Spring Joys

by Trish Curry

A "warm" hello from Guelph, Harriston, and Drayton! While many of us are now enjoying the pleasant sunshine, we also at times reflect on what events have been happening in the past few months.

We remember celebrating an excellent Easter. On Palm Sunday, there were 10 adults and young people from the Drayton Reformed Church who made a Profession of Faith. There was also an adult baptism that took place during that service. On Good Friday, the Master’s Voice Players, from the church, did a very effective mime for the congregation. During this mime, the Koobs’ family sang "I Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb." Together they truly inspired the congregation.

The Friendship Club of the Guelph Reformed Church prepared a delicious breakfast on Easter morning for the congregation and guests. The Club is now looking forward to hosting a reunion during the week-end of May 1 and 2 for present and former members of that group.

There was an all-Canada Leadership conference in Calgary from April 17 to 19. Harriston sent two delegates from their congregation. The conference was very inspirational.

On April 17, there was a choir concert that took place in Whitby. Many different choirs from our area participated, and it was enjoyed by all. On the same day, there was an annual cadet-o-rama at Norwell District Secondary School. Many cadets from Kitchener to Kincardine participated. Some cadets from Harriston Reformed Church are planning to go to the 1999 International Cadet Camperee in Illinois, United States. This will take place in August. The Sunday School children from grades 5-8 of Harriston Reformed Church and the cadets plan to go on a biking/ camping trip this Summer to end off the season.

The Drayton Reformed Church is involved in the construction of a new sanctuary at the moment and will be until around October 1999. There are many volunteers who are helping out in different ways. It will be a great summer project to keep the congregation busy (while getting a nice tan at the same time). There have been members of the Guelph Reformed Church involved in building too, but in other parts of the world. Dick Van Leeuwen has embarked on another volunteer missions trip to Honduras to help construct homes for the victims of Hurricane Mitch. The Missions Committee of the Guelph Reformed Church hosted a potluck supper at which Charles Webster showed slides and spoke of his work: teaching English in China.

At the end of May, Harriston Reformed Church is pleased to have Pastor Girard move to work full time in their church. He has been working there part- time.

As I said earlier, many of us are now enjoying the pleasant sunshine. We take delight in all the beautiful things spring has to offer. We also reflect on the times we’ve had in the past few months. Only when we look back at them do we realize how much God has blessed us. Let us continue to seek His blessing.

From March 12 -14, five of the Drayton Reformed Senior Youth went on a mission trip to Toronto with four youth from Chatham and one from Cambridge. [See their photograph on the cover of this issue.] They were accompanied by three leaders. The group stayed at an International Teen shelter and worked in a soup kitchen. They also did other activities that helped to make them realize what staying on the streets was really like. Everyone had an awesome time and realized how street people are real people and not just statistics. Trish Curry wrote this poem after coming back from the trip:

Words From The Father

Trish Curry

March 1999

See those people
Those children of mine
They are no different than you
They have a heart
And desire to be loved.
See those people
‘Homeless’ as society calls them
They are human
They seek health
See those people
They desire even just one friend
They live in distress
Looking through garbage cans-
Searching for just one crust.
See those people
They want to die
They believe an empty park bench
Is the perfect place
To lay their head for the night
See those people
Who have forgotten
What love means
Whose memories of joy
Have been completely erased
Who recall how they got here
Who remember
Their earlier days of abuse
The days when they were looked down upon
The times when they were victims
Of harsh words
Of never ending glares
Then they look around them
And know
Their past will continue to be their present.
See those people
Those children of mine…