The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-12-23, Page 7•
The Ooberttli
SIGNA
J
a
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 3, 1975
•,SECOND SECTION
•
Good News Jesus is come
BY REV. JAMES REDDOCH
ST. ANDREW'S
UNITED CHURCI4
Text: LuklOhapter 2 V89. 'And there
were in the same country, shepherds
abiding in the fields, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And lo, the
angel of the Lord carr e UpOn them, and
the glory of the Lord. 'shone around
about them: and they were sore,
In those days, fear was the normal
reattion of men to the presence of,Gocl.
Evert great men like Moses and Elijah.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to
Moses we read that "Moses hi,d his face
for he was afraid to
rhe same same is.itrue of Elijah when 'The
Lordpassed py' and he heard the still
small voice,' And it was so, when
Elijah heard it, that he wrapped hi
face in his mantle'. If men like Mose
and Elijah telt like that, it is not suf--
prising that humble shepherds should
be so terribly afraid when the glory of
the Lord—s*hone round about them!
From the dawn of history man has
had a tear ot.the unknown: a fear of the
tuture: a tear of 'death: but how tragic
it is that 'men' should be so terribly
afraid even of _God! The first message
4%
4
44t,
ot the angelof the 1.1qrd to the
shepherds wa's a word oiT assurance
that, th,ey no longer be afraid. "Fear
not; tOr-, lReh91d, I bring you -good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people'.
What was the good news that would
dispel man's tears an' d bring joy. to the
world? For the wise men from the East
it was not that they'had stumbled on a
new,apd brilliant philosophy of life that
would' Solve all hurnan prob.lems. For
the Hebrew shepherds the good news
was not that the mighty. Roman. Em-
pire had been overthrown and that the
Jews were now masters of the world;
but that the Messiat,_11-is_
ace w a bo'Fn in Bethlehem
rhe coming of Jesus into pe world
was the good news! • Not only , what
Jesus said,,.onwhat He did; but Jesus
Himself: For what Jesus said and did
were an expression of His innermost
being. His spirit so perfectly revealed „
the nature ot God that He could say, -
y, He thret 'hath seen Me hath- seen the
Father". And also- His spirit so per-
ttctl y revealed the true vture of. Man
as God meant him to be, that He ,could
say, " am the way, the truth, and the
lite".
So the shepherds were fold, 'This
I =,
shalt be a sign unto you, ye shall find a
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger". The reasonfor
their joy was in findi,ng Jesus! 'And
suddenly.thetle was with the angel a
mullitude 9t the heavenly host praising
God, ;• and saying, Glory to God in the
highea and on earth peace, good will
toward men', The hosts of heaven
rejoiced at what was happening, in the
world. They pr'aispd God for the'Divine
event. Cod breaking into hilman
history to bring light to theM that sit in
darkness, and to drive all fear from the
hearts of men and women, and replace
that tear with happiness Reace and
joy.
'On earth, peace, good will towards
men'. Two of the most vital and urgent
needs of the world today. But before
peace arld good will can become a
reality, it isnot only the multitude of
the heavenly host who must give 'Glory
to God in the highest', but the
multitudes of men and women living on
earthFhe more that song of praise
bursts tor.th spontaneously from the
lips ot more and more men.and women
year 'by year, the more will peace on
earth be assured, and ' good will
pr,eva i I.
We know that this is true. We have
:•••
tangible evidence. of it at 'Christmas
time. We have the same sign that was
given to the shepherds. For whereveri
.men and women give a thought for the
Babe of tBethlehemi and sing songs of
praise to God, there is peace in ,the
heart; there is good will among. men.
The true spirit of Christmas is the
spirit ot Jesus Himself dwelling in
people's hearts, when they can find
room tor Him! It was. not lin evidence
in the world before Jesus was born, and
it can only come when He is born anew
lin 'us.
At Christmas time when the spirit of
J=good will prevails, men and women are
noLonl being their best selves; but
their true selves as God meant them to
be
When We praise God, and when we.
know the peace of God and are free
trorn.the tears and the tensions of life,
and have good will towards other, we
are living as God meant us to live.
What better news in these troubled
times than that we need not be afraid,
it only, like the wise men and the
humble 'shepherds, ,we would . pay
homage to the Prince of Peace; the
King of .Kings; the -Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord.
