Opinion

Stormy Howard here with the up to date news at Seaway!

Last week at Seaway was spirit week! We had exciting games and activities. Monday started assassin that went on all week. We had some very sneaky people! “I was ambushed by two girls! I was running around the school trying to hide,” said Michael Butler. Thursday was really fun too. It was hick day and Seaway students dressed up in their finest redneck wear!

These past few weeks have been busy with sports. 

Cross country had their first meet in Port Hope at the annual Trinity Harrier Meet. Brynn Gilmour came in third, Sophia Currier placed 24th, Lauryn Henry finished 73rd and Kendra Buter finished 115. Great work ladies! The next tournament is in Mooney’s Bay on September 27th – Good luck to all in Ottawa. 

Boys volleyball also had the first pre-season game. Ms. Last would like to thank the boys who played last Thursday. They not only played some impressive volleyball but also showed some awesome Seaway spirit! Their next tournament is October 3rd at Rothwell-Osnabruck

Brody Casselman and Greg Bolton will be featured in an upcoming Cornwall Standard Freeholder article. Brodey is in the Agriculture High Skills Major at Seaway! He is doing a dual credit with Kemptville College–year one Dairy Herdsperson. Greg is in the special edition featuring future leaders from a number of area high schools. Greg worked for the Canadian Military last summer and volunteers at Seaway and at St. John Ambulance

This coming Friday, Seaway is having a sport day! We have golf, kayak/canoeing, soccer, cycling, swing dance, swimming, badminton, tennis and bowling. Each student gets to pick two activities (except cycling, that’s running all day). 

That morning we are also taking our Terry Fox walk, after the pep rally. We are selling paper feet to support cancer research.  Cancer is a disease that affects everyone, so make sure to bring some spare change and decorate your paper feet in honour of those who have met with the disease.

Seaway is also taking part in the Williamsburg Harvest Festival parade. We will have a school float with the theme of “Barn building”. The parade is on September 29 from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Community hours are also available for this activity. Contact Mrs. Gilmour if you would like to participate.

We have been very busy here at Seaway. It’s hard to believe that our first month is coming to an end and Thanksgiving is around the corner. 

It feels like just yesterday we were shy, nervous grade 9’s, but now we’re in the swing of things and ready to succeed.

Taking time for a hick day photo at Seaway back l-r are Becca VanBeilan, Stephanie Roskell, Alyssa MacMillan, Helen Mathieu (EA), Shannon van Moorsel and Jessica Hartle. Front are Mackenzie Barkley (left) and Maggie Perry.

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New season, new year

When I was at a meeting of the South Dundas Ministerial the other day, the clergy all agreed that the new year for us does not begin on January 1, but on the day after Labour Day.

Congregational life begins to flourish after summer vacation. There are anniversary dinners, anniversary teas and anniversary worship services. Sunday School starts up again. There may be youth groups who gather together and there are concerts which give us pleasure.

As we begin the autumn season in our churches and communities, may we look to God for guidance and inspiration. May we be assured that along life’s journey we never walk alone. God is gracious and good. God’s love endures forever.

In the days ahead may we draw closer to God and to one another. May we place Christ at the centre of each day.

Give thanks for your many blessings and share of your abundance with others.

Today, we can bring hope and light to our brothers and sisters around the globe.

God will help us as we minister to the poor and oppressed.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Rev. Janet Evans

Iroquois United Church

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The mission and your role

In my last reflection on the church ministry, I shared my religious experience on the physical nature of the Church, and our concerns toward it. 

God has entrusted the Church to us, and one of the primal metrics that really matter about the life and ministry of the Church, is the individuals and families the church has been able to help, to become better people.

I’d like to shortly reflect on the mission and ethos of this very aging Church of Christ, and the role each one of my readers can play in it. 

It is evident that the Christian church is going through various upheavals that affect not only its future, but also its present authenticity in the actual society.

The church’s mission is to make of all nations disciples of Jesus the Christ, through sacraments, teaching and preaching the Good News that transforms peoples’ lives into the likeness of Christ, and all this done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

How do you see this mission successful? What was, or is your investment in it? Truth is: the church mission reveals that to be a Christian is conditional. To choose not to be Christian is relative. 

After all, all of us are the children of God: therefore, whatever claims to be of God is ultimately our responsibility not our right! To make a concrete point: the majority of our church members are boomers. The seniors are the wise and the cornerstone, even the pillars and, or the potters of our pride or irritability today.

While churches and communities strive to offer them the care worth their sweat, here is some food for thought as noted by Gary Nicolosi, about few crisis facing our elders: There is the crisis of purpose…Physical breakdowns, loss of parents, the surrender of youthful dreams and forced retirements are making Boomers ask, “What else is there?” 

