Vol. 106 No. 9
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY RY 26, 2015
Box 40, 122 Main Street, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0
email: tip@sasktel.net
20 pages
Phone: 306-948-3344
$1.25
www.biggarindependent.ca
World Day of Prayer to be celebrated in Biggar
Biggar will be celebrating the World Day of Prayer service at the Redeemer Lutheran Church this March 6. “Showing genuine interest in others is a positive step forward in maintaining unity among believers and reaching out to the community,” were words written by the women of the Bahamas, who wrote this year’s service, encapsulating the World Day of Prayer. They invite you to join them in a celebration of their culture and history, their land and their legacy. The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement which brings Christians of many traditions together to observe a common day o f p r ay e r e a c h y e a r. Through preparation and participation in the worship service, we can come to know how our sisters of other countries, languages and cultures understand the Biblical passages in their context. We can hear their concerns and needs and can feel ourselves in solidarity with them as we pray with and for them. In this way, it is possible to enrich our Christian faith as it grows deeper and broader in an
international, ecumenical expression. The motto of the World Day of Prayer movement is Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action. Through our participation in the World Day of Prayer, we affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence on the world. The women of the Bahamas have stories to tell. They begin with the question: “Jesus said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done for you?’” Christians from more than 170 countries around the world and in 2,000 communities across Canada, will gather on World Day of Prayer to pray and act in solidarity with the people of the Bahamas. T h e Wo r l d D a y o f Prayer is coordinated by the Women’s InterChurch Council of Canada (WICC). The WICC is the only national ecumenical c o u n c i l , w i t h representatives from 10 church partners, focusing on four main concerns of social justice, women’s issues, ecumenism, and the growth of women’s spirituality. The Council respects diversity; fosters connections between church and society; creates opportunities for communication, education, advocacy and theological study. T h r o u g h Wo r l d D ay
of Prayer grants, WICC supports grassroots work to help women and children both in developing countries and here at home escape the cycle of poverty
and violence. The Council also prepares an annual service to mark December 6th Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against
Good ol’ Hockey Game . . . Biggar Initiation Nationals fought it out against the visiting Dodsland Stars, Saturday, for a close, hard-fought 7-6 win. The mini Nats
Women. Again, the World Day of Prayer is celebrated in Biggar this March 6 at the Redeemer Lutheran
Church, starting at 2 p.m. Local contacts for the event are Barb Beirnes (948-3607) or Mary Ann Nostbakken (948-2571).
put on an entertaining show at the Jubilee. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
December sets all-time record for Saskatchewan’s wholesale trade W holesale
trade in Saskatchewan has hit a new all-time high for the province, reaching $2.4 billion in December 2014. According to the numbers issued this February 18 by Statistics Canada,
wholesale trade in December increased by 25.6 per cent compared to $1.9 billion in December 2013 (seasonally adjusted). The jump put Saskatchewan in the top spot for year-over-year percentage growth among provinces. “This is an unprecedented
figure for wholesale trade value in Saskatchewan, and it represents five straight months of growth in this category,” Economy Minister Bill Boyd said. “This kind of activity in our provincial economy really shows how competitive and well-positioned we are heading into 2015.”
On a seasonallyadjusted basis, wholesale trade in Saskatchewan increased by 3.7 per cent in December 2014 compared to November 2014, ranking Saskatchewan third in month-to-month percentage change among the provinces.
SaskEngery warns patrons of phone scam
Royal Flush . . . Songwriter/performer, Royal Wood was at the Majestic Theatre, February 19, for the fourth show of the Biggar and District Arts Council performance season. One of Canada’s major talents, Wood put on a beautiful show of his latest tunes, wonderfully hook-laden songs of life and love, blessed with a deep, sonorous vocal style. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
SaskEnergy is warning its customers of a telemarketing scam occurring in various areas of the province. SaskEnergy has received reports that individuals claiming to be from SaskEnergy are contacting customers threatening disconnection of their natural gas service unless a payment is made. The caller claimed to be a SaskEnergy representative. The calls are reported to be coming from a 1-800983-1304 and the caller ID reads SaskEnergy (the
name or number on your call display may vary). The caller asks for a payment by prepaid debit or credit card. This is not a SaskEnergy representative. While SaskEnergy does contact customers via phone from time to time, the Corporation never requests payment information over the phone, and does not accept prepaid debit or credit cards. Anyone who has received calls of this nature should report the call to Phonebusters (the Canadian Anti-fraud Call
Centre) at 1-888-4958501. If a customer has provided personal financial information, including bank account or credit card information, over the phone, they should report the matter to their local police, as well as immediately contact their financial institution. If you have questions about your SaskEnergy bill, or are unsure if the person contacting you is from SaskEnergy, ask for the person’s name, and call SaskEnergy back at 1-800-567-8899 to verify the caller.