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Seaking new ways to serve â€" Communities have changed, and churches must change with them, believes Rev. Ruth Draffin, a young minister with a mission â€" to keep the centuryâ€"old Lakeport church alive. Photo by Elleen Argyris She is thinking that conâ€" temporary worship serâ€" vices, not necessarily in the traditional Sunday On Tuesday, March 19, there will be a meeting in the church basement at St. Paul‘s, beginning at 7 p.m., for "everyone who‘s interested in saving the little church," regardless of church affiliation, says Rev. Draffin. "We want to use the church and get the comâ€" munity to use the church in the way they want to," she says. "Basically the original, traditional congregation no longer exists. FORK IN THE ROAD "The church has hit the fork in the road," Rev. Draffin told the Colborne Chronicle. If something cannot be done to show that the church is filling a need in the community, the hisâ€" toric (1884) building is in danger of being deconseâ€" crated and sold. St. Paul‘s, Lakeport, is the subject of her concern at the moment, since the Sunday congregation is down to about three or four adult regulars. Rev. Drailin is the minisâ€" ter in . charge _ of Presbyterian churches in Colborne, Brighton and Lakeport. Churches used to be the centres of their communiâ€" tles, and Rev. Ruth Draffin believes they can be again â€" if the churchâ€" es change as the commuâ€" nities have changed. By Eileen Ar;]!};'; Historic Lakeport church reaches ‘fork in the road‘ The male suspect is described as white, about While change was being made, the pair were able to deceive the clerk into giving them a large amount of money to which they were not entiâ€" tled. Two fastâ€"talking "quick change artists" are being sought by police in conâ€" nection with a fraud comâ€" plaint from Colborne‘s Fox IGA. Police say the pair, a man and a woman, approached an _ IGA cashier with a smallâ€"item purchase and offered to pay with a large bill. "We could have chilâ€" dren‘s skits, and young people singing," she adds. At that service, contemnâ€" porary guitar music, stoâ€" ries and drama could take the place of the traditional choir, organ and sermon, she suggests. ANSWERING MODERN NEEDS Maybe, Rev. Draffin sugâ€" gests, what families want is a different service time, say early Wednesday evening, or Sunday night, so mom and dad can bundle the kids off to church by 6:30 or 7 p.m., getting them home in time for an early bedtime. morning time slot, could be part of thg answer. "Modern families have different needs," she admits, "and the church needs to recognize this." ‘Quickâ€"change‘ scam Brighton OPP are asking anyone who has informaâ€" tion to call the detachâ€" ment office at 475â€"1313. The female is said to be about the same age, also white, about 5°5" with bleached blonde hair in a ponytail, slim, with a diaâ€" mond stud nose ring. 28 years old, 510", thinâ€" ning dark hair, slim build, green coat, blue jeans, earring in left ear. Police are cautioning merchants to beware of the couple and advise their employees, as well. The loss of money was not discovered until the suspects had left the store. "I‘s like the old tree has died, but it has left a seed that could grow into whole, nice, new, young tree," she observes. The midweek or Sundayâ€" night family and youthâ€" oriented service is only one idea she has for the old church. She points out that many kinds of meetings, not necessarily strictly religious, could be held in The traditional 9 a.m. Sunday service is plainly not meeting the needs of the current generation of people who live in Lakeport, she says. She sees the nonâ€"tradiâ€" tional service as "a time to get together and have a fun time as a family." OLD TREE LEFT A SEED See Church, page 5