Opinion

A Christmas Challenge

So, are you ready for Christmas? That may seem like a dumb question (especially for those of us who do things last minute), but it’s pretty obvious that Christmas preparation is in full swing. 

People are out shopping (no doubt a few of you keeners are all done yours). The decorations are up. Lots of you have been wisely using these lovely fall days to put up your outdoor lights. (Thankfully I leave most of mine up all year; it’s the red neck in me).

Soon we’ll be into the thick of the Christmas parties, concerts, and other family get togethers. Christmas may be a great time, but it’s also a busy (and at times, stressful) time. It’s also, may I add, expensive. 

I read a recent survey that says that we spend on average about $600 on food, gifts, and entertainment. And it’s more like $1,200 when travel is factored in. Ouch.

Even though we’re plenty busy with all of this over the holidays, let me throw out a challenge. Whether we’re religious or not, attend church or not, I would think that most of us know that Christmas has something to do with Christ. 

So here’s the challenge. How about a little bit of going back to the roots of Christmas? Of checking out where all the fuss started. Who is this Christ? Why do we celebrate his birth?

Sure, we’ve heard things about him. He may even be part of our vocabulary. But how much do we really know about who he was and what he did?

Hence the challenge. Do you have a Bible somewhere? Pick it up and over the next month read the book of John (you’ll find it listed in the index).

Let’s see, early on you’ll discover that he never came to condemn this world, but to save it. A chapter later he tells us that he came to quench a deep thirst that we have. Then a bit later he makes this incredible statement that he came so that we’d have life, but not just life, something he calls a “full life” (or in other accounts, “abundant life). In the next chapter he promises to take care of the ‘death’ problem. “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies,” he says.

And the stories go on. There’s one about him stripping down and washing his disciples’ stinky feet. There’s these amazing stories of him doing miracles like feeding 5,000 men (plus women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish. 

And it all ends with him dying and being raised from the dead.

Let’s see. There’s about a month left until Christmas and there are 21 chapters in this book called John. That should make reading it doable. 

Are you up to the challenge? Go for it. If you need a Bible, I’d be glad to hand deliver one to you (just write pastorccrc@ripnet.com)

Sure, I admit, I’m biased. But I think when you read the story of Jesus Christ you will be intrigued. Fascinated. 

If you already know him, you’ll love him all the more. If you don’t yet know him, you may very well be drawn to him.

Pastor Clarence Witten

Community Christian 

Reformed Church

Dixon’s Corners

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It’s only six more weeks until the most joyous holiday of the year. Christmas! Are you excited yet? People have already been setting up trees and putting the decorations up. And Seaway is getting ready too. 

This past week we’ve had quite a few activities to keep the school days chugging right along. On the 7th of November we had “Take Your Kid To Work Day”. This day was only for students in grade 9. The students find a parent, teacher, or adult friend, and they get to go with them to their job.  Many students were inspired to see what they would like to do after they graduate from Seaway, and a great many of the kid also had a better appreciation for what their parents did every day.

Graduation photos for grade 12’s will be taken on November 14th and 15th, and Grade 8 graduation photos will be taken November 16th.  An appointment is required to get these photos taken and there is a sitting fee of $20 for the photographer. The intermediate teachers will remind the students of their appointment times as the date approaches. 

Also, an exciting artistic work in progress is being created in the art room. Larissa Ettlin, a grade 12 student at Seaway, is creating a mural on the topic of depression. Check out our Facebook site to see how she is progressing. Club opportunities are also happening! The school band is open to all students who are interested in playing an instrument. There are meetings at lunch for anyone in grade 7-12 who’s interested.

On November 9th, Seaway had their annual Remembrance Day ceremony in honour of the soldiers who fought and died for our country. Seaway band played the national anthem, and we had our moment of silence to remember all of those soldiers that we miss today. Student council member Jade Millward and Natalie Beatson spoke at the ceremony. While the band played a song in honour of Remembrance Day, there was a slide show showing us soldiers and nurses who have fought for the country we live in today in hopes we will never forget that. After the band finished their song, grade 9 student Mackenzie Whyte, with guitarist Connery Brown, sang a piece called “In to the West”. Congrats to you both, it was a special moment! Principal, Terry Gardiner, said after the Remembrance Day assembly, “I am always proud to be the principal of Seaway, but today I am particularly proud of the students who put on such a powerful Remembrance assembly and the students who were such a respectful audience.”

