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The Citizen, 1986-12-17, Page 19From the Minister's Study THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1986. PAGE 19. The waiting of Advent is important BY REV. PAT NUNN BRUSSELS, BLYTH AND AUBURN ANGLICAN CHURCHES In the Church calendar, this period before Christmas, is a season when we can delve deeply into the experience of waiting before we go on to the celebration of fulfillment at Christmas. Advent, as this season is known, has a high pitch of expectancy to it. We need this to attempt to hold onto and live in, without rushing ahead to the proclamation of the Christmas Story. But, most of us have difficulty in doing this. The celebration of Christmas, which is ahead of us, will be much more significant if it is set against the background of waiting. Waiting can be and is more meaningful than we ordinarily think. We can use this period to ask ourselves a question, “Aren’t there perhaps things we could learn about life and faith -- at this last moment before the dramatic event we celebrate at Christmas?” Yes there are. There are also things we will miss if we rush impatiently ahead. Waiting, indeed has a purpose. It can in fact be produc­ tive. We are called by God to be a people who wait - a people to wait expectantly. This is not a passive waiting but something we engage Christian school in with energy and enthusiasm. It is never easy to wait. We don’t liketowaiton someone who has been delayed, to wait for the mail to arrive, to wait for the phone, to wait for the doctor to tell us our loved one will be all right, or to wait for the worship service to begin. We don’t like to wait because waiting causes fear and uncertainty. We are inclined to think that some­ thing has gone wrong or we feel as ifthe thing we’ve waited for so long just may not come to pass. Waiting must have been difficult for Mary and Joseph, too. Weary Mary had to wait for a place to bear her child. Joseph had to wait for the right time to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus. But the periods of waiting should be easier for us since we know about Bethlehem and the life of the One who was born there. We have the Scripture to teach us, great music to lift us, the light of the stars to guide our way and the promise of God’s presence for all the days that are to come. Particularly as we approach the festival of Christmas, may the Spirit guide each one of us to “be still before the Lord and wait pariently for God.” May you each have a Blessed Christmas! k Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGH WAY4, BLYTH Rev. Roger Gelwicks Worship Services 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. The Church of the ‘‘ Back to God Hour” and ‘ ‘Faith 20” Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith 20 5:00a.m. weekdays, GlobalT.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME to open in fall Members of the Wingham Dis­ trict Interdenominational Chris­ tian High School Society endorsed a proposal from its Board of Directors to offer a Christian high school program for Grades 9 and 10, effective September, 1987. A special membership meeting was held in the now vacant Kinloss Central Public School in Holyrood, just northeast of Lucknow. The High School Society expects to lease these excellent facilities from the Kinloss Township. Future plans are to build and operate the school on a seven-acre parcel of land on Highway 4, just south of Wingham, already owned by the Society. Further plans include the addition of grades 11 and 12 over the next two years. The decision to start next fall is conditional upon obtaining the commitment of 20 tuition-paying families by January 15, 1987. The tuition fee per family is expected to be $4,200, and does not include the cost of transportation. Wingham District Christian High School will open its doors to any student from a Chrsitian home, where parents are members of the Society or those who agree with the school’s objective. In other business, members approved a $16,000 start-up bud­ get for January 1 to August 31, 1987. This budget includes the purchase of basic supplies and the hiring of a qualified principal on a part-time consultive basis until the end of June. A second budget of $142,000 for the first full school-year 1987-88 was also approved, and includes the full-time principal plus two qualified teachers. This budget is based on 25 tuition-paying fami­ lies. Additional funds will need to be raised through membership fees of $150.00 from supporting families and individuals, and through other fund-raising activi­ ties. As a result of a recent drive, the Society membership now stands at more than 100 families and individuals from a wide area, including Wingham, Lucknow, Kincardine, Goderich, Clinton, Blyth, Brussels, Listowel, Palmer­ ston and Harriston. Parents and students who would like to consi­ der a Christ-centered high school education, (i.e. grades 9 and 10), starting in September 1987, should contact: Martin Oldengarm: 338- 3214 (Harriston); Corrie Haak: 482-7190 (Clinton); Bill Vander- klippe: 357-1688 (Lucknow) or write: WDICHSS, P.O. Box 820, Wingham, Ontario NOG 2W0. Brussels Rebekahs plan party The Churches of Brussels invite you and your neighbours to worship with them this Christmas season The regular meeting of Morning Star Rebekah Lodge was held at the Arena. Noble Grand Mary Nichol was in charge. Reports were given, several visits were made to shut-ins. Final plans were made for a Christmas party at the Arena, December 17 at 6:30 p.m., exchange of gifts and revealing of secret sisters will take place. Plansforthe Jan. 5 euchre in the Library and prices for euchres in February and March were set. Thetravelling prize was won by Sarah Stephenson. A social time was held. “Yes it’s Christmas and we greet Him - bom a shepherd king - Lord of all creation. Venite adoramus. ” ST. AMBROSE CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE Penny Auction 4 Christmas Glasses - Betty Shaw, Make-up Bag - Mary McGlynn, Slippers - Leny Albers, Cake Mixes - Colleen Giousher, Christmas Balls - Tara Parker, Cook Book - Pat Nolan, Curling Iron - Ria Van den Brock, Candy Canes - Ria Vanden Brock, Postum - Mary McGlynn, Crocheted Pyjama Pillow - Darlene Giousher, Coffee - Ester McCutcheon, Slippers - Lisa Parker, Pitcher and Glasses - Rita Deitner, Soaps - Mary Anna Ryan, Crocheted Baby Sweater - Betty Finch, Christmas Paper - Roberta Simpson, Shortbread - Sarah Stephenson, Coffee Mug - Father Stan, Slippers-Angela Nicholson, Coffee - Alice Searle, Peanut Brittle - Dianne Elston, Make-up Bag - Ester McCutcheon, Pin Cushion - Isabel Craig, Christmas Tree - Roberta Simpson, Toy Cars - Marie Blake, Tea - Ria Vanden Brock, Christmas Arrangement, Pat Nolan, Flowers in Cup - Dorothea McArther, Coffee - Mary Nichol, Miracle Whip - Mary McGlynn, Shortbread Mix - Isabel Craig. TICKET DRAW 1st prize - afghan - Wilma Rathwell 2nd prize - Ceramic Christmas Tree - Rosemary Terpstra 3rd prize - Floral Arrangement - Stella Kuroswki 4th prize - Quilted Pillow - Jill McCutcheon Thankyou to everyone for your support. A Blessed Christmas to all. ST. AMBROSE CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE Brussels Mennonite Fellowship PASTOR DOUG ZEHR December21-9:30a.m. Christmas Sunday Service 7p.m.-Carol Service Melville Presbyterian REV. VICTOR JAMIESON December21-11a.m. Christmas Sunday Service December24-7:30p.m. Congregation is invited to join with Brussels Unitedfor Christmas Eve Service St. Ambrose Roman Catholic FATHER STAN SOLTYSIK December21-9:30a.m. ChristmasSunday Morning Mass December24-8:30p.m. Christmas Eve Carols, Choirand Congregation 9:00p.m. Christmas Mass Brussels United Church REV. CHARLES CARPENTIER December21-11a.m. Christmas Sunday Family Service and Holy Communion December24-7:30p.m. Christmas Eve Family Service St. John’s Anglican REV. PATT NUNN December21-11:30a.m. Christmas Sunday Service of Lessonsand Carols December24-11 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion and Candlelight Service s.