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REFLECTION: June (Hutchinson) MacLean

One of my favourite memories around the Lot 16 United Church is of the Mission Band. We met every second Friday afternoon at the Central Lot 16 School. Our leaders were jean Miller and Violet MacGregor. These women presented a superb program with a worship service, the learning of hymns, the telling of Bible stories, and we always had a treat and a game. Violet had the Christmas party at her home. The music at the party was wonderful; Violet would play the piano and jean would lead us in singing. 'Ireats were very important at the party; Violet would always have divinity fudge for us to eat.

In the summer we would have a picnic at jean Miller’s home or at the beach. We would have ice cream which, in those days, was quite a treat. Sometimes it would be home made. It was so delicious. As children we were kept busy and involved.

One special Christmas the children cf the church presented a Christmas pageant/1 lot of adults worked very hard to make it possible. I (lune) was given the part of an angel. Helen Lyle fitted me with a blue dress. Bill Miller made my wings. Another special service was a Thanksgiving service that was also presented in the Lot 14 Church. That was a very special evening.

One summer, a music teacher was hired. I/Ve had choir practices one or two evenings a week/1t the end cf the summer we gave a recital at a Sunday morning service. The anthem was ‘Fairest Lord jesus.’

When the people of the church saw the need for a teen girls’ group, Violet and Jean took up the challenge and became the CGIT leaders for Lot 16 United Church. They had very high standards, especially when practicing for a Vesper Service. They would instruct, ‘anything worth doing is worth doing well, stand up straight, speak out, no gum, practice, practice, practice.’ Doris Carr was our organist for these events. ‘Sing out’, she would say, ‘Don’t hide behind the hymn book.’ These women had an important role in the lives of the young girls of the day.

167 THE WORKING OF THE CHURCH