The Brussels Post, 1975-03-05, Page 3Pierce of Abby Sask, who is the
new Minister for Crediton as of
July 1, and Rev. E.S.Stevens who
has already begun his duties as
the new Minister of the
Brucefield Charge.
To the Editor
Guide commissioner
replies to letters
To the Editor;
Since • it was my responsibility to close the Brussels Guide
Company, I would like to reply to theletters to the Editor in the
February 26th edition of the Brussels Post. This is to clarify some
of the misunderstandings.
A District Council meeting, at which this action was taken, is
considered a Court of Honour meeting which means it is a closed
meeting and not to be discussed with anyone who is not present. -
None of the writers of the published letters were present!!
It puzzles me as to why a "Concerned Mother" has not been a
recent active member of the Brussels local Association, Girl
Guides ofCanada, which has been completely aware of the
complete situation. If all parents would accept their
responsibility as members of the local Association, then they
would know the proper procedures in making their feelings
known.
Mrs. Gert Kellington, the former Guide leader resigned
voluntarily at the February 10th, 1975 meeting of the Girl Guides
of Canada, Glen Mac District Council - previous to the'
presentation of the letter of closure addressed to the Guiders,
Executive, and local Association members of the community of
Brussels. Mrs. Kellington has been justly acknowledged for her
20 years plus of service by the Ontario Council of the Girl Guides
of Canada with the presentation of the 20 year Long Service Bar.
The newcomers to the BruSsels community have been most
unjustly blamed for the action taken. The first rumblings of
dissatisfaction came to me when I was first appointed to my
position in June, 1972, from executive personnel of the Girl
Guides of Canada.
That people sat back and didn't offer assistance was a most •
unjust criticism for in the past 6 months, I know of 3 persons who
offered assistance and were made to feel most unwanted by the
leadership in charge.
Does not the fact that so few girls of the community are
members of the Girl Guide Company not say something? Why
have girls dropped out?
Thank you
Be the first
on your block
to be able to
run around it.
PORTIelfjaCTIDIT
The Canadian movement for personal tilneOs
Fitness. In your heart you know it's right.
Most sincerely,
Mrs. M. Luella Nash
Clysdale Division CommisSioner
Box 153,
St. Marys, Ont.,
NOM 2V0
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Presbytery discvsses
Are boycotts making Church anti farmer?
Rev. Robert Lindsay, who is
responsible for Anti-poverty
programs in the United Church of
Canada, was the guest of
Huron-Perth Presbytery at its
bi-monthly meeting held in.
Hensall United Church, on
Tuesday, Feb. 25. He had been
invited to come and answer
questions and
criticisms concerning the position
of the United Church on the
California Grape and Lettuce
Boycott, The issue had been
raised at an earlier meeting,
when Charles Walkom of,
Fullarton presented a paper
charging that the United Church
was giving the impression that it
was anti-farmer, and also that he
felt boycotts of perishable
foodstuffs were morally wrong.
Mr. Lindsay, who was born and
raised on a farm, and still has
relatives in farming, began by
outlining some of the background
on the Boycott that.began in 1965.
He noted that up to the end of the
'60's the AmericanChurches had
been divided.Eventually
however, they took the side of the
UFW (United Farm Workers of
America) The overflow of the
Boycott into Canada came in
1973. Mr. Lindsay affirmed that
since Canada represents about
one third of the California grape
market, we have no choice in
being .involved.
He then presented the reasons
for the involvement of the United
Church in the problem. It takes
the same attitude as the Courts
and Churches in the United
States; that is, that the contracts
in question are not simply a local
jurisdictional dispute, Thus, he
said that the United Church will
stay with the Boycott until there is
legislation that will permit a
supervised and free settlement by
a secret ballot. The whole
question, Mr. Lindsay cautioned
is very touchy and there is much
at stake on all sides: the growers,
the Teamsters, and the UFW.
He concluded that at present
the Church must sit and wait on
this war of nerves. Mr. Lindsay
felt that this was one of the most
significant social issues of the
20th century.
Mr. Walkom, who had
presented the original paper that
initiated Mr, Lindsay's visit,
responded by quoting extensively
from a speech that the Hon.
William Stewart 'had recently
delivered in Essex County. In that
address, which has also been
picked up by "The Farm and
Country" magazine, Mr. Stewart
too criticised his United Church
on the Boycott issue. "Pastures of
Plenty", a two part T.V. program
featured on the CBC's Man Alive
Program and partially funded by
the United Church, also was
criticised. Is the United Church
against farmers and the family
farm? asked Mr.Stewart, and so
did Mr. Walkom.