On December 1st, Seaway will be participating in the Morrisburg Christmas parade. We’re looking for students from grade 9-12 who are interested in being on the float and getting community service hours. Please see Mrs. Gilmour for more information. 

Also there’s a sign-up sheet for varsity girls and varsity boys hockey teams on the bulletin board outside the fitness room. Our girl’s basketball teams had a game in Char-Lan but unfortunately lost, and therefore ended their season. The midget boys volleyball team has tournaments on the 13th and on the 21st. The first tournament has five games which is a lot! And on the 21st, we have four games. We’re going to be tired and sore!

After this busy month we’ll all be tired. We have sports, clubs and graduation stuff that have to be done.  

Kids are getting excited for Christmas. Heck, even I’m excited for Christmas! I have a feeling that this Christmas is going to be a big one.  Although the weather does not seem very wintery (we have had record breaking temperatures for the last several days), and as students we anxiously await the best present of all – an ice rain day!!!

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Memories of Autumns past

Again I am sitting at my desk in the bay window of my study, watching the neighbourhood.

The house across High Street from the rectory is a beehive of activity as the people who have bought it are making the changes necessary to make it their home.

The kids across St. James’ Lane are doing their best to help their mother with the leaves – she’s raking and they’re jumping into the pile. 

Life in our little corner of creation is ticking along.

I remember as a child how on nippy days like these we loved to go outside and play. We would rake the leaves into piles and jump into them, never sure if we would find another kid under the leaves when we landed.

Back in those days we were allowed – well, our parents were allowed to burn the leaves on the curbside of the road. The smell of burning leaves is one that takes me back to my childhood. Sometimes when Mum wasn’t looking we would gather a handful of chestnuts and throw them into the fire waiting for the inevitable explosion. The joy we got from watching her jump from such a loud “bang” was great. Little did we know that she had seen us throw the chestnuts into the fire and the loud “bang” was nothing more than an almost loud “pop!” 

If we weren’t jumping into the piles of leaves, my friends and I loved to go “shushing” through the leaves that had filled the ditches. The sound gave me the feeling of comfort.

Another autumn season is upon us. Many of us are doing our utmost to get our bodies acclimatized to the cooler temperatures that have come our way over the past few days. 

Some have been complaining about how cold it is. Others I have heard mumbling about how they have to scrape the frost from the windshields of their vehicles. I think perhaps the exceedingly hot summer has made us a bit softer. Some are longing for the days of warmth again. 

I am quite happy with the season that God has given us. It reminds me of the cycle of life. I see the leaves of the trees die, dry up and drop off. I see beautiful plants struck down by killing frosts. The earth is settling into hibernation where new energy is being found by the plants and other things that are calling it quits for the winter. 

It is coming to the time of year when even the humans hunker down and wait for renewed energy to go out into the world refreshed and rested. 

In the story of creation we don’t read about the creation of seasons, but I’m fairly sure it might go something like this. . . and God created the cooler temperatures to remind all the creatures of the need for rejuvenation and rest – God called the season autumn, and it was good!

Cheers,

Sue+

Rev. Sue McCullough

Anglican Parish of Morrisburg, Iroquois & Riverside Heights

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The poppy, the symbol of remembrance

I have visited a number of stores in the past two weeks and in several of them one could take a poppy after putting a donation in a box. Whenever I see poppies, I am reminded that Remembrance Day is on the horizon. 

What does the poppy represent? The poppy represents the symbol of Remembrance.

Why should we wear a poppy? When we wear a poppy or display a wreath, we honour the war dead and help ex-service personnel and their dependents.

How do we help needy ex-service personnel and their dependents? Contribute to the Poppy Campaign.

The basic purpose of poppy funds is to provide immediate assistance to ex-service members in need. This may include food, shelter or medical attention for them or their families.

