had other sheep but thethings that were lost were still veryimportant.The Scribes and Pharisees ofChrist’s time seemed to feel secureabout their share of God’s grace because they felt they followed God’s laws meticulously. They always questioned Christ’s acceptance of others the Scribes and Pharisees felt were unworthy. Christ was trying to make them understand that everyone is important to God; it is not a matter of earning God’s acceptance. God’s grace is the gift of a loving God. There will not be a service at Londesborough United on Sept. 19. Congregants are invited to join with Knox from Auburn for a joint service at Ball’s Church at 11 a.m. Londesborough UCW will gather for their first fall meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20. The theme will be “Working Together” and will feature photos, slides and memories from the spring bridal show. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy. The Sunday School is looking for a few more teachers. If you could assist in some way, please contact Kim or Mike. It’s a much more interesting service when the children are in our midst. ETCETERAThe problem with a holidayMonday is that local news columnssuch as this must be filed theThursday or Friday prior to. By thetime the next week rolls aroundsome items are actually old news, soto speak. By Friday evening of theLabour Day holiday I had receivedthree items that really should have made last week’s column. It seems that Labour Day, Sept. 6 was Gordon Shobbrook’s birthday. Happy (belated) 75th birthday, Gordon, from the village. When I heard the news on Friday about the earthquake in New Zealand, I mused as to whether we knew anyone there who might have been affected. I received a call that evening from Jane Swan. And as soon as I heard her voice I remembered that her daughter now teaches in that country. Seems Laura Jane and a friend were actually in Christchurch that weekend for a marathon and definitely felt the quake. Their hotel was without hydro and water for some hours but they were unhurt; just a tad frightened. Saturday, Sept. 4 Jack and Helen Lee attended the wedding of their granddaughter, Megan Lee and Joe Gahan. The marriage took place on the lawn of her parents, David and Rosie, in Blyth. The couple live and work in Toronto and plan to honeymoon next summer in Ireland. The fact that it was wet, cold and windy didn’t dampen the spirits of those gathered to offer best wishes to the young couple. Several folk were aware that the police and ambulance sped through the village that Friday afternoon. They attended a nasty accident on the farm of Mark and Dianne Verburg. Young Brendon Boven, son of Karl and Anita, was working for Mark that day. Brendon is the grandson of Martin and Janie Wilts. Martin’s last report to me indicated that the lad was extremely lucky to not have received any permanent injuries. He was expected to be released from London hospital last Friday. Ralph Koopmans, with the backing of his many supporters, including two Blyth businesses, competed at the World Horseshoe championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The tournament, which ran from July 26 through August 7, was a unique experience for Koopmans, even though he has been to the championships before. “It was a totally different field,” he said. “I didn’t recognize anyone from last year’s competition. Koopmans, a Central Huron resident, made the 2,300 kilometre round trip with assistance from his sponsors; Sparling’s Propane, Howsons Mills, Richard and Rick Koostra and Edward Fuels. “Without the sponsors, I wouldn’t have been able to do this,” he said. The event is more than just a competition, according to Koopmans. “It’s an adventure and a challenge,” he said. “You get to make new friends, experience fun and fellowship, and you are always challenged to do better.” Koopmans starting throwing shoes as a means of getting exercise. “It keeps me staying young and stops me from getting older,” he said. “It’s good exercise, and certainly beats using a treadmill. You get to be outside. “When you’re on a treadmill, who are you going to see walking past, who are you going to talk to?” he asked. Koopmans didn’t fare as well as he did last year, placing eighth of fifteen in the “G” division compared to last year’s fourth place finish, but he said the field had changed a lot, both the one he played on, and the players he played with. “I prefer outdoor fields, but this was indoor,” he said. “Playing in clay is a lot different than playing in sand, there is no give, the shoes just hit and stick. “There was also a four inch lift, since you can’t have the pit lower than the ground on a concrete floor,” he said. “Playing outside, there is no lift.” Koopmans said his bracket had people in it that should have been throwing at a higher level. “We play at about a 26 per cent hit rate,” he said. “But the first guy I played against hit 51 per cent, and did so for the rest of the week, he really shouldn't have been in our division.” Allan Francis of Defiance, Ohio was the top competitor of the approximately 1,280 throwers at the competition Koopmans has more tournaments ahead of him, including ones in Mildmay and Wellesley. According to Koopmans people of all ages should get out and try and throw the shoes. It’s good practice, and leads to a healthier lifestyle, he said. Central Huron man places at worlds Heaving horseshoes Central Huron resident Ralph Koopmans recently competed at the world horseshoe championships in Cedar River, Iowa. Koopmans was sponsored by several businesses, including Howson and Howson and Sparling’s Propane. (Photo submitted) and invite you to an on Friday, September 17 1:00 to 4:00 pm Come in and see our newly renovated offices 470 Turnberry Street Brussels Door Prizes Now Available HAPPY AS THE GRASS WAS GREEN Catherine McColl recalls her days growing up in Brussels in the 1940s and early 1950s when “everything was bigger and life was less complicated, at least for me”. $29.95 404 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 The Citizen Drop in today and see our wide selection of books at... 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 NEWS FROM LONDESBORO By BRENDARADFORDCall 523-4296PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO By Denny Scott The Citizen