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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1985-12-25, Page 18Page 2a—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 25, 1985 'Twas the. Night o before Christmas.. And all through the house, there was . Love and good feelings among one arid all. We wish you the best chis holiday season.. Huron Auto Wreckers JACK and RONALD McGUIRE and FAMILIES R. 11 5, LUCKNOW Blessed Be He May This holiday season hold a special meaning foryou. - Askes Bros. Construction BERT, JENNY, MARIE AND KATHRYN WINGHAM 357-3053 ,Messags of Love We are sending our very best wishes for a letter perfect Christmas holiday. Lucknow Variety, AND DRY GOODS • Robert Struihers CARPENTRY BOB, MARLENE, SHARON ancl CINDY LUCKNOW 528-2238 .7 In the spirit of Christmas joy, it is our pleasure to say 'thank y,ou"for your very valued patronage. , Merry Christmas from Wilfred Mc Intee & Company WARREN ZINN • ALVIN ROBB Someone with a Face Rev. R. Warren McDougall, Lucknow United Church The story. is told of apother who was putting her little boy to bed. When he was all tucked in, she kissed him goodnight and went to leave. The little boy said. "Don't leave me alOne." Themother replied, "You aren't alone. God is with you." The child whispered, "But I want someone with a face!" UnknOwingly; this child had expressed the -need of every human being, old and yOung: • "I want someone with a face". We are presently in the midst of Advent, the season in the church year in which we anticipate and prepare for the anniversary of Christ's birth• . Jesus same to this,world as a baby„as a human being, "with a face". No longer is God a faceless stranger to us. God is closer than a friend. God is our life and qur strength. Through Jesus Christ, God°" has a face". This is the meaning of the Incarnation, that God ' I became what we are, so that we, in turn, might become what God is. A present day. analogy might help us to understand the Incarnation. John Howard Griffin darkened his skin and became, in appearance, a Black man. He soon discovered could understand the plight of the Negro was to become one. Using dyes and a sunlamp, Griffin darkened his skin and became, in appearance, a Black man. He soon discovered the inhumane and wretched way in which the Negro had been treated for so many years, He felt in his own heart the fear, the loneliness, and the despair they experienced. He could truly say "I walked in their shoes". This is what God did on that first Christmas. God came to us in the form of a human °being, for only a fellow human being could experience what we experience and what we feel. The name sometimes used for the Messiah is "Immanuel", which means "Go is with us". Thro, gh the life of Jesus Christ, God has spoken to us with human lips, and looked at us with human eyes. Indeed, through Jesus Christ, God IS with us. Let us keep this thought foremost in our minds as we experience the Season of Advent and the approach of Christmas. • "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: a young woman is with child, and she will bear a son, and will call him Immanuel". (Isaiah 7:14) The Royal Family of Heciven By Rev. Allison J. Ramsay ' Lucknow and South Kinloss Presbyterian Church / Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest and on .earch peace, goodwill toward men." Christmas is a season we celebrate in word, song and deed. If we are to look at the Gospel record it really is a celebration of song, filled with beauty and wonder in the celebration of the Saviour's birth. In Luke's gospel, we have Mary's song, then the Angel's song, all mangifying the Heavenly Father.. • The song the angels sang seems to stand out. To some it may seem like a fantasy, because in the hearts of men it has never become a force. There are numerous versions of the Bible that try to portray the ni,..;sage to us that we could probably say "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased". • The verse is isot a flat declaration of universal peace for God's Word tells us that the man who knows not Christ will never have peace. "There is no peace saith my God to the wicked". Therefore, the Christmas message is a force. Ever since the angels sang the • song many years ago the world has known no peace. There have been over 14,000 wars • recorded in the last 5,000 years, or an average of 2.6 per year. In the early 1900s many believed that this century would be one of great peace, it would be the Christian century with man abolishing war and crime. But already we have had two\ major world wars and • many smaller ones with men grouped in armed camps throughout the world with enough potential to blow the world into oblivion. From this point of view, universal peace is a fantasy. Surely, we must realize that there can never be Peace on Earth as long as man rejects • the power that comes from God. Only through His Son, Jesus Christ, can we know peace and it is a matter of the heart making it right with Him. • • Yet I leave with you the message of what peace is all about. Peace first of all is a legacy. It was the Master's last testimony, "Peace I leave with you". This' is a clause in the • master's last will and testiment, given:on the night before he died. Peace is also a fruit of the spirit. It is one of the nine trees in the Father's orchard whose gates are open to all who would respond to, His name in Faith. Lastly, peace is a garrison. It will keep your hearts and minds on Christ. The secret lies in our trust in Him. "Thou wilt keep Him in perfect peace". It is by no merit of our own but only through His • amazing grace. Is the war over in your life? Can you honestly say "I know my redeemer liveth". What a future to know that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. My personal note is ^ that I would not change places with the wealthiest or the most influential or the most • learned man in the world. What a privilege to be Servant of the King of Kings, a joint heir with the Saviour, a member of the Royal Family of Heaven. • /•• ''„Jesus came to bring light Dear Friends: • .Our Lord Jesus Christ came into a world in which there existed the darkness of poverty, • violence, pride and selfishness. This Lord Jesus• mine to bring light. He came tobring the, light of truth, the truth of God's will. He came to bring the light of hope - the promise of • salvation to all who were willing to receive Him. Jesus also brought the light of a vision. He showed us through the light of his life how we are to live with 'one another. • • Jesus carne in a personal and vulnerable way to meet us in our need. He came to tell us how much we are loved and how utterly we are forgiven. He lived among us in simplicity and poverty. His coming was like a light, a ray of hope and care in a dark place. • In Psalm 18, the psalmist writes, "Thou also shall light' my candle. The Lord' my God • shall make my darkness to be light". When we, like the shepherds earnestly come to Jes- us seeking to'knovv Him in a personal way, we are emptied of our darkness and become , filled with the light of his presence. Radiant with that light of newly discovered love, we cannot help but share it with others. May our Lord Jesus Christ be the true light of your life this Christmas time and always. • May your Christmas be a simple, pure and light -filled one. May his forgiveness bring you peace, and his love for you, quiet joy. May you notice his conking in the needy ones who • cross your path. May your giving illuminatethe meaning of his birth so that you, with the, angels can proclaim with all your heart "Glory to God in the highest". Yours in luist, Merelyn Letson. Anglican Church • Lucluiow, Ripley and ICkdough.