There is the crisis of disillusionment…The ideals of the 1960s seem to be unrealized as the world goes from crisis to crisis. Boomers are asking, “Is changing the world even possible or has cynicism won the day?” 

There is the crisis of priorities…Consumer culture claims you can have it all, but there are too many choices, too much debt and too little time. “Can anyone really have it all?” 

There is the crisis of relationships…“Should anyone say forever?” For Boomers and their children, the answer seems to be no. 

There is the crisis of loneliness…Boomers value their freedom and autonomy, but they still seek connection, conversation and community. “Where do you find meaningful relationships in a superficial world?”

There is the crisis of security…Economic uncertainty has led to spiritual anxiety. 

There is the crisis of spirituality … Organized religion has given way to a nebulous spirituality. Where do you find something rock solid for your life in a world that is falling apart…is the church a refuge place?” 

The quest for satisfaction is immensely exacerbated by the desire of the resurrection. By resurrection I mean, a revisit of our former truisms, or the good memoirs of the past: I want those glorious moments to happen again. 

The good news is: our souls never age: the spirit of God in us is ever fresh, the heart of love is Christ-centered and ever loving, despite the dusting body which returns to ashes as naturally ordered. 

However, when life becomes the party we did not wish for, while we are still here, the church and community are invited to offer the dance.

To conclude: what is so exciting about serving in these conditions? What is compelling to believe in a church whose future is dependable on freewill donations? 

While the church cannot answer why bad things happen to good people, the church can offer comfort and guidance to God’s children to deal with some heavy dilemmas, in the name of Jesus the Christ, the head of the church. 

All for Jesus, and Jesus for all.  

Rev. Manassé Maniragaba, 

Associate Priest for the

Morrisburg Anglican Parish

 

The dying Jesus is the evidence of God’s anger toward sin; but the living Jesus is the proof of God’s love and forgiveness. ~Lorenz Eifert

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Don't Act Like Such a Baby

Have you ever heard someone admonished by the words, “don’t act like such a baby,” or “act your age?” 

Naturally we have an expectation that babies will grow up to be mature adults. We do not consider it natural nor healthy if a person does not exhibit age appropriate behaviors as they grow toward becoming a mature person. 

But what about spiritually? Should Christians grow up spiritually? And if so, how does this process proceed, and what are the signs and passages of such spiritual growth in the life of a Christian?

In Hebrews 5:12-13, this admonition is given, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” 

The writer of Hebrews is addressing Christians who were not what they “ought to be.” Having experienced what is necessary for spiritual growth they have retreated to immature behaviors, likened to a baby refusing to be weaned from the breast. They have not become skilled “in the word of righteousness,” and are behaving like babes spiritually.

Perhaps there are certain questions we might ask to locate ourselves spiritually, such as:

• Have I been a Christian long enough to have made more progress spiritually?

• Do I take personal responsibility for my spiritual growth?

•  As a Christian am I behaving responsibly in my local church and community? 

• Do I continue in learning to know what the bible teaches, and do I share what I learn with others by word and deed? (2 Timothy 3:7)

• Have I retreated from the progress I once made spiritually, being content to live like a baby Christian?

• Is my life continuing to be transformed by the teachings of the bible? (Romans 12:2) 

We all know that chronological age is not always accompanied by the spiritual and mental maturity appropriate to it. But we must not surrender to such inequities. 

Just two verses following the passage cited above (in Hebrews 6:1) we are encouraged by the words, “let us go on to perfection.” Teleiotes, the Greek term translated “perfection” in the New King James Version of the Bible, may also be translated “maturity” as it is in the English Standard Version. The same Holy Spirit that identifies our shortcomings is our helper to bring us forward to spiritual maturity. 

Perhaps you would care to help yourself, or others, to become established concerning “the elementary principles of Christ” and “go on to maturity.” You are welcome to join us for a free, four hour seminar on this subject September 8th, in Morrisburg, Ontario, at the Riverside Recreation Center, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is also free.

According to Ephesians 4:11-16, spiritual maturity is the will of God for His Church and each Christian. I encourage you today to continue doing those things necessary for genuine spiritual growth. 

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” and always continue to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18) 

Rev. George T. Frey, 

Faith Christian Center 

of Morrisburg, 

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Dear Editor,

I read with interest the article describing the challenges local clergy are facing with providing pastoral care at Winchester Hospital.  It is unfortunate that Winchester does not have a paid Spiritual Care Coordinator. 

As the Spiritual Care Manager at the Brockville General Hospital (BGH), I can describe our program here and how the community clergy are supported and invited to be partners in care at our hospital.  Even though Brockville is in the Southeast LHIN, and Winchester is in Champlain, our catchment areas overlap at times.  

