PAGE 10, WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20.,1980, WFITBY The Chureh 1:3 Speaks I The Rev. E. Stevens St. Thomas' Anglican Church Brooklin. Are you or any of your friends considering a church wed- cint? If so, then please read this article first, because many assume that a church wedding is right when it is not, and many go through such a wedding who should not. One of the first questions I ask any couple who corne te me wishing to be married in church is "Why do you want a church wedding? " Most of the answers I get show how little people underst- and what is really involved in such a ceremony. Reasons usually given are: "ail the relatives would be upset if we were not married in church" or "a civil marriage does not seem like a real marriage" or "Iwe lilce the beauty and ceremonial of a church wedding". These things may bave validity for t.he engaged couple TOWN OF J> WHITBY PROCLAMATION WHEREAS The Association of Kinsmen Clubs, a Canadian, Association of Service Clubs, founded In Hamilton, Ontario In 1920, are ceiebrating their Diamond Anniversary on February 20, 1980 and are officialiy opening for the f irst time, their own Headquarters Building in Cambridge, On- tario on February 23rd, 1980; NOW THEREFORE, 1 welcomne the opportunity to express the congratulations of the Town of Whitby to the Association of Kinsmen Clubs for their sixty years of dedication and determrination In serving their community's greatest needs and do hereby declare February 20, 1980 KINSMEN DAY and declare the week of February l8th KIN- SMEN WEEK, and urge ail citizens to salute their local Kin- smen Clubs of Whitby and Brooklin & District. J. C. Gartshore MAYOR The happy Island of Barbados and the only beachfront apartment accommodation In popular Sunset Crest Village. Two wieeks fromn ~ a ersan $o0 fubie occupancy). BARBADOS Barbados is a favourite of Canadians looking for the suni. And no wonder! You're assured of warm weather and cooling trade winds. Golden Palm Apartments located in Sunset Crest Village is the ideal place for a family holiday (couples love it too!>. Ail sample twln costs pet apa rtments are a ir.conditioned one peso.Two weeks bedroomn units and ove riook the Friday departures via gardien and the ocean. Golden Palm Wardair widebodied has its own pool, bar and snack bar or jet. you are adjacent to the Beach Club with more extensive facilities. Fe.Mr 7 Supermarket across the road. e.Mr 87 Apr. 599 Ail holidays featured include: -Round trip air transportation f rom Toronto ta destination with com. pllmentary inflight meals . Transfers and baggage handling bctween airport and hotl/shlp - Accommodation for number of nights speciledbaed on double occupancy. Ail prîces are pet persan - Welcome biefin n SkyLark passenger representative service - SkyLark beach bag - Plus other features as indlcated under each package. Ail Sk ',Lark Hoid stlae s bet 10 tieteri% and odions of theGentnealIinormation Section of the Sk>Lack HotiîdaýNFai and intri 179,'80brochtoe. Pr t it eî vrprf son based onî double oc(upançý and a( e Sublet t hg h ea son-su ppei t tS. FREE PRESS Churcli weddi&g is sign of faith but they ignore one vital factor - a church wedding is a Christian wedding. It is as much an act of Christian worship as any Sunday service of the Church . It cannot, therefore, be gone through without dishonesty by anyone who is not a committed Christian. For example, in the Anglican marriage service the name of God, the Creator and Father, is invoked or referred to not less than thirty times in a service which last little more than twenty minutes. Similarly the name of Jesus Christ, as God the Son and as man's Lord, is invoked or mentioned not less than a dozen times. The pattern of marriage as a God-given, ife-long and loving relationship between one man and one woman, to the exclusion of ail others, is repeatediy asserted. The necessity of God's help and blessing in the marriage, from first to last, if it is to be really successful and happy, is assurned and frequently expressed. Obviously such words are quite unsuitable for people who do not reaily believe in God or in Jesus Christ and who do not accept the rigorous c ode of sexual behaviour irnplied in the Christian teachine on marriage. And yet the after-history of many marriages which begin in a church ceremony clearly shows that many who went through the ceremony were either sadly ignorant of the meaning of what they were doing, or else downright dishonest. This