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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-08-31, Page 3t 41. • , ko• Rev. McMullen, right, holds young Jennifer as the family, including wife Anne Marie, pose for a family portrait outside the manse in Brucefield. Rev. McMullen took over the two-point Brucefield-Kippen United Church charge several weeks ago. (News -Record photo) People in Profile: by Shelley McPhee There's an old adage that says, "Behind every great man, there's a woman." Perhaps Rev. Robert McMullen may not be world famous for his great deeds, but the new minister at the Kippen and Brucefield United Chur- ches receives a lot of help as well as criticism from his young wife Anne Marie as well as happiness from her and their one -year-old daughter Jen- nifer. The young family moved into the Brucefield manse a little over a month ago and here Rev. McMullen will be taking over the two charges from the former minister, Rev. E.S. Stephens. Rev. McMullen is relatively a newcomer to the field of ministry, he was ordained in 1976 and had his first charge in New Brunswick where he looked after four churches, rotating the services once a month. "Hp's still in the learning process," Anne Marie claimed. "But I am coming along," her husband added. Rev. McMullen noted that he bases his sermon on a Biblical text and tries to use everyday examples to exemplify his message. "If I disagree with him or I don't like it I usually tell him," his wife noted. "But I'm getting better at taking criticism," he laughed. "If I didn't understand something he was saying in the sermon I tell him while we're driving to the next service and then he explains a little more in his next sermon," Anne Marie went on. When and if criticism is needed, it seems that it is done constructively with only the best interests in mind. Along with being his best, or his worst critic, Anne Marie likes to become actively involved in the CLINTON NEWS-REcORD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1978—PAGE 3 minister's wife behind him church. In their parish in New Brunswick, Anne Marie used her musical training in the choir, used her profession as a teacher in the Sunday School classes and was a member of the UCW group there. Although the young couple made a joint decision to return to Ontario after ,they were asked to take on the position that Rev. Stephens had left, Anne Marie more than likely gave a little added push in making the move. Anne Marie comes from Stratford originally and living in Brucefield means she's closer to her family. Rev. McMullen noted that his wife was lonely in New Brunswick since it had been the first time she was ever away from home. "We hardly ever saw a farm in the two years we were in New Brunswick," she noted. "We came through a cultural shock when we came back here," explained Rev. McMullen, a Toronto native. The area the couple lived in New Brunswick was primarily a lumbering district with only seasonal work. The ,four parishes ranged from lower middle classes to poverty striken. "The two churches here are three times as big as the ones I worked in before," exclaimed Rev. McMullen. "The house hereis beautiful and its far bigger than we need," said his wife, referring to the United Church manse. Although the McMullens ,found people quite friendly in Eastern Canada, the people's attitudes and ways of thinking were different. Anne Marie explained that store boughten goods like bread, pastries and rolls were never purchased and it was almost though such processed, goods were poisonous. 'The husbands would refuse to eat anything from the store. I was always Alternate energy tour to feature many area homes On September '9 a number of homes , Which demonstrate various uses of renewable energy will be open to the public. The purpose of this tour is to help people learn about how solar, energy, wind power, wood heating and energy conservation are being used now in actual homes in Huron County. Organizers hope the tour will generate a pool of funds which can be used for ongoing educational activities .around renewable energy sources and for materials needed or alternate pin.11111111MM energy projects in the county. The homes which are scheduled to be part of the tour are: Grand Bend, Walper, Solar heating, .trickle system mounted on A frame garage, wood fired boiler proVides auxiliary heating, solar food dryer; Bayfield, Stevens, demonstration of urea formaldehyde foamed in place of insulation, a demonstration wall showing different types of insulation, free literature and book display; Seaforth, Carroll, Energy stuck in Conservation, has cut home heating in half by insulating, weather stripping, caulking, double glazing and zoned heating;' hoping