At BGH we are fortunate to have two paid staff positions in Spiritual Care, a part-time manager, and a part-time chaplain, both certified multifaith chaplains.  

Although my budget is very small, it is amazing what we are able to accomplish on a shoestring.  We certainly use the teamwork model!  We have seven volunteer chaplains, who each give between one and four hours of their time per week doing pastoral visits.  

Also, we have about fifteen active spiritual care volunteers, from all denominations who do many tasks for the department, including friendly visits.  These volunteers have taken our own 30-hour pastoral care course.  

We do not randomly visit patients in the hospital, nor do we allow proselytizing of any kind.  (This means that no clergy tries to “convert” a patient, but that all patients of all faiths—or no faith—are cared for equally.) 

Upon admission, patients are asked, “Would you like to have your religion recorded”, and “Would you welcome a visit from the spiritual care team?”  Both are good questions and leaves the decision up to the patient, and also allows them to accept the offer for spiritual care when they may not be “religious!”

Add to this our close relationship to area clergy—all Brockville and area clergy are encouraged to complete a hospital orientation, which in turn provides them with a hospital ID card and free parking!  Free parking encourages clergy to visit, and when clergy come in to the hospital they can get the computer-generated patient list for their own denomination.  The hospital ID card enables staff to know visiting clergy are welcome as part of the health team for their individual parishioner, the patient.  

We regularly provide workshops and education to area clergy and their pastoral teams.  Our in-depth pastoral care course is offered to the churches at a nominal fee so that they do not have to provide their own training for visitation teams.

Now comes the questions concerning “privacy” and “confidentiality”.  

Most of the time this can be dealt with easily by receiving “prior permission”.  Of course hospital staff cannot randomly give out any personal information about a patient. But whenever a patient or power-of-attorney gives permission for their clergy to be involved in a patient’s care it is okay.  What medical staff need to know is that it is the desire of the patient for their minister/priest/rabbi etc. to be part of their team.  

It is my understanding that this permission can be verbal.  If the patient is conscious and cognitive, they can tell the nursing staff that their spiritual care provider can visit, ask questions, advocate on their behalf, or whatever…

Clergy cannot visit their parishioners in the hospital if they don’t know they are there!  I often advise clergy to preach from the pulpit, (or include in the bulletin) that if they want their minister to know they are having health problems they have to tell them, or give permission to their family to tell them.  That’s all it takes!

At Brockville General Hospital we deal with many patients who are in very difficult and stressful circumstances.  We are known in the area for our excellent palliative care and grief and bereavement follow-up. 

We are fortunate at BGH that spiritual care providers are accepted as part of the health team.  Chaplains attend patient rounds and are often consulted for issues that are not specifically religious, that may overlap with social, and emotional concerns.  

We also care for the spiritual needs of the staff. This often includes stress management and grief and loss for their own concerns. 

Many times we have heard how receiving compassionate support through spiritual care has made such a difference in a patient and family’s experience.

Janet Stark,

Spiritual Care Manager & Chaplain,

Brockville General Hospital

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Jesus Loves Me (And You)

Often, when I visit the Hartford Retirement Home here in town to worship with them, we sing an old familiar hymn. It’s entitled Jesus Loves Me.

I am always amazed at the exuberance and passion that flows from the people there as they sing. Often I will just stop singing to listen to them.

Jesus Loves Me! Any of us can sing it and know that we are included.

But love, especially the love that God pours out on us, needs to be responded to and indeed we do respond. We either embrace that love or we reject that love.

One day someone asked Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment?” and Jesus responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind, and the second is like, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

God’s love to us is amazing and powerful. It binds up all our emotional, mental and spiritual wounds. When we feel weak and unlovable, God’s love reminds us that we are valuable, so valuable indeed, that He gave His life on Calvary’s cross to rescue us from sin and Satan’s control in our lives.

Love such as that changes us, or at least it should.

That brings us to what Jesus referred to as the second greatest commandment, “to love one’s neighbor as yourself”. 

Now, we may try to find a loop hole in this, just as the person who was asking the question of Jesus.

His question was, “Who’s my neighbor?”

In response, Jesus told the story of a man who had become the victim of thieves. In the story Jesus told, He said a Priest and a  , (in today’s lingo that would be a Pastor and a church leader), passed by the one who was hurt because they were too busy or too self important, but the most unlikely of people stopped to help the guy, and indeed, not only gave of his time but also of his resources.

You see, friends, the point is this, you really can’t say you love God and not love people, even people with all their quirks, even people who are not like us or who think like us.

God’s love in us should cause us to love as He loves. It is after all His love in us that makes it possible and He really does love every one.

So let’s sing, all together now,

Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong

In His love we shall be strong.

