The Citizen, 2010-12-16, Page 19
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010. PAGE 19. By Pastor Perry Chuipka
Trinity and St. Paul’s Anglican
Churches in Blyth and Brussels.
An 80-year-old couple were
having problems remembering
things, so they decided to go to their
doctor to get checked out to make
sure nothing was wrong with them.
When they arrived at the doctor’s
office, they explained the problems
they were having with their memory.
After checking the couple out, the
doctor tells them that they checked
out physically, but might want to
start writing things down and make
notes to help them remember. The
couple thanked the doctor and left.
Later that night while watching
television, the old man got up from
his chair and his wife asks, “Where
are you going?”
He replies, “to the kitchen.”
She asks, “Will you get me a bowl
of ice cream?” “Sure,” he replied.
“Don’t you think you should write
it down so you can remember it?”
she asked him. “No, I can remember
that,” he said.
“Well, I also would like some
strawberries on top. You had better
write that down because I know
you’ll forget that,” she responded.
He says, “I can remember that.
You want a bowl of ice cream with
strawberries.”
“Well, I also would like whipped
cream on top. I know you will forget
that, so you better write it down,”
she continued.
With irritation in his voice, he
says, “I don’t need to write that
down, I can remember that.” He then
fumes into the kitchen.
After about 20 minutes he returns
from the kitchen and hands her a
plate of bacon and eggs.
“You forgot my toast,” she says,
after looking at the plate for a
second.
Like the older couple in that funny
story, we all know that as we get
older we begin to lose more of our
memory. So this year as Christmas
approaches, I would like to
challenge everyone, myself
included, to take time this Christmas
to share some memories of past
Christmases.
The other day my wife and I were
watching a television program on
memory. A psychologist on the
program said that one of the simplest
ways that we can keep remembering
our past stories is by telling them.
Think for a moment when is the last
time that you shared a memory from
a past Christmas or even had time to
sit down with your children or
grandchildren and share a story from
the past. We just don’t do it.
We are so busy that we fail to see
how important our past is. Our past
is part of what makes us who we are.
I remember visiting a husband
whose wife had Alzheimer’s. He was
quite depressed because whenever
he would share a story about their
past with his wife, she wouldn’t
understand what he was talking
about. In fact, sometimes she
laughed and told him that he was
talking about someone else. He still
loved his wife but it was really
difficult for him because those
stories of the past made them who
they were as a couple.
So as you can see, our past stories
are important to us.
Let me share this anonymous
poem called, “My Christmas
Address Book.”
I have a list of people I know, all
logged in my book,
And now at Christmas time I have
gone to take a look.
And that is when I realize that these
names are a part,
Not of the book they’re stored in, but
of my heart.
For each name stands for someone
who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they’ve become
the rhythm in each rhyme.
And while it sounds fantastic for me
to make this claim,
I feel that I’m composed of each
remembered name.
And while you may not be aware of
any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my
life, a lot more than you think!
For once I have met somebody, the
years cannot erase,
The memory of a pleasant word or of
a friendly face.
So never think my Christmas cards
are just a mere routine,
Of names upon an address list,
forgotten in between.
For when I do a Christmas card that
is addressed to you,
It’s because you’re on the list of
people I’m indebted to.
And whether I have known you for
many years or few,
In some way you have been a part of
shaping things I do.
And now that Christmas has come, I
realize anew,
The best gift life can offer is meeting
people like you.
Come celebrate the
Advent of Jesus Christ
9:30 a.m. Together for Worship
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Children’s Christmas Pageant
“On Hills Above Bethlehem”
Pastor Brent Kipfer 519-887-6388
God loves people ~ He sent His Son to be one!
Monday, December 20 6 pm
Meet at the church for Christmas Carolling in the community
NOON CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER
at the church for anyone who is free to come
at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
Sunday, December 19
getlivingwater.orgPastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water Christian Fellowship
at Blyth Public School, corner of King & Mill
Evangelical Missionary Church
Sunday, December 19:
Advent IV ~ Love
Worship & Sunday School
10:30 am
Friday, December 24:
Christmas Eve
Worship Celebration
7:00 pm
Special music,
atmosphere
O Come, let us
adore Him --
Christ the Lord!
“A Holy God’s
Gift for a Sinful
Man”
Preaching:
Mr. Harvey Snell
Romans 5:1-11
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, December 19
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
6:30 pm - DVD series on the Book of
Revelation by James MacDonald
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
Sunday, December 19
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADAWelcomes you to come and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
Church Office: 519-317-4883
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, December 19
Rev. Perry Chuipka
www.nabcom.ca/church
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
December 19th - Sunday School Christmas Pageant
December 19th at 7 pm - Community Christmas Service
at Christian Reformed Church, Blyth. All welcome.
December 24th - Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
- 7 pm at Blyth United
YOU ARE WELCOME
9:45 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning Worship
Mid-week Bible Study
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
Timeless Truths
For Today
308 Blyth Rd. E., Blyth
Pastor Les Cook ~ 519-523-4590
Blyth Community Church of God
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Hwy. 4, Blyth
519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Guest Speaker:
Rev. Eugene Neudorf
7:00 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to
attend this
traditional evening
of special music by
candlelight.
From the Minister’s StudyRemember great stories to keep memory alive
Continued on page 24