The Citizen, 2003-06-18, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2003. PAGE 15.
From the Minister’s Study
A remembered encounter
By Rev. Eugen Bannerman
Blyth United Church
We have all met hundreds, if not
thousands, of people in our lives.
Very, very few of them have left
memorable impressions on our
minds and hearts beyond the
immediate contact.
Yes, as we scan over the years,
there are a few encounters that seem
to stand out for some reason or other.
Some of these have been encounters
with strangers that may have lasted
no more than minutes, or an hour or
two.
Yet they have stayed in our
memories because something
significant was said or done, or
something important awakened in
us. Perhaps a truth revealed.
I would like to describe such a
brief encounter with a Palestinian
poet by the name of Sofia.
I met Sofia for only an hour, but
she has remained in my memory for
over 30 years. I had just finished
giving a lecture at the American
University in Beirut, Lebanon. After
the lecture, the host invited me to
meet some of the students informally
in the coffee lounge. He introduced
Sofia as a Palestinian student who
had already published poetry. I was
intrigued, and asked her if I could
hear her read her poetry.
“They are all in Arabic,” she
replied.
“That’s fine,” I said, “Poetry is
only partly made up of words; the
rest of the meaning is in the
emotions and expressions of the
reader.”
So she opened her scribbler, took a
few deep breaths, and began to read.
As she read in Arabic, I understood
her words in English: articulate,
fluent, depth, repressed anger,
longing, futility, tears (I saw her eyes
moisten at one point), frustration,
frustration. It was all there in her
emotions. Arabic or English, the
emotions were the same.
She closed her scribbler and
looked at me. I had been deeply
moved by the passionate reading,
and waited for her to speak. Then she
fumbled a translation.
“The poem is about a boy in our
refugee camp. One day while he was
playing off the side of the road, he
stepped on a land mine. He lost both
of his legs. His life was spared but he
lost his future. He has no
independence now. He will always
be dependent on others.”
“As I was thinking about the boy,”
Sofia told us around the coffee table,
“I realized he symbolized our plight.
Palestinians are people without a
homeland.
“What good are feet if you have no
place to put them? You may as well
be legless.” She raised her hands in
suicide bomber, or the construction
of towering cement walls in the West
one of those pleas that sears your
memory forever. “What shall
Special day
Ashley Cartwright was confirmed on Sunday, as Trinity
Anglican Church celebrated its 125th anniversary. With her
are Rev. Tom Wilson, left, and Bishop Bruce Howe. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
St. Michael's
Roman Catholic Church
Wednesday
St. Augustine
Roman Catholic
invites you to attend a
celebration of the
100th Anniversary
of the construction of
the present stone church
Sunday, July 6
Mass at 10:30 am
Followed by prayers
at the cemetery
Lunch will be served
at 12:30 pm
$8 for adults and
$4 for children
(free for those under 5)
Visiting and entertainment
to follow
If planning on attending the lunch
please call asap 524-4795 or
357-4171 or 529-7870
254 Drummond St. E., Blyth
Sunday Mass 9:00 a.m.
Father Lance Magdziak, Pastor
519-527-0142
email: stjames@rcec.london.on.ca
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Sunday,
June 22
9:30 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Gospel Concert featuring
Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941
Middlecross & Lighthouse Trio
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.- Youth
7:15 p.m. - Adult Bible Study
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
June 22
Ethel United Church
Worship & Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service
Come to worship and celebrate Pentecost
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, June 22
Worship Service & Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
Pentecost 2
Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Office: 523-4224
Water
touch your mind; they touch your
heart. It was 30 years ago and I could
offer no comfort, no solution.
Today, whenever I hear of another
Baptism & Reception of Charter MembersSi _
10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship
S at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
| Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848 S
fei www.tcc.on.ca/~dowfam
United Church
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Walton
ANNIVERSARY
SERVICE
Sunday, June 22,2003
Worship 11:00 a.m.
Guest Speaker: z
Rev. Charles Swan
Special Music “Gospel For You"
a quartet from the Grey-Bruce Singers
Lunch to Follow
Everyone Welcome
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
'PCetl&C fain C4& MVtd/ufa
Sunday, June 22
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Sunday, June 22
2ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
MORNING PRAYER
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
Cornerstone
Bible
"W—\ 1 •fl •
Ethel
Communion - 9:45 - 10:30
Family Bible Hour and Sunday School ~ 11:00 - 12:00
Prayer & Bible Study ~ Tuesday 8 p.m.
Ladies' Time Out - The last Thursday of each month
7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
Everyone Welcome
Call Pastor Andrew Thursdays or Fridays at 887-6123
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
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Sunday - 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship
Wednesday - 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. - Bible Studies
Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E.
Pastor Les Cook 523-4590