Rev. Duncan Perry,

Morrisburg

Pentecostal Tabernacle

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This is a topic that is just not going to die down or go away. This re-building of the Dunbar Community Center is total nonsense. 

Sure, it may have been used as a polling station for all elections. Is this the only building in 50 square miles that could be used?  Or are we going to spend $210,000 for a new polling station? I could see that way of thinking for a politician. Why not build a Taj Mahal of polling stations!

Now, who is this “Staff” that allowed the politicians to make a choice? Mr. Byvelds, this word “Staff” is used many times in your interview with the Chesterville Record. Who are they, and how many are there? 

You received a petition from the residents of Dunbar. How many signatures on this petition were there and were they verified as you did with the drainage problem? 

Shouldn’t the whole township of South Dundas have a say where our money goes?

The rest of this township has not given you carte blanche to let the politicians to do what they think is best for us!!

Look what has happened to Ontario since McGuinty had his own way. I guess we were the “Staff” and told him to do what is best for us!

This council is having trouble managing the assets that we do have, let alone re-building some more. And if you are looking at re-sale after it is built, what cloud was your head in at that time. 

Believe it or not, there is a recession going on and what business would be looking at the town of Dunbar to re-locate. Perhaps the slaughter house (oh sorry, Abattoir) will expand?  

If we are a “community of communities” as you say, where is Morrisburg’s community center since it was taken away?

But I have to say kudos to the council!! 

As of this date, July 25th, 2012, I hear that they are going to be paving the corner of Laurier Dr. and County Road #2. Somebody must have been listening (or reading). But this has taken a few years to just get this done. 

So now we know how long it will take to get our dock done.  Maybe all we have to do is cover the dock and call it a new polling station. This will ensure the upgrades are done to make it safe for all voters (and boaters).

Regards

Gregg Foss

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I am concerned about the township’s plan to rebuild the community building in Dunbar that burnt down. I can understand the need for community fairness, however the township already has a number of surplus buildings and rebuilding another does not make sense. 

The former Elma School is being used as a community meeting building and is less than six minutes away from Dunbar, so why is the township rebuilding this building? 

Is there not something else that the residents of Dunbar would like in their community that the money could be used for? A playground or other community project for example? I do not think that the money should be used elsewhere in the township, but the township also doesn’t need another building to maintain.

Phillip Blancher

Morrisburg, Ontario

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On July 10. 2012, Health Canada announced that it will conduct a research study exploring the relationship between wind turbine noise and health effects. The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, is responding to the expressed concerns of Canadians living near wind farms.

The Health Canada study will involved medical doctors and experts; its methodology will be peer-reviewed by the World Health Organization and multidisciplinary experts.

Many of us have been requesting such a study for several years.

The Government of Canada is putting the health and safety of Canadians first. I urge our municipal government to do the same.

Whatever financial benefits our Township may gain from wind turbine developments is not worth the health of our residents. As elected officials of our community, you have a responsibility to ensure our health and safety.

Before the shovels hit the ground, declare a moratorium on industrial wind turbine projects in our community until the Health Canada study is completed. 

Please declare a moratorium on wind turbine development in South Dundas at the August 14 council meeting. I will be present to speak to my request if required.

Sincerely Robbie Giles.

 

Editor’s Note: The above letter was written and addressed to the Township of South Dundas in addition to various agencies, upper tier government representatives and local newspapers, including The Leader.

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Answering the call to forgive

On Friday nights, I often watch the television program “Dateline”. Last week, I saw the story of a man who had killed one woman for no apparent reason. He also tried to end the life of someone else, but was not successful: his victim lived in spite of great odds. After may years, this violent and deceitful individual was tried in a courtroom and sent to prison.

What was remarkable about this story was that the girl he injured very badly decided to forgive him.

She hoped that he would forever remain in jail, but she looked him in the eye and said, “I forgive you”.

It is written in Matthew’s gospel,  “then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’

Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’”

Forgiving someone who has wronged you or hurt you is not easy. Dropping him or her from your life forever seems sometimes like a good idea. Yet Jesus calls us to forgive and to begin again.

All of us fail to do the right thing sometimes. Often we injure a neighbour unintentionally because we are not well and we say, do or write things that don’t turn out the way we meant them to.

All we can do is say we are sorry and hope the other person can wipe the slate clean.

Matthew’s gospel tells us to forgive our brother from the heart.

In this summer season, let us seek to draw closer to God and to one another.

May we reconcile with our sisters and brothers in Christ.

May we remember that everyone of God’s children is precious in His sight. He will never leave us desolate.

Today, may we offer a kind word or do something nice for a neighbour. May we pray for others. May we see the face of Christ in everyone we meet and may everyone we meet see the face of Christ in us.

Rev. Janet Evans, 

Iroquois United Church

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