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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1985-12-18, Page 20ztsi Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH Rev. Roger Gelwicks Worship Services 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20" Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith 205:00 a.m. weekdays, Global T.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH John Street. Brussels CHRISTMAS SUNDAY SERVICE December 22- 11:00 a.m. Comeand join thecongregation at this Christmas Season CHRISTMAS EVESERVICE December 24 - 7:30 p.m. Joint service with Melville Presbyterian of Carols and Lessons MINISTER - REV. CHARLES CARPENTIER PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985. From the Minister's Study Signs are important in our modern lives BY BONNIE LAMBLE DUFF'S UNITED, WALTON AND BLUEVALE UNITED CHURCHES Signs are very important items in our lives. Asa minister recently new to this area, I have found the blue signs with a large H on them very helpful. They point the way to hospitals. It isn't necessary for me to know exactly where the hospital is. All I have to do is follow the blue signs and I know I'll get there. We depend upon signs to direct us on our journey. They not only tell us The Units of Blyth U.C.W., as is the custom, enjoy a luncheon preceding the regular meeting. This year, on Dec. 12, twenty-eight Sunshine members were present. The table place cards were book marks, each bearing a verse of Scripture, courtesy of the leaders. The members presented Marjorie East and Mary Walden with gifts in appreciation of their leadership. Treasurer Marj East gave a report for November and a sum- mary for the year. Everyone was pleased with the amount raised by way of the travelling aprons. Dorothy Daer's report was good - 35 quilts made in 1985. In the worship service, Grace Easom said that Christmas wor- ship serives, especially, should be tender and inspiring and filled with the way to go but also how fast it is safe to travel, when we should stop and when we need to detour. Signs of a different nature have been very important to the people of God in the Old Testament. When times were difficult they saw signs of God's activity in human affairs. At various stages in their history they suffered political defeat, being carried away to exile in Babylon and religious persecution yet in the midst of all that they were able to see signs that God was spiritual significance. At social gatherings at Christmas time, there should be no deed performed or no word spoken that would not honour Him whose birthday we celebrate. Evelyn Smith's story, "The Woman Who Found Christmas," touched the hearts of her listeners. An unusual circumstance caused love to flow into a rich, lonely, selfish woman's heart. This new love for family and others, no matter what happened, trans- formed her into a new creature. She had found the true meaning of Christmas with Christ's love in it. A high light of themeeting was Winona McDougall's piano solo, "Star of the East", each year requested and always rendered with great expression. directing them and that in the appointed time a messiah would come. Our times are also difficult. Threat of nuclear war, famine, poverty, natural disasters, pollu- tion and highjackings are issues which may make us doubt the presence of God in our world. Never mind the global issues. It is even difficult to see signs of God's activity in the way we prepare for Christmas. The stores around us bombard us with flyers and radio and TV ads that encourage us to spend a bundle on the latest consumer products to show our loved ones how much we care. We get frantic with shopping, parties, concerts, family gatherings, send- ing Christmas cards and letters, cleaning, baking, entertaining not to mention the occasional squabble about who is spending Christmas with whom. Is it any wonder than many folk heave a sigh of relief on December 26, very glad that it's all over for another year? If this seems all too familiar, maybe it's time to take a step back from our busy activities and take stock of what we are doing. At Christmas we celebrate the my- stery of God taking on human flesh and coming to the world as a helpless, vulnerable baby. Are there signs that the Christ Child is near? I believe there are. We know he is near when we are able to let go and let God -- when we can trust in God's loving care and not have to do everything our- selves. We know that he is near when we feel God's acceptance of us as we are -- an acceptance that we don't have to earn, in fact an acceptance we cannot earn. We know that he is near when we feel God's unfailing love that nurtures us and enables us to grow in our faith towards a new wholeness as persons. We know thathe is near when we tenuously offer God a prayer and it is overwhelmingly answered. We know that he is near when we see the face of Christ in those we meet -- perhaps in a warm smile, an understanding nod or even a phone call just at the moment we are feeling terribly lonely or afraid. Yes the signs are all around. God grant us the courage to lay aside our busyness and take the time to notice them. Then at this Christ- mas season we may truly welcome the Christ Child into our lives. Blyth U.C.W. holds Christmas luncheon BUSINESS DIRECTORY We'll give you 200 litres of furnace fuel oil FREE if we let yourtank run out. See your CO-OP f ordetailsof guarantee!! ALL YOUR FUEL NEEDS AT United Co-operatives of Ontario OUR DRIVER SALESMAN WAYNEJEROME BELGRAVE AUBURN 357-2711 or 523-4454 526-7262 FRANK WORKMAN ELECTRIC farm - home - commercial Member of Huron Chapter R.R. 3 Brussels, Ont. 887-6867 • Work Clothes • Boots • Casual Clothes • JP, GWG's • Stanfield • Harvey Woods Ken's Men's & Boys Wear Brussels -- 887-9284 Tues.-Sat. 9-6 TODD'S BAKERY IN BRUSSELS 887-6666 We bake fresh daily Tuesday to Saturday Tame the Difference' 200 says we won't HOME HEAT SERVICE 0 0 Lyle Youngblut and son Plumbing and Heating Howard Bernard Fuels Agent-Petro-Canada Heating 011s - Automatic Delivery- Farm Fuels Motor Oils & Greases-Antifreeze -4L. Jugs$5.99 MTC Licence Issuing Office Septic Tank Pumping M & E Sanitary Service Call Any Time Ken Miller Gary Evans 887-6846 887-6583 BLYTH -- 523-9585 Brussels 887-6377 Brussels Raymond enovations Ltd. P.O. Box 225, Brussels, Ont. NEW AND RENOVATED BUILDINGS Bob Bruce 887-6703 887-6092 CORDNER CROSSBREDS ARE COMING! GET THE F-1 ADVANTAGE York x Landrace Gilts Available Soon Contact Cordner Farms, Brussels Doug Richardsor Jane Sadler Richards 887-6724 MANNING'S BUILDING SUPPLIES LIMITED HAMILTON STREET, BLYTH, 523-9305 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8a.m.to 5p.m. Sat. -8a.m. to noon Come see usfor: coal, lumber, plywood, hardware, paint, panelling, cement, and hockey equipment vve never stop saving you mone.t TRI COUNTYTIRE BRUSSELS (Beside the LCBO) All makes of tires for cars & light trucks $22.-$35. PER TIRE INSTALLED Ask about our re-conditioned tires OPEN 6 DAYS AWEEK 887-6932 -- 887-9139 WALTON REFRIGERATION AND APPLIANCE SERVICE •Repairs to all domestic appliances. •Commercial refrigeration and heating. •Anything in refrigeration. •24 hour service. CALL 887-9175 B.C. Auto Body Con. 8 Morris Township 2 miles east of Hwy 4 •Complete auto refinishing •Welding • Information on Tanaka gas- powered tools. e.g. chain- saws 523-4727 PROP. BARRY MacDONALD Ward & Uptigrove Chartered Accountants Listowel 291-3040 Mitchell 348-8412 R.B. Karcher, C.A. C.D. Newell, C.A. R.E. Uptigrove, C.A. C.W. Brouse, C.A . R. H . Loree, C.A. G.J. Martin. C.A.