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suNDA Y SERVICES ?I ';
the family that prays together....
Stays together
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BEREA—BY.4THE—WATER
LUTHERAN CHURCH
IIRE11
„?
For Canadians, a green
Christmas is almost un-
thinkable.
Even those of ust who don't
count 'winter as our„ favorite
season hope fora nice skiff of
snow for the Yuletide„ Snow,
it seetins, is an integral part of
our Christmases.
Two weeks ago; worried
merchants stood in quiet,
heavily stocked stores
holding their h-eads and
moaning, "If only it would
snow, customers would get in,
the mood to shop."
And sure enough, when the
first flakes started" t� drift
jpown, it was if someone
pressed. a button sending
everyone scurrying out to do
their Christmas buying.
"It's Begi?ning to' Look a
Lot Like Chrifstrnas," we hum
to ourselves as we watch the
earth beingtrimmed and
decorated by the first
er snowfall. Yes, we say, when
the white stuff comes we're
ready to go into action for
Christmas.
But what about people who
live in climates where there is
no snow? What gets'them in
the spirit?
A friend of mine from South
Africa, spending his first
ehrikmas in Canapa, tells
me his compatriots look for
hot, sunny days. Christmas
comes in the middle of their
summer with many families
on holidays. "For ,the .most
part," he informs me,' "we
spend the day on the beach
with a traditionaTdinner fater
on...often in the form ofre
huge, gala, barbeque."
Do they have lights,
decoration, greetings and
gifts?
"Of course," he answers,
that's all part of Christmas,
isn't it?"
Imagine that, celebrating
Christmas without a snow
flake in sight!
So, if it isn't the climate
that makes Christmas what is
it? The glittering, twinkling
lights? The gifts? The heavily
laden table?
Not really, Most of us are
Of& enough to remember
when there were no lights,
precious few presents and
sometimes no turkey. 'Vets
the bright memories,of those
past Christmasesstill warm
our hearts with gladnels.
Of course, what really
makes Christmas is that
haunting, message of Jesus
being born in a manger in
tiny, mystical old Bethlehem;
the night when the dark sky
was alight with angels'
singing about peace, goodwill
and joy.
Even those who do not
acknowledge Christ as
Saviour and Lord still h4,ye
within them the longing arki
the hope for this peace, this
goodwill and this joy. It stiff,
their hearts and makes
ChFiitrs- happen. The
crustiest, the most
pessimistic, the meanest
become a little softer, a tittle
more optimistic, a bit kinder
as Christmas approaches..
But to be really ready for
Christmas is to be open up
and accept the birth of Christ
for what it really is.:,a
priceless gift from a loving
God that.changes lives.
Henry van Dyke, in, one of
his writings, says we're ready
for Christmps when we show
God's love!, in our lives by
forgetting what we've .done
for other people and
remember what others have
done for us...
When we ignore what the
world owes us and think of
what we owe the world...
When we see our fellowmen
are just ag' real as we are and
we 'try to look behind their
faces to their hearts to see
their hunger for joy...
When we set aside our book
of complaints against the
management of the universe
and look around for Place
where we can sow a few seeds
of happiness. -
When we can do these
things, then, says van Dyke
we are ready for Christmas.
The First Christmas
. .1,4•;*
'
Aotef•
St. Mary's Grade Eight
Meeting at Robertson Memorial School
Dec (13. 12a4ke e?a3nodpE. mid°, n SstEreRevts,
ICGEodoeFricchA)
NDL ES
Dec: 25 11:00 a.m.. CHRISTMAS WORSHIP
• SERMON: "WHAT A GIFT!"
Dec. 28 . Regular Schedule
of Worship and Sunday School
Marvin L. Barz, Pastor
524-2235
/. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our ./
Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5, t
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
-(Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec)
MONTREAL STREERnear The Square )
REV, W,H, McWHINNIE F,R.G.S.
Organist. Mr Frank Bissett
9:45 am—Sunday School
11 A.M WORSHIP SERVICE
THE PASTOR e PREACHING
1. 1.
1.
•••••••••••••••• ••••.•••••••••••••-•••••• • • ••••• •• 1.•••••1•••-•••••••••••••,••• •• •••••••••.•• •;,••••••••. •••••••••••••••••••••••.•.••••
Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle
Affiliated.with the Pentecostal Assemblies of 'Canada
CORNER OF ELGIN AND WATERLOO STS
PASTOR REV. FRED DAY
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION HOUR
10:00 A.M.
