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The Citizen, 2003-11-26, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2003. From the Minister’s Study Wishing By the Rev. Tom Wilson Anglican Parish Priest of Blyth and Brussels Happy New Year! Now before you think I have lost my mind or have turned the wall calendar a month too far, let me explain. In the church year, the end of November marks the end of the church liturgical year. In many denominations this year end is marked by the celebration of the feast day of the Reign of Christ, or Christ the King Sunday. This celebration reminds us that as Christians we are looking forward to the time when we too can enjoy the kingdom that Jesus Christ is Lord over. In the gospel of St. John chapter 18, where the Roman Governor of Palestine, Pilate, is questioning Jesus to determine if he has broken any of the Roman Empire’s laws, Pilate asks Jesus if he is the “King of Jews?” Jesus responds that his “kingdom is not from this world.” This reminds us that as much as many so-called “prophets” try to tell us that Jesus’ Kingdom is here on earth, it is not an earthly kingdom, but rather one that we will enter after our earthly lives are finished. While it may seem a bit morbid, as Christians we are looking forward to this other kingdom. This does not mean that Christians seek death, not at all! Rather we strive to live our lives as Jesus expects us to, loving God and our neighbours, but always in the knowledge that we need not fear death, for death is not the end of Christians, but only the beginning of a new way of living abundantly with God. So at the end of November we remember this promise that Jesus made to us, and look forward to the new church year which begins with the season of Advent. Advent serves a Happy New Year off the beginning of the Christmas decorating until just before Christmas Eve, especially here in Huron County where often the winter snows remind us that we have at least three hard months of winter to endure. So these days, in our household we usually put up the decorations around the second Sunday of Advent. These lights we string up on our houses, the tinsel that festoons our trees and reflects the twinkling lights, help to brighten up the darkest time of the year, when the days seem Continued on page 29 jo&t cd awd/tcfe Sunday, November 30 Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH A Pastor John Kuperus Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church 254 Drummond St. E., Blyth Saturday Night Mass at 7:00 pm Father John Johnson, Pastor 357-2435 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH SING ASONKjOF Auburn - 526-1131 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941 Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Family Bible Hour 10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service 7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service Wednesday 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.- Youth 7:15 p.m. - Adult Bible Study Blyth United Church Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, November 30 Worship Service & Sunday School - 11:00 am Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman Office: 523-4224 Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith. We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through responding to the needs and gifts of each other. BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca November 30 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Worship Service and Sunday School Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. Worship Service and Sunday School We Celebrate the Hope of Advent as a time of preparation, of prayer and meditation as we move towards Christmas. In our secular world, often the Christmas season seems to begin on Nov. 1 and is over on Dec. 26. But this is not the case in the church. Advent reminds us to look forward to the coming of the birth of our Saviour, both 2,000 years ago, and this year as well, for the love, joy, peace and hope that the Church season brings, can serve to share the love of God brought to us through a tiny baby born in a stable. When I was a child, we followed the practice of not putting up our Christmas tree until after the fourth Sunday of Advent (just a few days before Christmas Eve), as the Christmas season had not begun yet. Of course we also left the tree up until after Jan. 6 (the 12th day of Christmas commemorated in that old Christmas carol). But I must confess as a parent of a young child, it can be hard to hold 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 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA NOVEMBER 30 FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT WHITE GIFT SUNDAY HOLY EUCHARIST tilling Water 3 (flrittian fillaufu/j £ 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship at Blyth Public School, corner of King & Mill Pastor Ernest Dow - 523-4848 k www.tcc.on.ca/~dowfam d £ £ £ iiwiKiiKimiasisisiiasiwir 1 I Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 5^1 9:30 am.___________11:15a.m. The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273 Community Churc/l 1 G0(f "The Church is not a Building, It is People Touching ' People" Sunday 9:15 a.m. - Prayer Meeting 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service Several mid-week events Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590 Blyth Community Church of God Coffee House Every Sunday night at 7:30 pm Meet in the basement 308 Blyth Rd. E. For information call 523-4590 Cornerstone Bible Fellowship Ethel Sunday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday, 9:45-10:30 ' . 11:00-12:00 7:00 pm 7:30 pm 7:00 - 9:00 pm 6:30 - 8:00 pm ~ Communion ~ Family Bible Hour and Sunday School ~ Evening Worship Service - Prayer & Bible Study ~ Youth (ages 12 & up) ~ Adventure Club (Oct. 16 - Nov. 20) All children ages 4-12 welcome John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father, but through Me." Call Pastor Andrew at 887-6123 £o.oAing. f.c-% Awnetliing. nem tAi& Cfou&ttna,&? Blyth Community Church of God invites your family to join us each Sunday in December, for an hour of puppets, drama, stories and music to prepare us for a fun-filled Christmas experience 9:45 to 10:45 am a December 7, 14 & 21 Everyone is welcome at the Blyth Community Church of God ‘fain ua in Asking Jeaaa thiA AeaA&n at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship 9:30 a.m. Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388