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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-02-07, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1990. From the Minister’s Study One little light can do so much in the world BY REV. BONNIE COLE ARNAL WALTON-BLUEVALE PASTORAL CHARGE Last summer while on vacation our family visited Penn’s cave in Pennsylvania. The floor of the cave is submerged under a stream and so the tour through a series of large cave ‘rooms’ takes place by boat. Somewhere near the middle of the tour the guide turned off all the lights. It was a truly unique and strange experience -- total and utter darkness. Usually, when we are plunged into sudden darkness, our eyes will gradually adjust and we can see shadowy figures and Church holds annual meeting dark forms around us. But in this case, our eyes could see nothing but blackness. I tried moving my hand close to my face but still I could see nothing. The complete blackness is a bit frightening and unnerving. After we had the experience of total darkness, a single match was lit. It was amazing what a differ­ ence that made. One little match and we could now see one another and even make out the shape of the cave room around us. That one small light banished the darkness. Now we felt secure again. One of the themes of this season of the church year, the season after Epiphany, is that of light in darkness. It is a theme that speaks of the human experience for we all, at some time or other, have known blackness in our lives. A failure or reversal, serious illness, a loss of some kind are all things that can send us into dark despair. Gloomi­ ness envelopes us and we lose heart. Such was the case of the people during the lifetime of the biblical prophet Isaiah. The times were dark and desperate. The giant nation Assyria brutally invaded tiny Palestine five times. The northern kingdom was completely destroyed and the southern king­ dom, although it did not fall this time, was battered severely. The people lived in fear and dread. To these people Isaiah offered words of hope. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”. In the midst of the darkness there was still hope - hope that God’s light would eventually bring an end to the darkness. That despite the deep pain and suffer­ ing, God still reigned and God would eventually turn the darkness to light. Last month the moderator of the United Church visited in this area. He spoke of his recent visit to a country in Central America. As it was in the time of the prophet Isaiah, life there is grim with warfare and political oppression. Anyone viewed as an opponent of the government may simply dis­ appear during the night never to be seen alive agin. But the moderator found that the people there are hopeful despite their suffering. They are truly people who walk in darkness but also people who have seen a great light. They refuse to be defeated by the darkness. They feel that soon their ordeal will be end and they keep on working to bring God’s peace and justice. So what shall we do when we find the darkness overshadowing our lives? Can we see a vision of hope? Can we trust that God can and will bring light into the darkness? “The people who walked in the darkness have seen a great light”. Let us walk in that light. The Annual meeting of Brussels United Church was held on January 27 following the morning service. The Annual Report was distri­ buted and the chairpersons of the various church organizations and committees were invited to com­ ment on the year’s activities. The financial reports were also present­ ed and the 1990 budget was approved. The resignation of John Cousins who has been Church Treasurer for 13 years and chair­ person of the Committee of Ste­ wards was received with regret. Merle Hoegy will be the new treasurer, and the chairperson of the Committee of Stewards will be Stephen Betts. Two other appoint­ ments to this committee are Susan Gowing, from the congregation and Dianne Hall from the Youth Group. As noted by the Minister in his message, the congregation is made up of a group of people working hard for the betterment of the Church and striving to fulfill the aims of the excellent church school curriculum and become a “whole people of God”. Melville Presbyterian Church BRUSSELS Rev. Carolyn McAvoy 11:00-Morning Service Sunday School 9:30 a.m.-Belgrave Service t- m We welcome you to come and worship with us! World Day of Prayer set for March 2 This past fall, the world watched as peoples of Eastern Europe in Soviet-controlled countries strug­ gled toward greater political and personl freedom. For many, that meant leaving their homeland of East Germany, Czechoslovakia, or Poland. For others, it meant work­ ing on reforms at home, or simply the pain of seeing loved ones leave. In the light of these events, the theme for this year’s World Day of Prayer, written by Christian women of Czechoslovakia, takes on greater urgency. That theme - “A Better Tomorrow: Justice for All” - is a hope which will be shared and expressed by those preparing for the World Day of Prayer, March 2, 1990, in 170 countries around the globe. In Canada, the service, which comes through the International Committee of the World Day of Prayer, is printed and distributed by Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada. Ecumenical groups across the country meet to organize local services. Proceeds from the annual offering to go provide study and worship resources for women’s groups and others, to cover costs of distributing the World Day of Prayer service, and to support ecumenical projects in Canada and abroad. Everyone is invited to share in this 103 year old tradition of Christians uniting for prayer and guidance in struggling with major issues facing us today. The service in this area will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 2 in Blyth United Church. County