We are called to love God and to love others: as we honour our veterans and give thanks for their sacrifices, we indeed show concern for our brothers and sister in Christ.

As we approach Remembrance Day, may we seek to create a world where men, women and children live together in harmony and in peace.

May we remember the sacrifices that many Canadians and others made to preserve and protect the way of life that we now embrace. Our veterans went to war seeking justice and liberty.

In Canadian schoolrooms today there are students whose parents and grandparents remember the World Wars, the Gulf War, Afghanistan…Some remember the terrible ordeal of escaping to freedom. To them the poppy can be a symbol of that freedom. It is important for all of us to remember that unity of Canadians in wartime enables all of us to enjoy freedom.

In 2012, we hopefully seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God. May we allow the Lord to guide and inspire us as we help build a healthy and happier world. May we be assured that God will shed His grace upon us–God will never leave us desolate. God loves us and calls us to be His peacekeepers and peacemakers in our homes, communities, nation and world.

And let us remember these words: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me; let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God our Creator, children all are we; let us walk with each other in perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now, with every step I take let this be my solemn vow; to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Rev. Janet Evans, Iroquois United Church

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Coming up this weekend is Remembrance Day and because November 11 is falling on Sunday, the community should note that it has resulted in some changes to local Remembrance Day Services. This year, the service at Morrisburg Royal Canadian Legion Branch 48 is being held on Saturday, November 10, at 10 a.m.   The service at Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Monument is on Sunday, November 11 at 9 a.m. Service, conducted annually by the Iroquois Legion Branch 370 at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners, will be on Sunday, November 11 at 2 p.m. The Iroquois Legion service was of course this past Sunday.

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Boo! Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Many students at Seaway, I assume, will be having many cavities and stomach aches throughout the month of November until their candy is gone! I, Dana Rodie will be doing this week’s news report!

This past week at Seaway was one of the many spirit weeks we have during the year. Monday was, black and orange day. Tuesday was, twin day. Wednesday was, wear your costumes. Thursday was, the beginning of Movember! Wear your staches! Friday was, fashion disaster day. Many disgusting outfits! It was a great week for all!

On Wednesday, the drama club held a haunted house in the drama room. To get in, you either had to bring a food canned item or a $2 donation. There was a lot of loud terrifying screaming going on, so loud that I could hear it from the hallways! Good job drama club! 

For some Halloween fun, some Seaway Spartans carved many spooky pumpkins! Looking good! On Halloween, there was a lot of great costumes throughout the day! Whoopie Cushions, Three Blind Mice, a lot of black cats and rabbits. My personal favourite was Mrs. Kim Lalonde and Mr. Jason Edge’s costume. Mrs. Lalonde was a flapper and Mr. Edge dressed up as her boyfriend the gangster! Amazing costumes everyone! 

Regal has sent out catalogues to go home with students for Christmas orders. Order forms were included with them. There are many good Christmas present ideas inside! Make sure you get your order in in time! 

The Regal fund raiser is a Parent Council under taking to help raise money for many of the extras that help to promote our learning. Coming soon, our second annual Morrisburg Christmas Parade float. If any student is looking to participate, please see Mr. Knapp or Mrs. Gilmour. 

Monday, October 29th, Seaway junior and senior girls basketball teams play really well at RO. The juniors played a hard game and never gave up. We were okay with the fact that they had beat us because we pushed through the game. Seniors lost 30-24 at RO.

On Thursday, November 1st, both junior and senior girl basketball teams played at North Dundas, the juniors won! The score was 23-20 for Seaway! Great Job Girls! Senior girls lost that game 33-17. We played well! Senior girls have made it to playoffs. They play CharLan Tuesday, November 6th. Good Luck! For any volleyball fans, EOSSA will be held here at Seaway on November 15th.

Fifty-seven days left until Christmas, time to create your list for Santa! I hear there might be a Christmas sale for new phones… if my mom is reading this… it’s a hint hint, wink wink sort of deal here.

Newsflash! We’ve heard through the grapevine that the teachers might be adding a performance to the Christmas Concert. 

