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     THE G.A.B. GUIDEPOST    -    January & February, 2019

     The Monthly NEWSLETTER OF:             

EPIPHANY NEWSLETTER
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
 – John 1:1-5
My husband and I arrived home from visiting our daughter in Chatham January 2nd around 8 p.m.—just as the power went out in all of Pembroke. As many of you know, a devastating fire occurred at the Heideman lumber mill that night, destroying the main building and other adjacent buildings. When part of the first building collapsed, it took down a supply line from Hydro One to the Ottawa River Power Corporation and a number of insulators, plunging the city of Pembroke into darkness, a darkness which lasted 10 hours. All night, as we unpacked the car, greeted our very happy puppy, put away our Christmas gifts and our suitcases, and got ready for bed, we went about our business by candlelight and flashlight, wondering what had happened and when the power would return. It’s amazing how dependent we are on electric light and how dark the world is without it!
 “You are Epiphany people!” That’s what Pastor Bruce Thompson, dean of our Ottawa Valley Area, said to the congregation at St. Timothy’s on Epiphany Sunday when I visited there last week. And he is right. All of us as Christians ARE Epiphany people. We are people of the Light, and the light is Jesus Christ who was born into this world and whose word and witness to us becomes the light that is the focal point of our lives, that allows us to see and what is needed and centres our work and our mission. Jesus is the light that goes before us, the light that emboldens us and makes us brave enough to go out into the world to share our light with others.
As we head into this new year of 2019, we need to think about the light that we are in the community of Eganville and surrounding area. This is our mission—to shine the light of Christ in this community and be God’s hands and heart here. How are we doing that? And are there ways we can do that better? We have worship services in three locations, at

Grace and in Augsburg and Bonnechere. We have Sunday school at Grace, and confirmation class for all three congregations, but are there other opportunities for learning? How often are our church buildings being used beyond the one or two hours a week for worship? Church buildings can be a hive of community activity offering space to community groups, agencies, and volunteer meetings—all doing good work to enliven and strengthen the people of our area. Forming partnerships with other churches, other service groups, and doing the work of God’s kingdom together with others is something Bishop Michael encouraged us to try at his visit to our area in November.
Your church councils at Grace, St. John’s Augsburg and St. John’s Bonnechere are looking at new ways of thinking and being together in the job of kingdom building and sharing the light of Christ in your community. Some of it is very challenging. And some of it is very exciting! As your congregations hold your annual meetings, I encourage you to think of ways that you can go forward in mission, making new partnerships and using the resources God has given you most effectively.
And be brave, be bold, because you ARE Epiphany people—people who have seen the light of Christ and are sent out into the darkness of the word to let your light shine before others. You are candles in the night and the darkness will not overcome you.
Epiphany blessings!
Deaconess Pam
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Notes for Grace:
ATTENION: Ladies of Grace Lutheran, Augsburg, Bonnechere and the Community
Relief  Tie quilting will be starting again on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019 at Grace.  We will also be doing some other projects along the way,
If you have an hour or 2 or a day to spare, we welcome you.  You do not have to be able to sew.  Bring a lunch if you come for the day.  We will usually work every Wednesday from about 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Hope to see anyone that has helped in the past and also some new people.  We welcome all from the Churches and the Community. 
Thanks to the GLW who looked after the Relief Work in the past.  The work is too important to let it die.
If you have any questions, please see charlotte Schaven or Vera Dittburner.
Thank You.
Charlotte Schaven.
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There are 2019 Church Calendars available for $6.00 each.  Please stop in to the office to get yours or call and ask that one be held for you.
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Envelopes and receipts are now ready for pick up.  Please pick up yours as well as family members or friends that you could deliver to.
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Notes for All Parishes
Reminder of Annual Meeting Dates:
January 27th – Bonnechere
February 3rd – Augsburg
February 10th  - Grace.
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If you wish to contact someone other than during the office hours, please call and leave a message. Please call and leave a message on the office voice mail.  If you require assistance before the next business day, please call Deaconess Pam Harrington at 613-635-13665.
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If you with to sponsor a bulletin or the Guidepost – please call the office and advise
Lorna.
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Please remember our Parish members in your prayers:
From Grace: Evelyn Jobin, Earl HEIN, Natasha Gagnon-Burchat, Earl Bochert and
Arlene Smith. 
From Augsburg/Bonnechere: Ken Roesner, Ellie Sommerville, Lawrence Scheuneman,
Myles Newman, Don Musclow, Audry Branburer, Leah Pringle, Delroy Heil, Cyril Waito, Courtney Schruder, Gord Grant, Shirley Glickman, Marilyn Schneider, Donna Hoffmann, Gail Heil, Emily Rhode, Phyllis Miller, Keith Benoit and Lorna Turner.
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We apologize for the Guidepost being late this month – however due to illness, it did not get out for January 1, 2019.  I hope everyone had a very Happy New Year.   My thanks to all of you for your prayers, phone calls, cards and support.  Special thanks to Deaconess Pam and Edna Neitzel for carrying the load while I was away.  Thanks Girls.
Lorna

READINGS: January 2019

February 2019

                                    The Road Ahead
Have you ever tried to drive your car forward while looking in the rear view mirror?
Dosen’t work does it?  You cannot go forward while looking back, dwelling on the past,
reviewing mistakes – or supposed mistakes.  Blaming people for events that may – or may not have actually happened.  We all tend to hear a story – and form an opinion.  Once we do this – it is extremely hard to change that opinion.  I had a friend whose familiar comment was “my mind is made up – don’t confuse me with facts.”  Unfortunately  I believe a lot of us live by this theory.

Each time I think we are making headway and things are coming together – I again hear
some negative thoughts about the last pastor, the circumstances of his leaving, etc., etc.
Because of the hurt that was inflicted on so many of the congregations of all three
Parishes, and the wounds that have been left – it is hard to move on.   But that was from
2015 -2018.  We are now in 2019.  We are beginning a new era – once more.  We have
learned some valuable lessons, I hope.  We have learned that to exist as a group parish – we need more communication.  We have to be aware of each other’s needs and feelings. We need to keep each other “in the loop” for all things.  I’m not sure however, that we have learned to move forward. We need to concentrate more on being Christian.  A Church is a place where Christians gather – the Church Spirit is what emits from the building and its members.  Dwelling in the past and continuing to harbor feelings about past actions are like stones around our ankles.  It slows the progress of moving ahead.  If we continue to dwell on the past – we are in grave danger of repeating the same mistakes, doing the same things over – with the same result.  Unless we can look ahead and plan how to get different results, we are basically spinning our wheels.
When I spoke to the Augsburg/Bonnechere members I had said – that had we all known the outcome of the entire situation we all would have done things differently – which means that we had learned from the mistakes made and they would not be repeated. We are starting
into a New Year – a new era.  We will be looking for a new minister, looking ahead to our
future.  Let us take time to really look into the future – to see what it is we really want for our Three Point Parish.  What do we want to accomplish in the first year, the second, and the third?  Where do we want to be?  What do we want our membership to be?  How can we work to achieve these goals?  Well – for starters – the idea of working together. Let us start by working as one parish – with three buildings – not three parishes with three buildings.  Then perhaps, at the end of 2019 we can look in our rear view mirror and see that we have made progress – and not just ruts from wheel spinning. Let’s make that our New Year’s Resolution.  To resolve to work as One Parish – with three buildings – to grow in member- ship in all three. To do this – we must stop looking back – but look forward and plan – with God’s help.
My own personal resolution is to put this particular past topic to bed, not to be discussed again.
Happy New Year to all.
                                                      -Lorna Turner