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The Huron Expositor, 1980-12-18, Page 247e: ,71r. • THE:11,0R04; • OoSitork Pecem.aeli BY XV; ROOM tomsgy My first 'Christmas in Jerusalem was in 1939. I had Justgraduated from the University Of Oklahoma in January or that year and come ,to Palestine) as Israel was calledIn those, days, to learn a bit Of Hebrew in. preparation for Study at a theological seminary. December 25th roiled around and On the 241h a good friend hired a couple of taxis and quite a group of US yoting people took the high road out to Bethlehem- 010 six Miles, actually. ' The ancient Church of the Nativity, most of it in the control of the Greek Orthodox Church, was largely empty. The Greek ----Orthodox—celebrate...Christ,. mas on January 6th. But right next door is the Roman Catholic (Latin) Church and it was crowded with pilgrims and candles. It was all very spectacular, with gold and white ornateness and the air heavy with incense. We crowded in with the mob of spectators and spent an evening never to be forgotten, particularly by a Baptist from Oklahoma. Little did I know at the time that I was to pass many happy Christmas seasons in Jerusalem. My next one came six years later, after I had returned to the United States in 1940, married, completed my theological studies in Louisville, Kentucky, and had two children. We were awaiting our third youngster and my' young and beautiful wife looked ever so much like the mother of Jesus. The next year was filled with getting settled in the pastorate of the little West Jerusalem Baptist Church. This Was two yeatS, before Israel declared herself an independent Jewish state, The church Was and still is located In the heart. Of the newer Jewish section of Jerusalem. AS Christmas approached in 1946 our Jewish neighbours ,WOUld meet me in the, street and say, "Soon it will be „ _ Christmas for you, won't it?" My wife Margaret atal I had decided early in October, that We would not need to make rrnich of the celebrations since We Were One of the few *Christian families living in the neighbourhood. " But this was not to be. Again and again our Jewish friends said, "Will you invite me to your Christmas celebrations?" What could say? We had to make quite a bit of Christmas. Our Jewish neighbours demanded it! David, our oldest child, then three years old, had a -little red snowsuit, so we made him Santa Claus and he thoroughly enjoyed toddling over to the Christmas tree in the big livivng room at the church and distributing the presents Lenore was almost two and Barbara not yet one. Margaret and I get pretty sentirnental when we think of that Christmas. Soon afterward, Jerusalem was divided. Since we lived on the west side, getting to Bethlehem meant going to the Old City and taking a circuitous route of some fifteen miles to visit the Church of the Nativity. Most of our church members and participants at services could not get Jordanian permission to cross the lines to make that trip. So we began a little tradition that lasted nearly twenty years • dining the 'aerie(' when lsraeli soldiers guarded a line running north and south through the City and Jordanian soldiers stood • with ritleS:in hand On the opposite side' of no-niattst' land: We started tilling up our car and a taxi or two and taking our church people oat to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, just four: miles from Bethlehem, and there we would -Stand on Christmas Eve looking.aeross the 'fields at the little lights of Bethlehem, wondering when we Would ever again be able to go freely to Bethlehem at Christmastime. Often our, little group sang Christmas.. carols as we stood cupping our ears to hear the church bells clanging in Bethlehem solaraway. • After the Six Day War in 1967, Jerusalem was, reunified and remains one city today. Ali Christians have been able to freely celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem's Manger Square and thousands do, including the many choirs which flock to Israel every Christmas to fill the square with the sound of carols. As the years went by, the Lindsey family welcomed two more little boys and a final, sturdy little girl. Somehow we always had our best times when the six children and an occasional visiting grandparent from overseas sat in the parlour near the lighted Christmas tree and we exchanged gifts. One by one the children came of age and flew away to the