The Citizen, 2001-12-19, Page 20BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCIPOF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
December 23, 2001
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
December 24 Christmas Eve Service at 7:30
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Come worship and celebrate with us!
Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Communion - 9:45 - 10:30
Family Bible Hour and Sunday School - 11:00 - 12:00
Prayer & Bible Study - Tuesday 8 p.m.
Ladies' Time Out: the last Wednesday of each month
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
(Returning to last Thursday of each month beginning Jan. 31)
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Everyone Welcome
For more information call 887-6665
You are Welcome at the
BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School - for ages 3 to adult
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship
7:45 p.m. - Evening Worship
Kids' Club - Tuesday - 3:45 - 5 p.m. Ages 6-11 welcome.
Bible Studies - Wednesday morning 10 a.m.
Wednesday evening 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 308 Blyth Rd., Blyth
elitatatttaa, Eue
Come celebrate
the birth of Jesus Christ
with
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
250 Princess Street, Brussels
Monday, December 24 7:30 pm
Cantata: Touched by a Child -
Touched by a King
Refreshments to follow
Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
7:30 p.m. - December 24 Christmas Eve Service
8:00 p.m. - December 31 New Year's Eve
Communion Service and
Family Games Night
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Ytectat gain as Putuco 4ip tkio,
Sunday, December 23
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Community Christmas Service -
7:30 p.m. at Blyth Memorial Hall
Tuesday, December 25
Christmas Morning Worship
Service - 10 a.m.
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men
on whom his favour rests."
—Luke 2:14
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
WeicomeA gait ta came and LC eAdiip with to,
Sunday, December 23
Trinity, Blyth
St. John's, Brussels
9.30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Morning Prayer
4th Sunday in Advent
Christmas Eve Services
7:30 p.m. - St. John's, Brussels
10:00 p.m. - Trinity, Blyth
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
BLYTH UNITED CHURCH
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
December 23
Worship Service &
Sunday School at 11:00 a.m.
Guest Minister Rev. Cecil Wittich/Communion
December 24 - 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Service
WI Welcome
Office: 523-4224
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yowl, ()Lewd with joy and &we dwang thiA
ecniAtnuo. Secoon and alwayz..
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
invites you to worship with us
this Christmas
Sunday 9:30 am - Family Bible Hour
10:30 am - Morning Worship
Service
7:30 pm - Community Christmas
Service at Blyth
Memorial Hall
Mon., Dec. 24 - 7:30 pm - Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
pea a Amy ettstatata6 aid a woadcsial lies V444
Auburn 526-7555
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2001.
From the Minister's Study
Advent, Christmas provide light to world
By The Rev. Tom Wilson
The Anglican Parish of Trinity,
Blyth and St. John's, Brussels
As I have been driving around
northern Huron County, the
Christmas lights have been such a
• -ource of pleasure to me. The lights
remind us of one of our most primi-
'tive fears as humans, that of dark-
oess. And Christmas falls at the time
of the shortest amount of light here
in our northern hemisphere.
In the Jewish faith, the menorah (a
candelabra with eight candles) is
used in the season of Hanukkah
(which falls in December), to com-
memorate the rededication of the
temple in Jerusalem after its desecra-
tion.
In the Muslim faith, December is a
period of fasting called Ramadan.
Devout Muslims fast during the day,
but the fast is broken after the sun
has set and the homes are brightly lit
up with lamps.
In the Christian tradition, we cele-
brate the darkest time of the year,
with the brightest light we know, the
birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ. The stars we put on our
Christmas trees, and our homes,
antennas and silos remind us of this
eternal light.
Christians begin the church year in
the month of December, celebrating
this new year with the Holy Season
known as Advent. We prepare our-
selves for the coming of our
Messiah. Advent means "Coming."
• The Advent season is a time for
reflection and preparation, but its
mood is joyful. Advent has been
enriched by Christian tradition to
reflect its distinctive Christian mean-
ing. It proclaims the revelation of
God's love as expressed in Christ's
birth in a humble stable, His sacrifi-
cial death on the cross, and His vic-
torious resurrection! It points to the
hope of Christ's coming again as the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Advent makes innkeepers out of all
of us, asking each of us to make
room for the arrival of Christ the
King.
During Advent and Christmas one
of the most striking, as well as the
The deadline for
The Citizen
the Dec. 24 paper
is Thurs., Dec. 20
(This is the last paper until
2 p.m. - Brussels
4 p.m. - Blyth
Jan. 9)
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most universal features is the use of
evergreens in churches and homes.
Among ancient Romans evergreens
were an emblem of peace, joy and
victory. The early Christians placed
them in their windows to indicate
that Christ had entered the home.
Holly and ivy, along with pine, and
fir never change colour. they are ever
- green, ever - alive, even the
midst of winter.
Today, the Christmas tree is the
centre of our festivities. Glittering
with lights and amaments, it is a part
of the beauty and meaning of
Christmas. There are several legends
and stories about the Christmas tree.
The first use of the Christmas tree
was in the medieval German
Paradise Plays, held outdoors and
portraying the creation of
humankind. 'The Tree of Life was a
fir tree decorated with apples. Later
other ornaments were hung upon
them, such as paper flowers and gild-
ed nuts.
Lt England branches or whole
trees were forced into bloom indoors
for Christmas. From these begin-
nings the use of a tree at Christmas
was established. Martin Luther was
perhaps the first to use a lighted tree.
The story is told that on one
Christmas Eve Martin Luther wan-
dered outdoors and became enrap-
tured with the beauty of the starry
sky. Its brilliance and loveliness led
him to reflect on the glory of the first
Christmas Eve as seen in
Bethlehem's radiant skies. Wishing
to share with his wife and children
the enhancement he had felt, he cut
from the forest an evergreen, glisten-
ing with snow, and took it home. He
placed upon it candles to represent
the glorious heavens he had seen.
Most Christmas greenery reflects
European traditions. But one colour-
ful plant, which looks like a flaming
star, the poinsettia, is a native to the
American continent. It was named
after Dr. Joel Robert Poinsett, a U.S.
minister to Mexico, who first intro-
duced it to the United States in 1828.
The people of Mexico and Central
America call the brilliant tropical
plant the "Flower of the Holy
Night." The poinsettia is a many-
pointed star that has become a sym-
bol of the Star of Bethlehem.
One of the most heart-warming
expressions of Christmas is the
Nativity. The Nativity speaks of the
mystery of God's wisdom. Why God
chose to send his son into our world
as a baby of humble birth, born in
common surroundings, we do not
know. What we do know is that God
reached out to all people including
the poor and wealthy, the simple and
the wise, the powerless and the pow-
Continued on page 24
Dec. 23
"We're EXPECTING!!" \ q
- Pt. 4 The Perfect King:
Power without Pride in
Potbless after Worship a
9:30 a.m.- r