HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-01-17, Page 17THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
January 21 - Epiphany 3
Holy Eucharist
Rev. Nancy Beale
Trinity, Blyth
St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
Sunday 10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11 a.m. - Morning Service
8 p.m. - Evening Service
Wednesday 8 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study
Friday 7:30 p.m. - Youth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Cathrine Campbell
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
887-9831 Wheelchair Accessible
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259
Manse 887-9313
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
"How much do we need?"
Church School/Nursery
12:30 p.m. Congregational Meeting to elect
Pastoral Relations Committee
9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship
12:30 p.m. Congregational Meeting
Brussels United Church
All beautiful the march of days
as seasons come and go
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH--523-9233
Sunday 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20"
Back to God Hour 10:30 am. CKNX Sunday
Faith 20 5:30 a.m. Weekdays, Global T.V.
2(1 'Visitors Welcome Wheelchair accessible
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1996 PAGE 17.
Mennonites celebrate mortgage burning
A match for new beginnings
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship congregation had a lot to celebrate this past Sunday, when
after 16 years of existence, they symbolically burned the mortgage to their hall. While Paul
Greenwood, right, church council chairperson and interim leadership, holds the document,
Elder, Elwin Garland strikes a match for the cermony. Standing by are elders, Carl Siemon
and Linda Campbell.
classes for children and adults of all
ages are held following the worship
service each Sunday morning.
There is an active youth group with
about 30 regular participants.
The Ladies Fellowship is held
once a month.
Mission projects are an important
part of the church. The congrega-
tion is now a blended group, made
up of people from many
denominational backgrounds. This
is a result of the outreach into the
community, exhibited by the few
founding families, and those who
joined ranks soon afterwards.
Having the mortgage paid off, in
conjunction with the many projects
undertaken in the last 16 years is
indeed an accomplishment, for a
small but thriving church, which
looks ahead to the future with
God's guidance for direction in the
years to come.
"Peace" was the theme of the
regular Church service at Brussels
Mennonite Fellowship on Sunday,
Jan. 14. Linda Garland was
worship leader while several people
from the congregation contributed
in bringing the message. Phailop
Larprom and Nancy Greenwood
were in charge of the singing.
Andra Dettweiler played the piano
for the offertory.
The congregation and guests held
a "burning the mortgage"
celebration on Jan. 14 in place of
the regular Sunday School classes.
The mortgage on the building was
paid in full in December of 1995.
During the celebration service,
reminiscing took place. Alice
Martin showed a brief slide
presentation, with commentary and
Paul Greenwood spoke on the
church's beginnings. The mortgage
was burned, and a time capsule has
been made, which will be opened
in the year 2012.
Following the celebration
service, a potluck meal was held in
the fellowship hall, during which
visiting and reminiscing continued.
The youth had decorated the hall
and Kathy Procter decorated a cake
for the occasion.
In 1979, the Listowel Mennonite
Church began to discuss the
possibilities of starting a new
church and Brussels was chosen as
the site. Brian Laverty, pastor at
Listowel Mennonite Church at the
time, helped co-ordinate the early
meetings. He led the services until
July 1980, when Doug Zehr was
hired as part-time pastor.
At that time the congregation
consisted of five families of 10
adults and seven children. They
were Elwin and Linda Garland;
Howard, Alice, Wendy and Gary
Martin; John, Mary, Steven, Don,
and Heather Baan, Lorne and
Marion Wideman; Ross, Anne,
Darren and Lyle Hemingway.
Sunday evening worship services
were begun in the basement of the
Melville Presbyterian Church in
Brussels, in Jf...nuary of 1980. Soon,
a regular Bible Study was started,
as well as regular services at the
Nursing Home. By 1981, Sunday
School was organized and the
services were held in the Brussels
Library, Sunday mornings.
Later that year, the present
Church property was purchased
from Mr. and Mrs. Clark Matheson
and renovations to the existing
house were begun.
In November 1981, 28 members
joined the church. The following
May, the first parent-child
dedication was held in honour of
Darlene Hemingway, infant
daughter of Ross and Anne.
In 1983, a Youth Group and a
Ladies Group (WMSC) were
organized. The "Meals on Wheels"
program was begun. This was also
the first summer for the Kids'
Corner Program which stemmed
from Bible School held in previous
summers. The program continued
for community children for several
years.
In 1984 the Youth Group entered
a team in a Bible Quiz competition.
This competition for youth from
the MCEC Conference has been a
highlight for the Brussels Youth
many times.
It was the Second Sunday after
Epiphany at Blyth United Church
this past Sunday with the seasonal
colour being green.
Rev. Stephen Huntley conducted
the service. Greeters were John and
Vera Hesselwood, while ushers
were Brent and Lori Brooks, Nicole
Kerr and Dick Poore. Phyllis Boak,
organist, played a musical prelude
preceding the service.
The service opened with Call to
Worship then the opening hymn
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
was sung.
For the children's time Rev.
Huntley introduced to them a new
song called Step by Step. He went
on and told them about a bird in
Australia called the "Kookaburra"
that woke him up every morning
when he was "down under".
As the congregation grew,
quarters were becoming crowded.
In the summer of 1984, a new
chapel was added on to the west
side of the old building. It was built
in record time, with volunteer
labour. Late in 1987, a fellowship
hall/gymnasium, pastor's study, and
kitchen were added, and in the
spring of 1988, an open house was
held to display the new addition.
Pastor Doug Zehr resigned in
1989, and moved to Elmira to
pastor there. The church continued
without the leadership of a pastor
for some months, then Gordon
Bauman, of New Hamburg began
serving as interim pastor in 1990.
In 1991 Pastor Tom Warner was
hired as pastor at Brussels
Mennonite, Fellowship. He served
in that position until June of 1995,
when he moved to Saskatchewan to
pursue studies at Briercrest. The
congregation is once again
functioning without a pastor, for
the time being, until a new one is
hired.
The congregation has grown to
about 50 families. Sunday School
He played a tape, to the delight
of the children, of the Kookaburra's
unusual singing and laughing
sounds. They are known for their
bird calls.
"God calls us and speaks to us
through others," Rev. Huntley said.
The Old Testament Lesson was
from Isaiah 49 and The New
Testament lesson was from I
Corinthians. Both were read by
Harvey Snell. The Gospel Lesson,
read by the minister, was John I.
Rev. Huntley's sermon was
entitled "God is Calling You!"
He said since the beginning of re-
corded religion, people have sought
God's calling. Mystery also
surrounds this supernatural pheno-
menon. "How can we demystify
God's call for us in order to group
Continued on page 19
You are Welcome at
the
BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults
11 - 12:15 - Morning Worship
Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth
Blyth United children
hear about kookaburra