The Citizen, 2003-12-10, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2003.
From the Minister’s Study
4Where’s the baby?’tSt. Michael's j
Roman Catholic Church 1
By Brent Kipfer
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
A wealthy European family
decided to have their newborn baby
baptized in their enormous man
sion.
Luis Palau tells the story: Dozens
of guests were invited to the
elaborate affair. They all arrived
dressed to the hilt. After taking their
elegant coats upstairs, the guests
were entertained royally.
Soon it was time for the climax of
the evening - the main purpose of the
gathering. It was time for the infant’s
baptismal ceremony. But where was
the baby? No one seemed to know.
The child’s governess ran upstairs
and returned with a desperate look
on her face. Everyone searched
frantically for the child. Then
someone remembered having seen
him asleep on one of the beds. That’s
where they found the baby - on a bed
- buried under a pile of coats,
jackets, and furs. The most
important person for the day’s
celebration had been forgotten -
neglected and nearly smothered.
They tost the baby at his own
party. It’s surprisingly easy to do.
I love Christmas: the music, the
tree, the decorations, the nuts, the
cookies, the dinners, the excitement
of our children, the gift-giving, the
extra time with family. Still, amid
wrapping paper and turkey with
dressing and trips to Grandma and
Grandpa’s house, I hope that we
don’t lose the baby.
It's amazing that God-in-the-flesh
would be so easy to miss. That ranks
as one of the big mysteries of
Christmas. Who would expect God’s
personal visit to earth to start out in
a barn in small-town Judea? Who
would suspect that the ordinary
looking couple who tried to check-in
to the local motel were surrogate
parents to the Son of God? Most of
Bethlehem had no clue. On the first
Christmas morning, most folks went
on with their daily routine: eating
breakfast, doing the laundry,
working in the field, paying their
taxes.
When Joseph was in the market
buying some bread and cheese for
his growing family, the vendors
didn’t give him a second glance.
When families told stories around
the supper table that night, most
talked about the weather or the crops
or the census or whatever else they
usually talked about. Most people
paid no attention to the newest baby
in town.
the world will not be able to ignore
his coming - but until that day, we
are faced with a decision: how will
we welcome or not welcome the One
who came as a baby on the first
Christmas so many years ago? Do
we want him at the centre of our
party or would we prefer to lose
him?
When our Christmas celebrations
are over, I hope that my children will
remember lots of fun and special
moments - but I also hope that they
have more than fond memories. I
hope that they have the delight of
knowing the baby who came to be
their Saviour and Friend.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 14
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
254 Drummond St. E., Blyth
Saturday Night Mass
at 7:00 pm
Father John Johnson, Pastor
357-2435
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941
Sunday 9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 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
There were some odd exceptions:
a few shepherds, maybe a couple of
neighbours and eventually some
wise foreigners from the east. Only a
small group of people got to be
eyewitnesses to one of the greatest
events in human history.
Jesus is no longer a baby - and the
way he makes an entrance into a
person's life has changed. One day
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Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Sunday:9:45-10:30
11:00-12:00
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
7:00 - 9:00 pm
~ Communion
~ Family Bible Hour and Sunday School
~ Evening Worship Service
~ Prayer & Bible Study
~ Youth (ages 12 & up)
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
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
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
December 14
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Celebrating Advent in the Sacrament of Communion
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m
Worship Service and Sunday School
Celebrating Advent in the Sacrament of Communion
We Ce/ebrafe in Hope, Peace and Joy the Season ot Advent
DECEMBER 14
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
HOLY EUCHARIST
BRUSSELS CHORAL CONCERT
7 PM - ST. AMBROSE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
r Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
ChurC£
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday 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
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, December 14
orship Service & Sunday School - 11:00 am
ADVENT III
COMMUNION
BLYTH FESTIVAL SINGERS AT 7:00 PM
'Weteame
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.
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Dec. 14: Luke 3:7-20
! "Fruitful - or Firewood?'
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MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
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Canadian
Foodgrains
Bank
Report
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848 j
www.tcc.on.ca/~dowfam |J
11:OO a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
. Vtetuiite uti££ be 15C yeais old in 2CC4
Intense cvnie and cefetnutte witfi u&.
New Year s Eve Communion Service at 7:30 p.m.
L New Year s Day Levee 2:00 - 4:00 p.m in the Church Hall
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Worship
9:30 a.m
Pastor Brent Kipfer
887-6388
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Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship