The Citizen, 2002-09-04, Page 23LIFE
IS TOO
SHORT
To Let A Day Pass Without
Hugging Your Children
Children—and adults, need the
warmth of human touch. Stay in
touch with these basic needs by
being part of a church family. Our
church welcomes you.
Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Sunday School
for all ages
Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388
fuw4g, Water
Cfiridiaa
Teilamsftip
"Weedg Wheat:
Wait for
Winnowing"
Matthew 13:24
Welcome Threshers
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 - 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
September 8, 2002
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Remembering --- Celebrating --- Living Our Faith!
Peeeae ce4 Apt, W4
Sunday, September 8
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service- 7:30 p.m.
By humility , amd the fear of the Lord are.
and hollow; and life.
— Proverbs 22:4
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
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
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Weecooeed yew to clUite eutet woratql t wit% 44
Sunday, September 8
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
DUFF'S UNITED CHURCH
Walton
Minister - Joan Tuchlinsky,
Office - 887-8240 E-mail - bblack@ezlink.on.ca
9:30 a.m. - Morning Worship
Church School
Sunday, September 8
Join us for an intergenerational service as we dedicate our newly
renovated space downstairs at Duff's United Church
Everyone Welcome!
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2002. PAGE 23.
From the Minister's Study
Times of pain can cause most reflection
By Joan Golden
Brussels/Ethel
United Churches
The life each of us lives is filled
with experiences of learning as we
journey through it. It seems that the
experiences that bring us pain also
cause us to reflect the most.
Maybe that's the result of slowing
down our pace of life to be there for
others. Or perhaps we take more
time to consider how precious these
minutes, hours, days and years of
life are that we have been gifted
with. It also becomes a time when
we remember the sources of the
many wonderful memories we have
to say goodbye to in their turn.
One of my favourite authors,
Joyce Rupp teaches us about
Goodbyes in her book called Praying
Our Goodbyes.
Joyce reflects that goodbyes are as
much a part of life as the seasons of
the year. The story of gain and loss,
of joy and sorrow, of life and death,
or union and separation, is inside
each one of us.
The cycle begins at birth, when we
were broken loose from our
mother's womb. It may be by our
forward movement gathering
momentum until we pushed farewell
or by being lifted from the womb by
a surgeon's hands. We leave the safe
environment of the womb and greet
this world of new life breathing in
the breath of life in a vastly different
world.
The cycle continues throughout
our lives. Who of us has not said
farewell to someone and felt a great
heartache and deep sadness, wanting
to stop the process and wondering
when the ache inside would ever
leave?
Have you ever accompanied
someone to a bus station or airport to
see someone off who was leaving for
an extended time? There-comes that
moment of separation, that last little
space when a wave of sadness
suddenly wells up no matter how
many times we have said our
goodbyes before.
We never really learn how to say
that particular goodbye.
The word goodbye - originally
"God-be-with-ye" or "Go-with-
God" - was a recognition that God
was a significant part of the going.
When you dreaded or feared the
journey there was strength in
remembering that the One who gave
and cherished life would be there to
protect and to console.
Goodbye was a blessing of love,
proclaiming the belief that God went
with you, you would never be alone,
that comfort, strength and all the
other blessings of a loving presence
would journey with you.
To the traveller it meant: "We
cannot keep you from this journey.
We hurt deeply ... you have made
your home in our hearts. Yet, we
know your leaving is essential for
your growth. So go, go with God.
May you always rest in the
assurance that 'God will lead you,
will be with you, will not fail or
desert you. Have no fear. Do not be
disheartened by anything."
(Deuteronomy 31: 8)
Do we ever get used to saying
goodbye? Or should we?
I think not.
Saying goodbye helps us to
experience the depths of our human
condition. It leads us to a much
deeper understanding of what it
means to live life in its mystery and
its wholeness. We should not be
afraid of the parts that life asks of us.
Nor should we hold back in giving
ourselves fully to love, to the
wonderful growth opportunities of
investing ourselves in people and
events.
We may be harshly bruised by
life's farewells, but it is possible to
be healed. We can become whole
again. I believe that if we are willing
to move inside the heart of the
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experience, to live patiently through
the process even as we acknowledge
the difficult, painful emotions, that
we can experience the wonder of
spiritual growth and the marvel of
new depths of faith in our
relationship with God and with
others.
As we make our lifetime journey,
pain, hurts and losses are part of the
journey but so are joys, celebrations,
laughter and wonderful memories
we have the privilege of sharing. All
of these experiences lead us to a
better understanding of life, a greater
wisdom and compassion, and a
deeper courage to continue the
journey that will eventually take us
all home.
Goodbyes will always be with us.
So will hellos.
Praying a goodbye can bring us to
the doorway of new beginnings.
May the seeds of resurrection in
our hearts and souls grow, bringing
joys and hope in life, and in life
beyond death to ourselves and to all
of creation in the world that we
share.
May the rainfall of memories heal
our fractured hearts and bring new
AWAIMMIMMMIErAIMI,
g 10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship 0,
PA at Blyth Public School, P. 0 corner of King & Mill . I ' Pastor: Ernest Dow v
A 523-4848
4 www.tcc.on.ca/-dowfam 9
1WWWWWIIMPAOWI
life again. May we also say goodbye The spiral circle of our life-
to the emptiness we experience as journey comes into its season of
we feel the graciousness of God and hope as we feel the spirit of those we
know that God's tenderness has must say goodbye to in our daily
blessed us in our healing. living.
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
BLYTH UNITED CHURCH
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, September 8
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Theme: "A Farmer's Creed."
Sunday School resumes Sept. 15th at 11:00 a.m
,41 20d..(44fte
Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Office: 523-4224
You are Welcome at the
BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD
September 8 - 11:00 a.m. Rally Sunday
Official Sunday School launch with balloons & lunch to follow.
Classes begin September 15.
10:00 a.m. - Adult Sunday School
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship
Bible Studies - Wednesday morning 10 a.m.
Wednesday evening 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 308 Blyth Rd., Blyth