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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-10-15, Page 1FSTABLISHE N.1873 "THESEPOY TOWN" ON THE HURON -BRUCE BOUNDARY 16• PAGES 444 PER COPY Rev. Gerald McFarlane is the new minister at the Lucknow United. Church, performing his first service at the church on October 4. Ordained in 1970, Rev. McFarlane last served as -the minister in the Jerseyville United Church located between Brantford and Ancaster. (Alan Rivett photo) New minister at church By Alan Rivett It's currently a little hectic around the Lucknow United Church Manse, as it's the first week of new ministerial duties at the church for Rev. Gerald McFarlane. Rev. McFarlane and his family arrived in Lucknow from his former pastoral charge in Jerseyville near. Brantford on September 30 and performed his first Sun- day service on October 5. He said the first service at Lucknow went surprisingly well. "It went very well. 1 was very pleased with the turnout. I also had to give the sacrament for the Worldwide Communion Sunday as well as the service. At least nobody wanted to leave when it was over," said Rev. McFarlane with a laugh, adding that he will be attending his first board meeting for the church tonight (October 9). Ordained in 1970 by the Montreal and Ot- tawa Conferences of the United Church. Prior to being ordained into the ministry, he served as a lay minister in Quebec and in the eastern Ontario town of Riceville north, of Cornwall. His first four years as a minister were spent in Quebec, followed by six years in Cumberland, Ontario and five years in Bondhead north of Toronto. For the last five years, he was the minister at the Jerseyville church, between Brantford and Aneaster. The calling at the Lucknow United Riddell inspects damage to rain -blackened beans BY PATRICK RAFTIS A visit by provincial Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell to rain -plagued farmers,, in southwestern Ontario last week, offered area farmers some assurance the government is interested in their plight -- but little concrete evidence that help is on the way. Standing amidst a blackened field of rain -damaged 'beans on the farm of Ken McCowan, near Brucefield, Friday, Rid- dell told a gathering of about 25 Huron County farmers he was waiting for a "total assessment," of crop damage before deciding if any aid is appropriate. "We haven't sat down and decided on any kind of aid programs, outside of what we already have in place," he said. Cash crops in this area, particulary beans and corn, are in danger of being lost completely due to heavy rainfall in September and October. Many farmers are without crop insurance and even many insured farmers feel the program is insufficientlaJnahe up for lost crops this year. "The intent of the • program was nothing more than to cover losses," said Riddell, adding that to make the crop in- surance program more lucrative would be more expensive for participants. "If- you want an enriched program, you're going to have to pay for it." - There is some possibility the insurance program will be expanded to help farmers this year and a submission has been made to the program ad- ministrators, said Riddell, however, crop insurance is a joint federal -provincial government program and any changes to be made would require approval from the federal level, "There's not a heck of a lot of sense go- ing any further unless they (the federal government) are going to get involved," said Riddell. Riddell placed much of the respon- sibility fbr helping farmers on Federal Agriculture Minister John Wise, saying that the. Farm Credit Corporation, another federal program, should • be revamped to make credit more available to farmers. °"We need more money for long, short and intermediate-termcredit, at fixed rates of interest that farmers can af- ford," he said. Also on the subject of- credit, Riddell said he has been having "very, very frank' discussions," with the province's banking officials, "asking them to show leniency in light of the fact this is an unusual year". He has asked the banks to consider such measures as foregoing payments until farmers can "get back on their feet". "They (the banks) tell me they are not. about to close out the farmer," he said. "Enrichment," of existing programs, such as CFFIR and FQCAP are one op- tion the government is considering, as . a means of assisting farmers, said Riddell., If any assistance is decided upon, Rid- dell insisted it will be in form of a pro- gram available to all farmers, not just those affected by the current crisis. "We, can't just pick out one select group of farmers and say, `you're in trou- ble,' and then forget about the other guy," said the minister, who earlier this year denied special assistance to hail- struck fruit farmers in the . Niagara region. . "I don't think any of us expect special treatment," replied one Huron farmer, "We'd just like the banks to give us the same consideration they give to Dome Turn to uage3 •• Church became vacant after Rev. Warren MacDougall moved to Mississauga in June of this year. Rev. McFarlane said he saw the vacan- cy at the Lucknow church through the Observer, a church paper in June. Soon after, he was in touch with the pastor rela- tions committee at the church to express his interest in coming to Lucknow. "They extended a call for me to come at the end of June. Both Presbyteries approv- ed it and. on October 4 the Bruce Presbytery inducted me into the congrega- tion," he said. Rev. McFarlane says his biggest job now is to meet and get to know thb people in the area. "Right now I'm compiling a list of shut- ins and to establsh visitation with these people. I want to get to know the people of the area and their locations, that's the big- gest thing right now." Rev.McFarlane and his wife Marion - Jane have four children, including their eldest daughter Laura Kay Hare and her two children Jason, 7, and Jessica, 4, who will also be living at the manse. One daughter Mary Jane Kelly is a teacher at an Indian reserve in. Nester Falls between Lenora and Fort Francis. They also have two sons, Gerald Henry and James Russell who live in Whistler, B.C.. and Winnipeg, Manitoba, respeetivcly. Four winter workers hired. West Wawanosh Council hired four part- time workers to work in the township over the winter months at their regular meeting on October 2. Council directed the road superintendent to contact Ross Durnin, Roy Taylor, Roger Pannabecker and Mel Lyons to inquire if the applicants are willing to work at a rate of $6 per hour for the first 50 hours and thereafter at $7 per hour. In other business, council voted to cover the legal fees connected with the purchase of a 10 -acre parcel of land near the Inglis Pit from L. and H. and G. Selent. According to Township Clerk Joan Arm- strong, the purchase of the land was need- ed to acquire more gravel for the township in the lands near the Inglis Pit, where the township eurrenty draws its gravel supply. Council denied a building permit to Sam Miller until written authority to build is ob- tained from the owner of the property The members of council were also in agreement with the proposed project of A.J. Sherwood to develop a recreational area to be called Sherwood Forest lodge Turn to page 2 • Column In this week's editor's column, a mild controversy, has arisen regarding the bell at St. Helen's. Is it the No. 4 West Wawanosh school bell or the Calvin United Church bell? The issue is finally resolved. SEE PAGE 4. Canvass The annual Lucknow and District Ar- thritis Society has again had a suc- cessful canvass in the area. SEE PAGE 5. UCw • The units from the Lucknow United Church held their monthly meetings recently. For a full report of the, hap- penings ... SEE PAGE 6. .