United States for college. Some married there and others came back to Jerusalem to marry or set up housekeeping. Just now our oldest and second boys are Fellowship donates to fund The Fireside Fellowship of First presbyterian Church held their Christmas meeting in the Sunday School room December 2 with a potluck supper and 16 present. The low attendance was due to the stormy weather. also sickness of some members. The meeting opened with a v.elcome from the President. William Brown. The meditation was taken by Charlotte Duke folloWed by a prayer by Rev. T. Duke. The collection was taken up by Henrietta Brown. Peg Grieve gave the trea- rer's report. Lorne Lawson. who had been first vice president. moved up ' to be the nee. president. Henrietta Brown will be the new secretary. Peg Grie- ve .will cipntinue to be trea- surer for another term. Rev. Duke thanked Wil- liam Brown for his good work as president for two years. Mary Coleman will pur- chase two poinsettias for the Church for the Christmas Season. Those in charge of the coffee hour for December are William Brown. Charlotte Duke, Viola Lawson and Bob McMillan. 525 will be sent to World Service for Italian Relief. The January meeting win be in charge of Lorne and Viola Lawson and Bob and Edith McMillan. The Fireside are sending a gift of a turkey to Rev. Torn and Charlotte Duke for Chri- st Mas. A games night and an occhange of gifts followed. Each member brought Christmas decorations for the new Christmas trees to be up in the main auditorium of the Church. also a white gift. MAINTENANCE WELDING (Using welding equipment to maintain farm machinery) Centralia College of Agricultural Technology and area OMAF personnel In co-operation with Canada Employment and Immigration Commission offer th4 CONTROJIMG EDUCATION OfPORTUMITY WHEN: January 6 February 12 Tuesdays & Thursdays 1.00 p m • 400 p.m. WHERE: Centralos College. Huron Park FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: 0.M. Al. Huron, Clinton, Ontario (5)9) 482-3428 Continuing Education Centralia College of Agricultural Tiethnology Huron Park, Ontario ( 519) 228-669,3 OMinistry of Avictiltur• atter Pet•cl Ortttirto canna= TIRE WITH EVERY PURCHASE OF S10.00 OR OVER GET A TICKET ON A FREE DRAW. lst prize gas barbecue valued at $200. 2nd prize food processor valued at$140. here, are 'Martl'erl and. have The ,4',13abv1* Debbie, lives with us in Jerusalem; and draWs, pretty pictures,On olive wood, She is twentY-fear-t., •• 0. . 0 .• • • • 6 • • ve • • • • • • •0 • • • • • a • 0 a 0 0 0 • 0 a • 0 0 • • 0 • • • • • • • • • The • 'ehitrcliis more bustling now than it was in 1946, se there is:a lot ofwork involved in , preparing for , Christmas, Last year, A nigbt , or two before :Christmas, out expanded chapel filled with , t• • • • 11 • r icip. • • • • ' wearly :two. hundred people. 'Afterwards, thelk. wandered - loyftillY thretfib the street of West; Jerusalent, and into ...thO Qld.City for sorvtces',itt, tho, tr4dirtoaal '..chur'OhOs't Seinenot till midnight. 'M'ot;ty . , , . , 0111 0111,0 •,•,•.• •••I 011• 0,0. • • • • • • t • l • QPTICIAN David ---7\ Longstaff Ltd. Optician 87 IVIain St. S. Seaforth OPTOMETRIS*TS AND . OPHTHALMOLOGISTS Prescriptions Filled Promptly HOURS: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m. • 12 p.m. Closed all day Wed. COMPLETE OPTICAL SERVICE 527-1303 PAINTING PAINTING Exterior and Interior •Reasonable rates =Quality Work ,Call Tom Burke 345-2756 ,..—CAR CARE GORD'S GULF Licensed Mechanic Service to all makes of cart HOUSE CALLS AVAILABLE fi27-0333, SHARPENING—NN Ali types of saws, kribies and scissors sharpened Specializing in Carbide saws and tools STAY SHARP SALES AND SERVICE Gordon Blanchard RR4, Walton 527-1806 FARM SUPPLIES • 47 tr. • c no, c Seaforth Co-op 527-0770 • r ACCOUNTANTS —c ATKINSON, DINES, LEACH & NEILL Chartered Accountants Accounting. Auditing. Tax 20G3olEuinsvo lock St. 527.13uni APPLIANCES Appliance and , Refrigeration REPAIR SERVICE Jim Broadfoot 482-7032 • • •••••••• ******* ** •••• re "it, • • • 'DECORATING Graves .Wallpaper it3 Paint m4OF't, Featuring PAINTS (.anadiari -Imported Wall Cm crings 527-0550 Seaforth •. ELECTRICAL Fred Lawrence Electrical Contractor HOME FARM & COMMERCIAL WIRING Phone Auburn 526-505 or Mitchell 348-8684 /.--ELECTRICAL • • • • •• Oil • IIO Geo. A. Sills & Sons HARDWARE MERCHANTS PLUMBING • HEATING & ELECTRICAL EXPERTS Phone. 