The Citizen, 2003-12-03, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2003.
From the Minister’s Study
Remembering Aunt Thelma
St. Michael’s
Roman Catholic Church
By Rev. Cathrine Campbell
Melville Presbyterian Church,
Brussels
I always admired my Aunt Thelma
and for a lot of reasons.
Aunt Thelma had a neat house,
full of antiques, she introduced me to
sundaes, she made wonderful dresses
and she cared for all the family. In
any family crisis she could be called
on to give wise advice and take care
of details.
Aunt Thelma had no children of
her own but we, nieces and nephews,
were certainly loved and cared for
and we always looked forward to the
Christmas parcel from Detroit. I
never could figure out how she knew
what size dress to make but I always
had a lovely new one for the
Christmas concert at school.
Another thing Aunt Thelma did
was have her Christmas shopping
done early. (It helped that she worked
for J.L. Hudson in downtown
Detroit) and by July most gifts were
assembled, except for the dresses to
be made, but the material was bought
and the pattern chosen. Not only were
the well-chosen gifts assembled but
wrapped and tagged!
I admired Aunt Thelma greatly but,
having said that, I did not achieve her
high standards in many matters. For
years I was the exact opposite in the
matter of Christmas gifts and giving.
I did my Christmas shopping on Dec.
24 and was proud of the fact that they
were wrapped by midnight and
tagged (the years I remembered to
buy them).
I have mellowed, somewhat, and
now, sort of, aim for the Dec. 20.
For Aunt Thelma Christmas held
no terrors —she was prepared. For me
there was that nagging thought -
what if 1 didn’t make it on time - I
certainly wasn’t prepared.
1 am reminded of the terrorized
folk when the Advent prophecies are
given. For a few this was only good
news, for they were ready. For many
it was truly frightening; they were
not prepared. Their thoughts
immediately turned to what could
they do to prevent or dismiss this
coming Messiah.
And for those in between there was
just bewilderment or, one hopes, a
beginning of a search for the meaning
of the messages.
For it is a message that we
celebrate - not the shopping frenzy to
enable us to give gifts out of love or
guilt or because we have always done
it that way. That is really irrelevant
(though when I suggested at a board
meeting that we really did not need
the Christmas break because
Christians celebrate only Dec. 25 it
did not get an enthusiastic reception.
I have a feeling that the CEO’s of the
Trinity: The Bay. Sears and Canadian
Tire would be very upset).
What is incredibly relevant is the
Christ whose birth we celebrate.
And 1 invite you to celebrate! The
advent season has begun with the
special liturgies, the special music
and the demonstration of gifts of
generosity to our social agencies.
That is what we do as Christians, we
don’t panic in fear rather, we
celebrate - not deadlines, or
advertising slogans, or one
upmanship but the time that has been
given to us to reflect on what we have
been given by a God who cares - so
much - and what we must do in
response.
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SINGASONCjOF
Sunday
Wednesday
254 Drummond St. E., Blyth
Saturday Night Mass
at 7:00 pm
Father John Johnson, Pastor
357-2435
Auburn -526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
7-30 p.m.
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. -
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. -
7:00 p.m.
Family Bible Hour
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Crusaders - JK to Grade 6
Youth
Adult Bible Study
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
DECEMBER 7
SECOND SUNDAY
IN ADVENT
HOLY EURCHARIST
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£
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Cfiristian Tellaiiflip £
s
3
3
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Dec. 7: Malachi 3:1-4
10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848 k
www.tcc.on.ca/~dowfam H
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
Sunday, December 7
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
BRUSSFl«’ - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
December 7
Ethel United Church
11:00 a.m.
White Gift Service by the Sunday School
Potluck Luncheon to follow the service
Brussels United Church
11:00 a m.
White Gift Service by the Sunday School
Soup and Sandwich Luncheon to follow the service
We Celebrate in Hope & Peace the Season of Advent
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, December 7
Worship Service & Sunday School - 11:00 am
ADVENT II
WHITE GIFT SUNDAY
"Wetewie
Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Sunday: 9:45-10:30
11:00- 12:00
7:00 pm
Tuesday: 7:30 pm
Wednesday: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
~ Communion
- Family Bible Hour and Sunday School
~ Evening Worship Service
~ Prayer & Bible Study
- Youth (ages 12 & up)
John 14 6 - Jesus said "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Call Pastor Andrew at 887-6123
r Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
Blyth Community Church of God
Coffee House
Every Sunday
night at
7:30 pm
Meet in the basement
308 Blyth Rd. E.
For information call 523-4590
l"
"The Church is not u
Building, _
ttiS PepPeonle'UCh>n8
9:15 a.m. - Prayer Meeting
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Several mid-week events
Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
Sunday
JHaaking. fc* new- tdi&
Blyth Community
Church of God
invites your family to join us each
Sunday in December, for an hour of
puppets, drama, stories and music
to prepare us for a fun-filled
Christmas experience
9:45 to 10:45 am i
December 7, 14 & 21
7
Everyone is
welcome at the
Blyth
Community
Church of God
L^\l
ifs
fain in
seeking, fa&u,&
this &ea&an
at
Brussels
Mennonite
^Fellowship
/1
Al Worship
9:30 a.m.
Pastor Brent Kipfer
887-6388