HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe 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