to install vertical solar panels on home; Clinton, Mitchell, Solar water heating differential thermostat used to control system; closed system with heat exchange coil in tank, also wood stove for heating; A Whiting, dis solar wat heating p-, of efficie on disp y , ood , utor -of and air els, selection wood stoves_ and a the middle demonstration of several approaches to solar heating as well; Summer Hill, Vodden, Solar heated home under construction, passive via orientation'and active air system with roof mounted collectors and rock storage; Goderith, Zurbrigg, well insulated home oriented for passive solar gain; fireplace heatalator with outside „air inlet and hooked up to forced hot air system on furnace, wood stove drid rooUslope for future solar panels, Free information and book display; lilyth, by' she/ley mc phee By the time you read this column, I'll be long gone, not permanently mind you, but I'll hopefully be en- joying my first real vacation. I've never been too far away from home before, in fact, other than ,the usual places like Toronto and Niagara Falls I haven't ventured too far. That is, other than the time 'embarked on a trip to Thunder Bay. Although I was visiting close friends I prefer to forget that vacation. Thunder Bay in the' dead of winter is not my idea of a relaxing vacation. But I think I've got this trip planned right, as long as my airlines don't go on strike. Luckily, I booked 441 with CP Air and don't have to bother with the havoc that striking Air Canada workers are creating. I'm off to see old friends and family again, but fortunately they live in an area much more to my liking, Penticton, British Columbia. If all went well after my lengthy, roundabout flight, right about now I should be sitting under the Western skies, gazing at the magnificent mountains and biting into a suc- culent piece of fruit from the Okanogan Valley. I will have recovered from the dreaded jet lag. I've never ex- perienced the feeling before, but people have been telling me about it. Actually, jet lag or no jet lag still have been bushed after the flight. I left Toronto airport at 11 p.m. on Monday night and was to have arrived in Penticton at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning. My flight included a four-hour . stopover in Winnipeg as well as a stop in Calgary and a change of flights in Vancouver. At this point of writing (Monday t Ward, distributor of wood stoves and insulated flues; Brussels, Van Den Assem, Thermo pane windows, storm door, reinsulation, heatalator, and other improvements to an old frame farm house produce heating bills approximately half those of similar sizes .houses; Brussels, Hemmingway, Solar heated pig barn, roof mounted air solar panels, solar storage, under construction„considering methan from manure; Wingham, Gaunt, Solar water heating, roof morning) I'm wondering whether I'M even reach my intended destination. With my luck, I'll fall asleep in Winnipeg ,and miss the plane or I'll get on the wrong flight in Vancouver and end up in Afghanistan. Hopefully, my travelling com- panion will keep me on the right track and get me out there and home again. I don't look forward to the thoughts of having to call Editor Jim with the news that I'm stranded in some forsaken country or I'm stuck in British, Columbia, unable to return beCause CP Air has gone on strike. But what the heck, I'll worry about those obstacles when I reach them. For now, I'm going to enjoy each and every minute of doing ab- solutely nothing for two weeks. GODIRICH FOR HEAD FOR .411=111O. HOLMESV1LLE CLINTON GENERAL STORE - KIST= FRESH, QUALITY MEATS BLADE BONE REMOVED LEAN WELL TRIMMED SHORT RIB or CROSS RIB or CHUCK ROAST LB. • 1 9 ROAST $, LB. 1.29 FRESH MED. BONELESS GROUND STEWING BEEF OR BEEF 1.1 2 9 POT ROAST 09 • SUNSPUN 48 FL. OZ. TOMATO JWCE 69 NATURES REST 14 FL. OZ. TIN PEAS 2i49t44 VACAMP :40. BEANS WITH PORI( ST. WILLIAMS 24 OZ. lAR STRAWDERRY 2i794 JAM 1'.19 )ME-SVILLE GENERAL STORE HIGHWAY NO. MIDWAY 0EYWii4 otifitiildt AND Prttnir in iftids Owut ** kilo.. tto sat S,pt 2na di' *MI6 gOantitint ks GRAND "A" RED BRAND FRONTS OF BEEF $ I•09 LB SIDES OF BEEF $1.2? 