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Saints and Sinners

Here we are teetering between All Hallow’s Eve and All Hallows, October 31st and November 1st.

Let me tell you a couple of personal experiences, also known as stories.  

I was settled in my first pastoral charge in the month of October.  I invited a friend over for dinner on October 31st that year, and we were deep in discussion later in the evening when there was a pounding on the door. I was not expecting any children because the manse was located out in the country.  I answered the door and in walked six fully disguised adults who stood in the kitchen and just looked at me. 

Initially I was amused, but when I asked them who they were and what they wanted, they said nothing. Then I got a little concerned. I stepped closer to the figures and looked into their eyes.  Perhaps I could recognize them just from their eyes.  I stepped back and took in their body size.  Slowly I began to search for names that were becoming familiar to me over a few short weeks.

During my ministry at this pastoral charge I came to know its parishioners as hard-working, faithful people. As trust was built they began to tell me their stories.  They told me why they sat on this side or that in the sanctuary.  They told me about divisions within and reconciliation; they told me about “keeping up appearances” when all indications would point to difficulties.  

They were dealing with two issues that resonate with most pastoral charges then and now:  insufficient resources, human or financial, and trying hard enough to keep the parish alive, let alone growing.  

The solution was to take “make believe.”  They reminded people in the rural area that they were a worshipping community, celebrating the sacraments, sharing hospitality in meals and activities, using their hall.  For those people who were told years before that the church would close, these parishioners kept up a good appearance of existing by the grace of God.

And actually that “make believe” was not false, it was their faith.  They did not change their appearance; they continued to act in faith.  It was their leap of faith.  And it is these people who taught me what it means to move from All Hallows’ Eve, October 31, to November 1st, Feast of All Saints, or All Saints Day. 

There are many demons that would sap our strength, and then we triumph because, regardless of one’s religious preference, we can honour the unnamed heroes and heroines of our families or parishes.  

Saints are sinners turned inside out, writes Edward Hays.  By throwing off all our disguises and demons we use our talents and time to hold fast to our faith in these changing times. 

In fact, this is exactly living in a new life in Christ. Christ showed us the way, so let’s give it a try.  And in living as saints we will be given the strength to discern the way forward.  

Peace and Blessings

Rev. Arlyce Schiebout

Lakeshore United Church

Morrisburg

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A Thankful Focus on Life

The outdoor yard work has been completed. Lawn furniture has been put away. 

Plants and herbs that are to be kept over the winter have been brought into the house. Gardens are being turned over and root vegetables are being tucked away in fruit cellars for the winter. “Stuff ”has been taken to the dump. People have made the final trek to close up their cottages. Now they are thinking about their vehicles and the things that need to be completed before winter is upon us.

We become so preoccupied with everyday living that I wonder if we take the time to look around us and be thankful.

On Thanksgiving Sunday, I asked people to write, as part of their offering, what they were thankful for in their own personal lives. The little slips of orange paper revealed what is truly valued.

Family

Friends

Health 

Our faith family

Our country

The trials and unexpected joys that bring us closer to God 

Employment 

Opportunities

Independence

Good weather

Good harvests

The miracles that God grants us in our times of need

We could also add to the list the fact that we have the Human Rights Code and Charter of Rights which support our right to practice freedom of religion and spirituality.

I am going to make this suggestion to you, the reader. This evening, after you have read your weekly Morrisburg Leader, take some time out and make your own list of what you are thankful for. Keep the list in your private journal or put it up on your fridge as a daily reminder of the blessings in your own life.  

Until we chat again, 

Pastor Norine

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Questions and Answers

Albert Einstein is remembered as having said, “The important thing is to not stop questioning.” We all have questions. Sometimes, if we persist, we even find the answers, and that is something for us to consider, because we don’t always come up with the answer.

Please allow me to give you some examples. 

Lots of people had seen apples fall. Sir Isaac Newton asked why and explained gravity.

Lots of people wanted instant photos. Edwin Land asked how and invented the Polaroid camera.

Lots of people wanted fast shipping. Fred  Smith asked when and started FedEx. 