wants talks with Minister Huron County has asked for a meeting with Community and Social Services Minister Charles Beer to seek answers to questions about the Minister’s position on its Huronview re-development project and whether extra provincial money may be put into the project. At the Feb. 1 meeting of Huron County Council in Goderich, Huronview was once again the main topic of conversation. Several councillors indicated they did not trust assurances the county receiv­ ed at a January 17 meeting between the Huronview Committee of Management and Linda Girard, program supervisor of the London Area office of the Ministry and Susan Crocker, Capital Service Project Co-ordinator with the Mini­ stry’s Toronto office. Dave John­ ston, Reeve of Bayfield and past warden pointed to a suggestion from Ms. Crocker at the meeting that the county contact the Ministry of Housing to see if it might be able to provide money for the alterna­ tive housing portion of the project. (Alternative housing is apartment­ like units where residents can live more independently while still having access to medical care.) In 1989 Reeve Johnston said, Ministry officials had indicated they had set aside $2 million for alternative care units in Huron’s planned two new homes, one at Clinton and one at Brussels. Now, he said, they seemed to be saying the county should be trying to get its money from the Ministry of Housing for alternative care. The ministry officials had indicated at the January 17 meeting they were not in favour of renovation of the old Huronview but did their recom­ mendation mean anything, he wondered. The time has come, he said, to sit down with the Minister and ask what he is prepared to do. Not only County Council but Mini­ stry staff and Huron M.P.P. Jack Riddell seem confused as to just where things stand. His reference to Mr. Riddell came from discussion about a letter to the editor by Mr. Riddell published in The Citizen and other county newspapers last week. Hen­ sail Reeve James Robinson felt that Mr. Riddell, rather than clear up the confusion over whether the Ministry wanted a new Huronview built or the old Huronview reno­ vated, seemed to indicate it was still possible the renovation could take place. Tom Tomes, Reeve of Usborne and chairman of the Huronview 'committee said that Ms. Girard and Ms. Crocker had indicated that the ministry’s latest figures showed the cost of renovat­ ing existing buildings at $115 a square foot and the cost of new construction at $125 a square foot and that they generally found the new building was better. Warden Lionel Wilder said he understood Mr. Riddell’s letter wasn’t indicating a government position but was saying it’s up to the county to make a decision. However, he said, in a meeting with Mr. Riddell, the MPP had indicated the Minister is not in favour of renovating existing build­ ings. Reeve Johnston said that with Ministry officials saying the county should give it a detailed plan then the Ministry can give its approval, the county needs some kind of firm indication from the Ministry what it wants the county to do before the county 'an proceed. He wasn’t comfortable with suggestions from Ministry staff that might change. Nigel Bellchamber, county clerk­ administrator and a former mem­ ber of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs staff, told council that the staff of any ministry might say what they are recommending but what they say doesn’t commit the ministry. Huron County, he said, has a letter from the Minister approving two new homes and has been asked to prepare a proposal. It’s not surprising that the Ministry isn’t ready to commit until they have more concrete plans,” he said. But for Bill Mickle, Reeve of Exeter, that wasn’t enough assur­ ance. “I’m confused,” he said. “Everything we’re doing is to try to meet some suggestion from the Ministry.” All the planning for the proposals for Huronview is costing the county taxpayers money, he said, and there seems to be no certainty that the planning will count. The only concrete thing done on the project, he said, was the picking of the northern site at Brussels and even then a ministry official (Ms. Girard) had said one thing about the best site and had been contradicated by a superior. Reeve Johnston also jumped on the fact the officials could only state a personal opinion. If they were only stating an opinion on being against renovation, he said, maybe the minister is in favour of renovation. Mr. Bellchamber said the advice of the officials, that two new homes Continued on page 27 ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA February 11,1990 Epiphany6 MORNING PRAYER REV. DAVID FULLER, B.A., M. DIV. 9:30 a.m. 11:15 Blyth Brussels BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH King Street 887-9313 Rev. Cameron McMillan 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship Sunday, Church School February 11th World Development: Providing hope for a more just future to peoples in developing countries. HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH AUBURN PASTORJAMESH.CARNE526-7515 Sunday, Feb. 11, 1990 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School 11:00 a.m. - Ralph Vanoostveen, youth pastor at Palmerston Missionary Church Wed. - Prayer and Bible Study Fri. 7:30 - Youth Sat. 10:30 a.m. - Kids Klub BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMEDCHURCH HIGHWAY4, BLYTH Rev. W.H. Lammers Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday School 11:00a.m. The Church of the ‘ ‘ Back to God Hour” and ‘ ‘ Faith 20’ ’ Back to God Hour 10:30a.m.CKNX, Sunday Faith 205:00 a.m. weekdays, Global T.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME HURON SUPERIOR MEMORIALS ‘ ‘ Established over 60 years” Serving Blyth, Brussels and all of Huron County Neil Elliott 153 High Street, Clinton Bus. 482-9441 Res. 482-1748 “Evening appointments available”