In answering these charges,
Mr. Lindsay was first hotly
critical of the "Farm And
Country" for being overly
emotional and sensational in its
"pot shots at a distance" type of
editorializing. He would like to
meet these writers face to face.
"At least you Mr. Walkom, have
the grace to sign your name to
your letter," and wine here to
discuss the matter openly, Mr,
Lindsay replied,
Regarding the T.V, ptogtaini
Mr. Lindsay assured that for the
segment of time with Which the
film dealt it was true and a worthy
statement Of social cominent,
purpose was to raise the issue:
(Etc later reported that the family
featured in the oprogram' is still
being looked after by the United
Church, and that it was his call to
Stewart that initiated
government action to provide the
schoolhouse).
However, Mr. Lindsay
promised, the Church is
'concerned with farmers and the
family farm, and is not
anti-farmer. In fact,, the United
Church has set up a Committee
on Agriculture' with membership
representing a wide variety of
people in Agriculture. It is
moving to help keep the family
farm in existence.
During an open question
period, other members expressed
the concern that the United
Church in its opposition to the
growers of California is thus
against farmers in Ontario who
are also producers. Mr. Lindsay
replied that the growers of grapes
and lettuce in California are in no
way like the farmer in Ontario. He
said they are more like h uge,
corporations with from 500 to
.13,000 acres under production
year round.
Local Junior
FCI rmers
go to UK
Jim Phelan of Huron and
Donna McKay of Perth were two
;of six Junior Farmers from
Ontario to receive a United
Kingdom trip when more than
2300 members attended the
annual Junior Farmers talent
festival in Toronto.
Participants from Huron
County who took part in the
festival were:
Larry Murray, #4, Walton in
Mens Vocal Solo; Donna
Henderson, #5, Seaforth in Ladies
Vocal Solo; Don Melady, #2,
Dublin in Photography; Jim
Phelan, #2, Blyth in Photography;
Rhonda Ferguson, Dublin in
Essay; Mary Anne Miltenburg,
#7,, Lucknow in Public Speaking;
Tom Melady & Don Melady, #2,
Dublin in Musical presentation;
Modern Square Dance sweet from
Centralia College of Agricultural
Technology.
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R.R. Biyth
Thor* Brussels 1110-9024 '
His parting remark was that the
Church will continue to be
concerned with the seasonal
worker and it does not intend this
to be anti-farmer.
Rev. Don Deas of Mitchell, the
Chairman of Presbytery, thanked
Mr,Lindsay, Mr. Walkom and
others for their participation
saying that it had been a, good
discussion. "It is nice that we can
disagree without being
disagreeable".
Later in the meeting
a resolution asking the
Huron-Perth , Presbytery not to
support the Grape Boycott was.
presented. However, due to the
lateness of the hour, it was
referred to the next meeting for
action.
'n other business of the day,
Rev. Norman Gibson of Central
United Church, Stratford, and
Chairman of the International
Youth Exchange Committee,
announced that they had selected
Miss Marilyn Hester Day of
Stratford as their representative
for thisExchange which will take
place in July and August of this
year. She is a medical student at
McMaster University, Hamilton,
and will join over 100 other youth
from the United Church who will
be participating in this project. It
is one of the many planned to
celebrate the 50th. Anniversary of
the United Church of Canada.
The thirteen other applicants will
form a support and follow-up
group.
Rev. John Roberts of Belgrave
and chairman of the Division of
Ministry, announced a number of
changes in Pastoral Relations.
Rev. Dr. Harold G. Lester,
formerly of Kingston ar ea, is the
new retired assistant for Central
United Church, Stratford. Rev.
Wes Siebert of Centennial United
will be retiring from the Church in
July, at which time he will
become assistant at St. Marys
United Church. Rev. Ray Lindsay
of Monkton has accepted a call to
the Bright's Grove Church, near
Sarnia. The Monkton Charge has
issued a call to the Rev. Michael
Bolger of Baron's River,
Manitoba. The Walton Charge
will be losing its minister, Rev.
Derwyn Docken who has accepted
a call to the Dorchester-Crumlin
Charge as of July 1. The R. v.
Grant Mills. will be retiring from
the Thamesview Char .ge in
Fullarton, and also retiring is
Rev. Harold Dobson, who leaves
the Grand Bend Church, and Rev.
Charles Forrest from Fordwieh,
all as of July1, 1975.
New Ministers coming into
Huron-Perth are Rev. Bruce