Questions determine fate. Will we explore a new idea or will we stagnate? Will we create or will we vegetate?

Questions that we are willing to ask, and seek answers for, can make all the difference in the world, as you can see by the examples given.

Here are some questions for us to consider, and I do hope you will take some time to consider them.

For example, Have you wondered why you are here? What’s your purpose?

The God who gave life to us also gave us a book that answers our questions for us. In fact concerning the question I’ve just given, we are told in the Bible, Colossians 1:16, the answer. It says there, “For by Him, that is Jesus, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible…all things were created through Him and for Him, nothing was made that was made.” Again this is in reference to Jesus, the Son of God.

Here’s another question. What happens when I come to the end of my life? Or to put it another way, after death then what?

Again we can find the answer to these questions in God’s word, the Bible. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

Well, what is that judgment? It is an evaluation of our lives as to how we have lived. More specifically, whether or not we have believed on the Lord, Jesus Christ.

You see, all of us are born in sin. That is, we are spiritually dead, separated from God who loves us and created us to have fellowship with Him. But in our fallen sinful state, we are incapable of having that fellowship, and there was nothing we could do to help ourselves.

So God, in His love, provided the remedy for our dilemma. He gave His Son to die in payment for our sin. Jesus took our place, dying for us.

If we believe on Him, and ask God to pardon our sin, we will be judged fit to live in His Heaven.

If, however, we do not put our trust in Jesus to reconcile us unto God, we will be turned away from His Heaven to spend eternity in hell.

When you take the time to discover what hell is really like, I can assure you, you don’t want to go there. The good news is, you don’t have to! Acts 2:21 tells us, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

You may say there are surely other ways. Jesus, Himself, said in John’s Gospel, Chap. 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” No other person has ever dared to make that claim.

May I encourage you to ask the questions and accept the answers that are truth.

Rev. Duncan Perry,

Morrisburg

Pentecostal Tabernacle

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Thanksgiving, the Holy Day

“… by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, 

giving thanks to His name.” – Hebrews 13:15

I hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this past Monday. 

Thanksgiving has become an important secular occasion in our nation, for people of all kinds of religious persuasions and those of no religious persuasion at all. 

The thankfulness in Thanksgiving may be according to religious practice, or toward people who have added value to one’s life, or just for the time off work and the long holiday weekend. 

Of course there are those of us as Christians that might bemoan the secularization of Thanksgiving. Instead of a holiday according to its Old English meaning of “Holy Day,” Thanksgiving has come to be identified with unholy things by many of its celebrants. 

Perhaps I should say at this point that I am not against a secular Thanksgiving Day, but as a Christian I prefer a Thanksgiving Day that is in the traditional sense a Holy Day; certainly a day of family fellowship and good times, but also a day of worship through the giving of thanks to our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ from whom all blessings come. 

Under the law of Moses, the Lord established Holy Day’s that were times of worshiping in His presence by means of family fellowship, food, fun, and even the inclusion of strangers; they were times of thankfulness, feasting and joy in the presence of the Lord. Such solemn assemblies might be considered a kind of party thrown by God. Since the Lord enjoys such events we might think it inconsiderate to leave Him out when we plan such days. 

In the scripture cited above “the sacrifice of praise to God” is defined as “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name;” and we are told to continually make this sacrifice, to continue giving audible thanks to the name of God. 

This is not a sacrifice in the sense of giving up something we need or value; but rather, of separating from normal non-sacred use something that will be dedicated to the Lord. 

According to our scripture it is “the fruit of our lips” that is being separated from normal non-sacred use, to be dedicated to the Lord; and the dedicated use is “praise” in the form of “giving thanks to His name.” May such fruit proceed always from your lips. 

I hope that your Thanksgivings are always days filled with honor and praise for our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May He be invited to your party, and watch over your Holi-Day; and may your Holi-Day be conducted in a way that honors His presence and is filled with that thanksgiving which blesses the heart of God. 

“… in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

George T. Frey, Jr.

pastor@faithchristiancenter.ca

www.faithchristiancenter.ca 

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