The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Church Speaks. Sponsored by the WHITBY MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION By THE REV. GERALDA. HUNT Pastor Whitby Baptist Church Consumerisn is now a religion. The Church of the Holy Mail aclims all of us, spews out Mountains of literature and provides oceans of products within all-too-easy reach. A parallel development is the guidance and advice we get from every side about the values of products. In these days of economic uncertainty and threat of global extinction we notice people looking around for spiritual help. While organized religion has been available since the dawn of history, those "in search of a church"may be bewildered by the present state of religion and feel the lack of helpful guidelines. They are fortunate if they run across someone who is radiant about his/her faith, wel balanced, joyful and able to relate to the world around. A happy Christian/Jewish/Moslem family is not easy to find and church attendance leaves 80 per cent of the population cold. While in a strange city I, too, have been in search of a church. What do Ilook for? Confronted by the jungle of religious groups, we get two bits of advice from the New Testament part of the Bible. Test themi (I John 4:i) and look at their results! (Matthew 7:16-20). Is their source a God-out-there or are they man-made? Do they act as a placebo or opiate? Do they serve only at times like birth, marriage, death and Christmas? Are they worthy of support? Can they meet the spiritual needs of your family over a long period of time? We should ask the questions that test both the believers, their beliefs and their influence. Look at the effects a group is having on the world around it. Is it doing good or harm or just occupying space? There must be real merit in a group that helps people discover positive spiritual vitality (as the Moravians helped John and Charles Wesley) or cures some evil (as the English evangelicals worked to abolish slavery). Flashy advertising and slick marketing may have little to do with helping people, and impressive num- bers may be misleading. Christianity has always been a minority in world population. Good things have often come as a result of a very few persons getting a message about life and sharing it. So, when shopping for a faith, the advice is not to be defeated by confusion, dazzled by claims or deceiv- ed by crowds. There have always been false prophets. We have seen the tragedy of those who are in religious life just for the money or the power. We have felt re- buffed by those whose sole raison d'etre was to be against something or someone. But of course all churches have at least a few of these kind. So we ought to look beyond them and ask more tough questions about the group. Does a group encourage a vital, growing relation- ship with the living God? Does it bridge the gap between a perfect God and imperfect man, enabling us to be forgiven our sins and reconciled to God and to our fellow-men? Is this a people guided by Some- one or merely groping for something? Do they sing and pray with meaning and sincerity? Do their beliefs give people resources to face up to life and cope with it? Or do they merely encourage them to escape from problems and avoid responsi- bilities? Is the group willing to ask hard, self- searching questions about the issues of life? Is their faith truly liberating? Does it lift persons or merely add to the burden of life? Are those persons better for having associated with that group? Is the group exclusive or locked into language and tradition that does not apply today? Is it for all kin- ds of people? Does it have a worthy n-issionary pro- gram which reflects that God loves the whole world? Can you help in that program? TYPE WR ITE RS ADDING MACINES • CALQULATORS SALES *SERVICE • RENT ALS r S PRNlA N OFCESPLS 211awodA'-pxOtn 683.196 These questions are at least as important as whether a church has a good nursery, a bus ministry, lots of music or even ramps for the dis- abled, as important as these may be. The question is wÏhether the group lives up to its beliefs faithfully and has a wholesome, healthy lifestyle. With so much dèsperate need in our world we ask what kind of religious faith really pushes people to have an unselfish, compassionate view of the world. "What matters today," said Abbe Pire, "is the diff- erence between those who care and those who do note'. When persons come in pain, despair, chained to something wrong or deprived of normal com- forts, what does a church have for them? Can you help in the caring? People in need found it natural to turni to the Christ. One who would spend bis life selflessly in healing and redemption, then lay down that life on a cross, made further shopping for religion seem so futile and unnecessary. While far from perfect, those who shared in his life were wonderfully free fromgimmicks and props, and very good stewards of-the resources at hand. Their religion was a Per- son and He was the centre of the universe for them. They firmly believed He rose from death. 1 Early Christians did a good job distinguishing between religion (which could be scandalous, harm- ful or empty) and faith in God, who is just, loving and always faithful to forgive a repentent person and renew his/her life. If God was in Christ, coming to meet our needs, then any church that puts him up front deserves serious consideration in the market- place. Shop wisely and diligently, dear Free Press reader, for you only have so many shopping days left in your life. While you are finding a church, God is looking for you. WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24,1982, PAGE, 15 ollegeh cours for parents of drug abusers Durham College, in co4peration with com- munity agencies, is .of- fering a six-week course for parents of children who are involved with drug or alcohol abuse. The course begins Thursday, April 1, and- will run in the College's Simcoe Building from 7 to 9 p.m. for six conse- cutive Thursday even- ings. The course format will include lecture, discussion, role play and smail group work. The objectives are to present factual infor- mation on alcohol and drug use and abuse; to provide information and exercises to promote in- creased communication and management àkills; and to identify commu- nity resources available for further information and assistance. There are specific course admittance cri- teria. Participating parents must have a problem teenager who has a demonstrated sub- stance abuse problem. The problem teenager must be between 13 and 17 years of age. At least one parent must be committed to attend six sessions. Parents must have regular contact with the problem teen- ager and be willing to pay a fee of $20. The agencies co- operating with Durham College in offering the course are the Durham Regional Health Unit, Durham Centre (Addic- tion Research Founda- tion), Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education, Durham Separate School Board, Durham Regional Police Force, Pinewood Centre, Alexandra Clinic and the Durham Board of Education as well as Don Nadon, Newcastle councillor. Those interested in registering for the cour- se should write Michelle Nichols, department head, Specialty Pro- grams, Durham College, P.O. Box 385, Oshawa L1H 7L7, or phone. Nichols at 576- 0210, Extension 342. APlUL Fat is beautiful. PaIRTIcIPaTIonF. HELPING HAND FOR FARMERS THE PROGRAM New criteria for the 1982 Ontario Farm Adjustment Assistance Pro- gram willi help more farmers re-struc- turc. re-organize and consolidate viable farm enterprises facing finan - cial difficulties. In addition to direct financial aid. farm business management coun- selling is provided. This program has three partici- pants: the farmer. an .approved lender and the Ontario Government. ASSISTANCE Farmers can take advantage of one or more of the following options: 1. Deferral of interest by the lender on loan(s) for a period of. six months backed by a Provincial guarantee. During this time. the lender will not compound the interest. 2. An interest reduction grant on floating-rate loans and short term. fixed-rate operating loans.The maxi- mum grant will be 5% and will not reduce the interest rate below 12%. 3. An additional line of credit for operating purposes only, guaranteed by the Province of Ontario. This new credit would be provided-by the lender at the prime rate. THE NEW CRITERIA The farmer must have equity in the farm business of at least 10% and not more than 60%,a new upper limit. Present interest and principal pavments must exceed 20% of operating costs. The farmer must prepare a farm viability plan based on sound pro- duction and financial management and carry out this plan. The total value of food or tobacco products produced on the farm in 1981 must exceed $12.000, a reduc- tion from S25.000. APPLICATIONS For further information on this program and application inftructions see your lender or visit an OMAF county office or write: 1982 Farm Assistance Program. Qucn's Park. Toronto. Ontario N7A 1B7 The Ontario Government - working to help people. Ministry of Agriculture and Food ®DOntario DennisTimbrell, Minister William Davis, Premier