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The Citizen, 1998-06-03, Page 14PEOPLE WHO READ NEWSPAPERS ARE STUDENTS WITH BETTER GRADES It all starts with Newspapers BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540 Sunday. June 7, 1998 121st Anniversary Service Ethel United church 11 a.m. featuring Guest Speaker, Gisele Ireland Special Music, Bronwen Pearson Lunch to follow Both congregations of our pastoral charge will be joined together this Sunday. Please note there will be-no worship service in Brussels. LETS CELEBRATE OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE! THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA You are welcome this Sunday Rev. Nancy Beale JUNE 7 - TRINITY SUNDAY HOLY EUCHARIST Trinity, Blyth St. John's, 9:30 a.m. Brussels Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m. MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service The 11:00 a.m. service at Brussels will be held at the Brussels Conservation Area. After the service there will be a potluck luncheon - ham & buns provided. Please bring lawn chairs, utensils, yourself and a friend & enjoy an old fashioned church picnic! Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 ASSOCIATE PASTOR - YOUTH - JEREMY SHUART 523-9788 Sunday Monday Wednesday Friday 8:45 a.m. - Morning Worship Service 10:00 a.m. - Family Bible Hour 11 a.m. - Morning Worship Service 8 p.m. - Evening Service 7:30 p.m. - New Hope Support Group 7:30 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study 7:30 p.m. - Youth You are invited to worship with us at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Christian Education (for all ages) Pastor Ben Wiebe 887-6388 You are Welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth Please join us for worship this Sunday Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:12 & 13 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1998. PAGE 15. From the Minister's Study The challenge of being a man today By Rev. James Murray Duff's United Church, Walton & Bluevale United jmurray@wcl.on.ca http://www.hows.net/NOG2WOBUC If a man is all alone in the woods, is he still wrong? I don't think there has ever been a more challenging and difficult time to be a man than in today's-world. Men were once quite certain of the roles they were to play in their marriage and in their family. The economic opportunities out there reflected the fact the man was expected to be the sole bread winner. Now things have changed. The roles men are expected to play in their relationships are changing quickly. The economic roles we play are shifting dramatically. Men are now changing diapers and cooking meals, and are intimately involved in the day-to- day running of the family and the household. In today's world, it is not uncommon for our wives to be making more money than us. When the father looks after the children for the evening, it is no longer called 'babysitting'. Now it is called parenting. In some ways, men have finally been allowed in to the intimate heart of the family. They are no longer expected to stand off at a safe distance as they watch their children grow. Now they are hands on. The only problem is, many men find themselves ill prepared for such a dramatic change in behaviour. But with the reality of needing two incomes to make a go of it these days, learn we must. Most mothers did not teach men how to cook or sew before they left home. Sharing emotions was not normally done in the change room On Sunday, May 31 at Brussels United Church, six young people were confirmed by their renewal of baptismal faith. Betty Campbell, organist was accompanied by Grace Jutzi at the piano. Rev. Chris Johnson assisted by session member Warren Wray, confirmed Nicholas and Tyler Campbell, sons of Laurie and Debbie; Sean Hoegy, son of Merle and Rhonda; Kendall Jutzi, daughter of Gerry and Julie; Kyle Stephenson, son of David and Annette and Nicole White, daughter of Randy and Donna. The young people sang two numbers In The Bulb There Is a Flower and One More Step Along The Way. They also took part in reading scriptures, receiving the offering and serving the at the hockey rink. The challenge for men today is how to teach themselves. It is a challenge to learn a whole new set of skills. Fortunately there is help. There is an abundance of books and magazines full of helpful advice. There is also your local church. Going to church can open you up to many new possibilities in your life, and in the life of your family. It is the place where values and virtues are taught, where faith in God can grow, where relationships can develop which will support and help you as you face all of life's ups and downs. Men still have an important role to play in the local church. If both parents attend church, there is an 80 per cent chance their children will attend church when they become adults. If only one parent attends, there is only a 40 per cent chance of the child attending when they are older. If neither parent attends, the number drops to 20 per cent. By your behaviour, you can influence your child for the better. I always remember my Grade 8 Sunday school teacher, Mr. Duncan. He was the only man teaching in our Sunday school. By his presence he showed that men do have a role to play in the upbringing of all children. As the Africans say, "it takes a whole village to raise a child". Our children need to see us men as being active in their lives. Coaching sports is one good way we do this. There are many positive virtues and lessons we can teach through our sports. The large number of boys and girls active in soccer and ball this summer shows how popular and important this kind of program is for our communion elements. Nicole played a piano solo while the offering was received. Rev. Johnson and Mr. Wray presented each young person with a Bible and a certificate with congratulations. Many grandparents and relatives of the young people attended the morning service. community. We need to celebrate this positive influence we do have. But sports is not enough to make for a full life. In the past, the church often saw sports as the competition. I think we should drop this animosity and learn to work together. We need both. There needs to be a spiritual and moral ethic at work in our lives as well as a healthy lifestyle which teaches team work and good sportsmanship. Our children live in a world which glorifies money and sex. They need to see someone in their life who glorifies some other, more important values. Like the values of commitment and sacrifice. We all know the importance of personal sacrifice when playing a team sport. It is just as vitally important in a family relationship. Yet many men are afraid of sacrifice and commitment in a relationship, because it means being vulnerable. It means putting your trust in the other person. To do this means you are not in control. If we can make a sacrifice fly in a ball game to help score a run, why are we so afraid to make a sacrifice which can help save a marriage? If we can learn how to change a spark plug, why can't we learn to bake a cake too? At least the cake mix comes with directions, which is more than I can say for the spark plug. Learning these new skillS can be great fun. It's time for men to stop trying to control everything and wanting to solve every problem. If we believe in a supreme being whom we call God, we should learn to trust in God to be in control of the situation. It is great when we can solve the problem ourselves. It is a great source of satisfaction. But many of our problems in life can't be patched up with duct tape. Sometimes duct tape and all your know-how just aren't enough and you need something stronger to solve the problem. Only love, patience and forgiveness are stronger than duct tape. In order for these virtues to work, you must first trust in something bigger than yourself. You have to trust in God for there to be a real hope of change and an enduring relationship with anyone. There are still many important roles and jobs to play for men in our society today. We need to claim and celebrate the jobs we do well, and the contributions we do make. When we do this we can shake the negative image men seem to be getting these days. We can do this without slipping back into the old roles which were so stifling for both men and women. Men can learn and grow in faith, hope and love. We can grow in appreciation of God's role in our lives, and we can grow in our devotion and sacrifice for our families. There is no greater commitment to be made in life, and certainly no greater reward. As Red Green says, "I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together!" 6 youths confirmed at Brussels United