"Free" Bus Transit - Call 4-2709
WORSHIP SERVICE - 11:00 A.M.
Message Text: Nehemiah 9
EVANGELISTIC MEETING 7:00 P.M
• WATCHNIGHT SERVICE - DEC. 31 •
••.••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••. •• •••••••••••,••-••••.,••••••.••••••, •• ••••„, •
•
You will be made welcome 1. Knox Presbyterian Church
s
• 2.-••.•••..•,••.•• ••••• ••••••.••••••..•••••.•,•••.••-•••••••-•••.1•••••••• •••••• ••••••.•••••-•11,••••••—•.. • • •••••••• •••••••-•••••••-••••.,•,,, • • •••,..• • •
.? The Free Methoditt/Churcit.
Park St. at Victoria/ Pastor: H. Ross' Nicholls 1 i
2 way Bus Service Free to S.S. and A.M.'Worship by calling .
' ' )
524-9903
9:45 a.m. Sunday School - for all ages
11
a.m, "CHALLENGE FOR THE
UNKNOWN"
7:00 0.m. 'Evening Service
• ''Everynne Welcorne
THE REV G LOCKHART ROYAL 13 A Minister
• THE REV RONALD. C McCALLUM Assistant
WILLIAM M CAMERON Director of Praise 4'
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1975
11:00 A.M. SERMON
"ALL THINGS'
Consolidated Sunday School retires. during service
(Nursery Facilities)
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
HAPPY NEW -YEAR
...••••••••••••••••••.••,“•-••••..• :••••••••••••...1,•••.,•,....•,..1•••••••• "•••. Enter to worship
Depart to Serve t
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
BAYFIELD ROAD AT BLAKE STREET
_
.f?
THE SALVATION ARMY
EVANGELISTIC SERVICE
EVANGELISTIC FUNDAMENTAL
REV R BRUBACtHER Pastor
10,00 A.M. BIBLE SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES
FOR 'FREE BUS TRANSPORTATION CALL 524-9497
11:00 A.M. 4‘MORNING SERV,ICE
A.V.P/1.Y.O:U,,,TrAK E N STOCK?"
6:15 P.M, - WORD OF LIFE CLUB
7:30 P.M. EVENING SEOIVICE
WED. 8 p.m. ANNUAL WATCH NIGHT SERVICE
JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING
OF FELLOWSHIP AND SEE THE GREAT F11..11101
"MASTER CONTROLLED"
WELCOME'TO THE FRIENDLY CHURCH
• • ••••••
18 WATERLOO ST S
• •• •••., • • • ••••• • • •••••• • • .•••., • • •••••
SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9 45
FAMILY WORSHIP — 11 00
AM
AM
7 pm
;
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ST GEORGE'S CHURCH
CHRISTMAS EVE '
1130 p.m. - Holy Communionand Sermon
CHRISTMAS DAY
930 a.m.. Holy Communion
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
830 a.m. Holy Communion
lin a.m. • 'Morning Prayer & Sermon
10 & 11 a.m. Children's Program &Nursery
Rector Canon G G Russell B A .
Choirmaster -Organist Joseph 8 Herdman'
•
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524.9341
it it
WEEKDAY Homo League (lad,etii Wed 00 m
Prayer & Brte Sturiter3 Thins 7 10
orricElas CAPTAIN G HERBER ''CAPTAIN M MacKENZIE
1.
411 Are Cnrcl,A,,y 0v 10 to Attend
••••••••• •-••••-• • •••••. • • ••••..
•••••...•.•••••••••••••• ••••,
North Street United Church
Ili,. Rev Ralph E. King, B.A., B.D, Minister
Miss Clare McGowan Visiting Assistant
Mr Lorne H. potterer • Director of Music , -
Sunday School Ages 10 and up at 9:45 a.m.
No Sunday School for ages 3109 from Worship at 11:00 a.m.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1975
WORSHIP 11:00 A.M.
SERMON: "THE SHEPHERD PSALM"
CHRISTMAS EVE 7:30 P.M.
FAMILY SERVICE OF CAR0i4S AND READINGS.
N4sery Facilities
Come and Worship with us.
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