527-1620 Seaforth • PIANO PIANO TUNING • Rape, ft • Rebuitdmg • Keys Recovered • Dom oo-Outsert BRUCE Pitt SIR 348-9223 Mitchell. WIRING INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL and FARM WIRING CALL Brodhagen Electric GARY DILL 345-2442 JOHN EWGSEN 345-2447 se,11or An CAR PENTFIY--N ' 0 House Renovations • Additions t• Siding • Any Home Improvements' BOB REGELE 527-0715 r—CLASSI F I ED USE EXPOSITOR WANT - ADS Phone 527-0240 •• Poil,ChtiStiatt Israelis .ijoined them, for tsraelis love music., ' .About a thousand Etiranean, and American 'Cirls.tlatt live in *Jerusalem noWadaYs and there are 'lnearly seven' thousand Arab Christians. Por ChristMas, 1080t, several' tthousand, Christian tourist Will swell the number Of 'Christians at eelehrati&ns, It should be exciting. But I expect the happiest moments for the Lindsey family will be atettud thP. Christmas tree in our apartment in Jerusalem as three of our children and their families celebrate with •• ***sr•rr.tporrorr:re • • • 6 • t; • • • • • • • • • • *.ew- * •• • • * • • • • ,* •• • •• • • * • ;°*: 1111 • 1 " • 761.11 11' Ssll *.. e-ciiiRopRAocill -7\ t • • • • • • • • 0 • 0 0 •••t• 1.,•:• • • 0.,• • ••• 0,014 • 0' FUNERAL HOME Whitney-Ribey Funeral Home RO-SS-VV- RI -13 -E -LY DIRECTOR 8' Godcrich St . Seaforth Phone 527-1390 CEMETERY MONUMENTS Sincere and courteous service INSURANCE --- SEAFORTH INSURANCE 39 Main St.. S. Seaforth .Home .Business .Form .Auto .Life . Sickness & Accident . Investments 527-1 61 0 SEWING SEWING MACHIPTEM SUPERMARKF1 Over 100 tnachineo on clopial, Service too* mattes S34!t) • VVIvite. Elna.1-tutqvarne Imo 'zoo macturtos from 539 as SEW AND SAVE CENTRE LTD. 14D Downie SI. 62 dozcrs south of Ructsons) \ Stratford, 271-9660 } MONUMENTS Cemetery Monuments 1;. Inscriptions Markers Showroom Display WHITNEI•RIBEI Ft NERAL HOM1. 8' Godcrich St , West Agent for Wingharn Memorial* Sea forth 527-1390 rCUSTOM BUILDERS\ Aft. my" FEENEY CONSTVISCVON LTD • Custom builders • Contracting • Complete building service • New homes • Renovations • Farm buildings 345-2405, Dublin • ,/ SURVEYOR ---7N Doug W. Dalrymple ONTARIO LAND SURVEYOR 476 Main Street, South. Box 449, Exeter, Otit. NOM 1S0 235.2503 FLORIST Hildebrand Flowers IS Main St. Seaforth Office 527-0S55 Res. 5274784 - Complete Floral Service ,—DECORATING—. Expert' tntertor Exterior Decoraiors .Kem Paints kkalicOverings Armstrong Carpets Window Shades HILDEBRAND PAINT AND PAPER . Phone 527-1880. Is Main St, Seaforth APPLIANCES APPLIANCE &—Th REFRIGERATION SERVICE Authorized factory warranty Serviceand repairs to KELVINATOR & INGLIS APPLIANCES ServIce and repairs to all makes HORNE'S MAJORAPPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE 527-0636 • Seaforth IMPROVEMENTS MacLEAN HOME IMPROVEMENTS Phone 527-0032 Free Estimates For Siding - Aluminum and Vinyl. Aluminum Windows, Coors. Awnings, Railings FEED MILL -----N FLEMING FEED MILL • Bulk Felleted Feed, • Fast unloading elevator • 2 pits open 24 hrs. a day CLINTON 482-3438 j I CARPENTRY Custom Built Barris, sheds, houses, renovations, house add- itions, cupboards, spiral stairs concrete finishing John Ryan 527-1520 John Peckitt 482-7567 _ MUFFLERS Mufflers guaranteed as long as you owri the car SEAFORTH MOTORS LTD. 527-1010 • • it • • ***** • *** 000 it • • • • S 0 • 0 • 0 0 • 00 • 0. • • • • • e•• • • • • • • • • • • * • • • • • • • o 0 • • • .S.EAfORTO.: CHI.ROPRAcTIC - CENTREL Thomas J. Devereaux 25 Goderich St. W. Seaforth, Ontario Phone Bus. 527-1242 Res. 527=1942 Man., Fri., 8-1, 2:30-8:00 Tues., Thurs. 8-1 2:30-8:30 , Wec1.8-1 Sat. 9-1 • p ---ELECTRICAL K. MURRAY ELECTRIC 24 hour service_ - Farm, reiidential,industrial and commercial wiring 527-0984 • Seaforth T.V. & STEREO AAUP' TELEVISION ZENiTH AND STEREO Complete tine SALES SERVICE Seaforth Electronics 17 Sperling St., 527-1150 CHIMNEY SWEEP-. Chimney Need Cleaning? Call VERN'S CHIMNEY SWEEP SERVICE Seaforth 527-0674 /IMPROVEMENTS -1 LARRY McGRATH CONSTRUCTION 14 years experience • Ceiling Tile • Paneling • Dry Wall • Ceramic Tile it Trim Work • General Home Repairs FREE ESTIMATES CALL COLLECT ANYTIME MITCHELL 348-907 IMPROVEMENTS GERALD COLEMAN HOME IMPROVEMENTS • Aluminum Siding • Renovations & Roofing 56 5 -53 47 FREE ESTIMATES • • • ***** • • • • • • o • • • • • • • • IL_ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ' 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 0. • • • 0 • • ••••••• 0 • • 0 0 0*