2 9 cut and wrapped FREE GINGERALE OR PEPSI - PLUS 22' HINDS OF BEEF $ 5 LB. OPEN II oath to *pm. Wm. to 141. mounted collector hooked up to preheater tank to provide domestic hot water; Wroxeter, Scott water heat pump, well insulated home, oriented for passive solar heating, roof sloped for future panels; rock storage area; heatalator fireplace,- special in- sulating windows and doors; Fordwich, Cooper, 1500 square foot solar home under"tonstruction using massive masonry, beam', construction and air collectors with rock storage; Lucknow, McQuail, Passive solar home and greenhouse, water pumping windmill, may have wind generator by Sept. 9th, ashley wood back up heating system, yearly home energy bill less than $100., free in- formation and book display; Kintail; Walker, no Hydro, propane generator to be replaced by wind generator, 12 volt light system from bat- teries, passive solar heating, wood stove and propane stove. Many of the features of these different homes are owner designed and built, a lot has been learned in the process. If you would like to share this knowledge be sure to go on the Energy Tour, September 9th. Tour tickets are $5 for adults, $2,50 for children under 12. children 6 and Turn to page 2 • amazed when I went away with the ladies to hear what they'd left their husbands for food," she said. "I scraped the bottom of the barrel and ate TV dinners," Rev. McMullen laughed, "but I wasn't working in the woods all day either. He added, "It was a good experience working there and we probably wouldn't have lived there otherwise." The McMullens have no corhplaints about their new location. They have discovered the local people to be ex- tremely friendly and, active. "We're looking forward to the fall when the groups get started again," explained Anne Marie as she tried to keep her busy young daughter under control. "I'd like to go back to teaching some day, but she (Jennifer) keeps me busy. never thought one little baby could do it," she smiled. Anne Marie has also learned to quilt and has her Grade 8 in piano. She also enjoys, singing and does some crocheting. ".That's one good thing about being on your own for a couple of years you get to learn new things," Anne Marie noted. Rev. McMullen is looking forward to the fall as well when the holidays are over and people become more actively involved in the church again. "These are two strong churches and from what we can see so far their ac- tive especially in their Sunday Schools. It's a nice place to start from," he noted enthusiastically. "I'd like to get involved in a young couples' group and I'm also interested in forms of worship using music," he added. "Worship is for the people, its not just for me," Although Rev. McMullen hasn't planned any great changes in the present format of service or the way the church is run, he and his wife and ambitious young daughter have settled into their new home quite com- fortunately and will continue to work as a team in the ears ahead. ealv Harry Mitchell, standing, shows an interested person the workings of one of the new, modern, airtight wood burners in use at their 105 -year-old former stone school house in Goderich Township. The Mitchells will be one of the stops on the upcoming energy conservation tour on September 9. (News -Record photo) Solar heating. • from page 1 Mr. Mitchell noted, "I watch the papers. In the Free Press there's a green house being torn down. I plan to get some of the salvaged material from it but I don't want to make a hodge podge." In his plans for the greenhouse, Mr. Mitchell is considering the idea of putting the benches on 50 gallon drums filled with water. They absorb the heat and equalize the greenhouse tem- perature from 60 to 75 degrees instead of 45 to 95 degrees. "We're not only into solar we're just partially self sufficient," he went on. He further explained that the 1,100' square foot stone school is always kept at 64 degrees Fahrenheit inside. "We wear a sweater instead of running around in shorts," Mrs. Mit- chell commented. As well, another energy saving device is their air tight wood stove. The stove, which is now becoming more • • popular is welded together to give 80 percent efficiency. The Mitchells used to have a Franklin stove but say that they wouldn't go back to it. In their present stove a load of wood can burn up to 14 hours and the heat can bemodifiedby two controls on the outside. Although Mr. Mitchell belongs to individual solar energy club his house will be included as part of a solar energy tour sponsored by the area Energy Conservation Centre. The tour ' will be held on September 9 and will take in a total of 15 homes, from Grand Bend to Wingham. Six homes from the Goderich, Clinton, Blyth and Seaforth area will be included in this. The homes will be open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Detailed maps giv!ng directions to the homes will be available with the tickets. Tickets can, be purchased by writing to the Lucknow Conservation Centre. 1/11 111111V tip NTIONS The Canadian Community Sevispopers isssocia ktion Representing o Community Newspapers thet Canada Commends NNI% Ell Of 1101RO,Vocta,Elit4 ses-c WOMEN'S ‘NiNS P1/4140 fEPAVRE CO in the Msociatiot‘'s A9/6 )3etter Newspaper Competition open to newspapers tom ocross Canada 4,4 1'0