is an age which lays special dlaim to the virtues of openness, frankness and honesty and which speciaily criticizes those aspects of the behaviour of previous generations which seem hypocritical and deceitful. Sa, I challenge all readers who are thinking of having a church wedding to be thoroughtly honest and to ask them- selves the following questions before deciding that a church wedding is right for them: Question One. Do we really know and trust the living God as one whose presence and help will be essential for the suc- cess of our marriage? Question Two? Do we really knaw and trust God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the One through who alone we, as sin- ful human beings, can enjoy Godes presence and blessing? Question Three. Do we reaily accept the teaching of Christ and his Church that marriage is a life-long union between one man and one woman and that ail pre-martial or extra- marital sexual relationships are offensive to God. Question Four. Do we intend to continue our marriage, as we hope to begin it, in the feilowship and worship 0f Christ's family the Church. If the answer to these questions is 'Yes' for you, then you can and should, with full confidence and hope, go through with a church wedding. But if the answer to ail or any of these is, for you, a negative, then marriage in cliurch is not an honest option for you - that is, unless youz are willing to change your opinions on these points. Titis, of course, would be the great desire of al of us who know how immensely rich and satisfying a truly Christian marriage 's. I would certainly not expect that all who are thinklng o! a church wedding would be able to give an affirmative anser to ail these questions when first confronted by thent - The commonly accepted views of society today are too far reino ved fram Christian teaching to hope for that. but I would strongly assert that those who, after due study, discussion and thought are still flot able to say 'Yes' to my four test questions, should not go through wlth what would be a parody of a Christian wedding. What decent persan wants to be made to say in publie things they do not really believe or understand? V1hat honest person wants to be involved in such a charade o! a ceremony? The old saying is good that 'honesty is the best po»licy'. Where there is real Christian faith and commitmnent a civil marriage is right. CAPERS BALL This Saturday, February 23, is the loth Anniversry of lte Corridor Capers Dance. Music will be supplied by Fraik Truil. Frank's magie platters bave serenaded us since our first Capers venture. Much of our success can be credited tc) the D. J. for knowing the right nmusic for the crowd. A special donation will be made to the Durham Cardiac Rehabilitation Association. There are a few tickets still available, so cali to-dy, theres always roomn for a few more. Place - Heydenshore Pavillion Time: 8:30 to1: 00 Cost: $9.00 a couple. Refreshments and bar. Its always more fun wherx you're there. 'MOUSE TRAP' Not being a person to constantly go shopping, 1 was pleasan- tly surprised to find a cheese store "The Mouse Trap"' located in the Woolco Maîl. The many varieties of cheese, aid exotic foods such as canned octopus, are but a few of the goodies of- fered. The Mouse Trap is situated across fron thte Liquor Store. Now if the Ontario Government, combined efforts witb the Mouse Trap, a mammoth wine and cheese party could be held in the maîl. Ail kidding aside, the Mouse Trap is a delight to the cheese connoisseur. PONY RIDES AT THE WINTER CARNI VAL. The developer for the K-Mart property will anake a presen- tation Tuesday evening, February l9th, at the Administrative Comniittee meeting. 13y the time you read this, we will know the extent of the project. The additional entrance seei-ns to be the stumbling block to the expansion, Kendalwood r-esidents are opposed to another entrance-exit on their street, More details next week. -Please caîl with items for the column. MAKES THE DIEFERENCE WE 0F FER TOP QUALITY FILM PROCESSING AT COMPETITIVE PRICES - AND THAT'S VALUE! M.B.M. PHOTOGR AHYm 131 BROOK STREET NORTH- WHITBY 668-6111 Mlon - Wed 9 aili - 6 pi. Thurs. Ftn. 9 a in - 81) Ii. Szat 10 aIi - 5 1)mi ASK ABOUT CANADA & US A SJ4I SALE Vancouver--$2O9. Calgary--S179. Effective Jan 14/80 Los Angeles--S2O9. ta Feb 29/80 RUSSELL TRAVE[ 'Your Travel is our Business" 126 Brock St.S. Whitby 668-5000 tav t<) Saturday 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. Ntorî 1. 1