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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2002-06-19, Page 15What is God doing in Benin? Enjoy a West African meal. Meet Bruce Yoder and Nancy Frey Mennonite Mission Workers in Benin at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Saturday, June 29 N 6:30 pm For reservations contact Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388 by June 26 Donations accepted Proceeds toward Mennonite Criurctoij Canada Witness THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA 20/x4~4 y,oe to cue eued wenalaft emit ced Sunday, June 23 _A_ MORNING PRAYER Trinity, Blyth 9:30 a.m. St. John's, Brussels 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273 Reade 7:014t eed p/t emptdito Sunday, June 23 Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." — 2 Thessalonians 2:16st 17 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Lts, Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible 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 Thursday of each month 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. 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 Call Pastor Andrew Thursdays or Fridays at 887-6123 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca Sunday, June 23 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Worship Service and Sunday School Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. Worship Service Remembering -- Celebrating — Living Our Faith! HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH Auburn - 526-7555 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017 Sunday 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Friday 7:30 p.m. Family Bible Hour Morning Worship Service Evening Worship Crusaders & Youth Adult Prayer Meeting Youth BLYTH UNITED CHURCH Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, June 23 Worship Service 11 a.m. Guest Speaker: Pat Milliken "fa 7f/desoce Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman Office: 523-4224 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2002. PAGE 15. From the Minister's Study The inspiration behind 'Footprints' By Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman Blyth United Church It is the poem heard around the world. The greatest inspirational poem of the 20th century. That's what Margaret Fishback Power's poem, Footprints, has been called. People hear it and immediately identify with the story. It reads like a fairytale. It can easily be memorized. It speaks directly to the human need for assurance and comfort. The impact of the message grips you like a revelation. It's the kind of poem, which, when you hear it, you want to keep. And keep it we did. Millions of us worldwide have the poem in our possession, in several languages. I finally had the chance to meet the author. I had arranged for Margaret Powers to visit Wingham to sign her books. For an hour and a half prior to the book signing at The Gift Chest, we visited over coffee and timbits at the local Tim Hortons. Paul Power, Margaret's burly Scots husband, and for whom Footprints was originally written, joined our animated discussion. Margaret is small, with a contagious smile. She wore a MacGregor tartan vest. Both her family and Paul's family, the Barclays, herald back to Scotland. Margaret's small size is significant, for it enabled Paul to lift her up and carry her briefly, on that significant, and now historic, walk by the St. Lawrence River in Kingston. That was back in 1964. Paul had proposed to Margaret a few days earlier. But Margaret was in conflict over whether to accept the offer. What would her father say? As they were returning from the walk along the St. Lawrence River, looking at their footprints in the sand, Paul eagerly lifted up his bride-to-be and held her in his strong arms. Margaret couldn't sleep that night. In the early hours of the morning, she found some paper and began to write Paul a love poem. It was as if the Lord had told her, "It's all right. I will look after you. I will never, never leave you." She remembered that people near death often have scenes from their life flash before them. She incorporated this insight into her love poem. And she saw, in her relationship to Paul, a metaphor for the larger relationship to the Lord. The words just seemed to flow from her. After all, she told me, she had been writing poetry ever since she was five years old. In the morning she gave her love poem to Paul. He shared it with the young people at the Bible camp. It was an instantaneous success. Many of them wrote it down, and took it back home with them. A year after they were married, Paul preached in the Free Methodist Church in Rochester, New York. The poem was printed in the church bulletin. And then it seems the poem got lost. Until 1983 when Paul and Margaret discovered it on plaques and posters in the United States. But without the author's name. As "anonymous." And the rest is history - almost. Or a sign of the providence of God. Since the poem bore no name, it spread like wildfire. Within a few years, millions of people saw it in print. And their faith in God's care was strengthened. "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." Harper Collins published the book and story in 1993. It has now been translated into several languages. It is literally the poem read round the world. Stratford hosts WMS MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 Seventy-two members of Huron- (Delilah), Barbara McCallum Perth Presbyterial registered for the (Noah's wife). Women's Missionary Society spring rally which was held in Knox Presbyterian Church, Stratford. Bernice Richards, second vice- president, was in charge of the meeting and guests were welcomed by Mary Scott. The Bible Study, based on the theme of the meeting, Clothed for God's Service, was conducted by the area education consultant for Southwestern Ontario Synod, Rev. Anne Yee-Hibbs. Shirley Aitcheson was chairman for the reports from the Synodical in St. Thomas, given by the delegates who attended. The roll call was answered with the name of a lady mentioned in the Bible. It was interesting to note the number of ladies present who had Biblical names. Lois Home reviewed a few books available from the book table. Following a potluck supper, Mary Scott introduced a mixed quartet, Friends, who sang several numbers a cappella. Mary Duffin was commentator for a Biblical fashion show. She was assisted by Bernice Richards with Lois Kipfer at the piano, and Bonnie Wray as the director. The fashion models were Kerry Kipfer (Eve), Muriel Wray (Sarah), Verna Willows (Lot's wife), Jean Cameron (Leah), Judy Scott (Pharoah's wife), Isobel Diehl (Martha), Eva Duffin (Herodius), Bev McDonald AMMOMMMEIRMIEWII\ Water Cfiridiaa Teilaaafiipj 8 -tom- "Be the Lord's , not Judgmental" - Romans 14 10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship ' 8 at Blyth Public School, 3 corner of King 8.r. Mill 4 Pastor: Ernest Dow it 523-4848 www.tcc.on.ca/-dowfam NralatIPMIMIAINOWSOI The offering was received by Cranbrook WMS and dedicated by Yvonne Knight. Jean Aitcheson introduced the guest speaker, Rev. Anne Yee- Hibbs, who explained what her responsibilities are as area education consultant. Evening vespers were conducted by Helen Dunseith and Marie MacLeod, Harrington WMS and the courtesy remarks for the day's program were given by Mary McCue, Listowel. You are Wekome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School - for ages 3 to adult 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship 7:30 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 June 23