HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-02-09, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017.
From the Minister's Study
Love is central to Christianity says Clark
By Gary Clark
Blyth & Brussels United
Churches
Trump! Do I have your attention or
are you just going to immediately
want to close the paper and walk
away?
I am almost to that place where I
want to turn off the radio or TV,
leave the paper on the stand or not
click the link to the latest news item
about President Trump. Can't we
just ignore him or discount him?
Maybe call him a bully or worse and
hurl insults his way before we turn
the TV off?
United Church Moderator the
Right Reverend Jordan Cantwell has
recently made a public statement
that we as Christians are called to
love Donald Trump. You might
imagine that has caused a stir within
the church. Many were furious at the
request. How could she seem to
defend the un -defendable? In answer
to complaints just like that she sent
out to all congregations in the United
Church a video explaining why.
I have to tell you she did a great
job. Basically she told us that she
sees a worrying trend in our culture
and even in the church where people
feel they have the permission to not
just disagree with others but rather to
despise and discount the other or cut
them down just because they think
differently.
Moderator Cantwell reminded us
that the central tenant of Christianity
is to love. She quotes Jesus, "If you
love those who love you, what
thanks do you deserve? Why, even
sinners love those who love them"
(Luke 6:32) The hard work is to love
those who you don't like and don't
believe as you believe. Our
Moderator stands against everything
that President Trump seems to think
is important and has already acted on
in his first few days in office. Yet,
here is Moderator Cantwell calling
us to love him as a brother 'and' also
stand for what we believe to be true.
She has humbled me with her
faithfulness and led me to confess
that I have hated more than I have
loved this fellow creation of God.
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"Conquer Series" • purity for MEN: Mon, 7 pm at Huron Chapel, Auburn
Small Group • Tuesdays 7:30 pm at R&S Howson's, Blyth
Coffee Break Women's Bible Study • Wed. 10 am at Blyth CRC
Youth Group • Wed, 6:30.6:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn
10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
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Pastor: Ernest Dow -• 519-523-4848
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Hating is easy! It's love that
challenges us to be better
particularly when we think we can
get away with hate. Love opens
dialogue and hate closes it down.
I don't think it has always been
this way. Somehow over the last few
decades, the bar of what is
acceptable behaviour has moved and
not just in the churches of the land
but in the land itself. The level of
violence in speech and action seems
to have increased right under our
noses. But since those noses are
attached to many who have felt ever
more anxious, or betrayed or
forgotten by our democratically -
elected officials, it should be no
surprise.
Anger is the emotion that comes
out when anyone's basic need to be
heard and appreciated goes unmet.
So many in our society simply don't
feel cared for at that basic level. The
challenge then is to first love, second
to hear and third not to disregard
those who think differently. Through
the power of loving compassion for
those who believe differently maybe
the level of anger can go down and
the level of understanding go up.
Only then can true communication
and sharing of ideas happen.
This, by the way, isn't just a
formula for peace in the nation. It is
a formula for peace in each of our
families, churches, organizations and
communities. As Jesus says, "I have
loved you first and now you must
love each other as I have loved you"
(John 13:34) Jesus really means that
and in fact he called it a new
commandment.
In the middle of writing this
article, news came of the killings in
Quebec City. If ever we needed
proof of what hate -filled language
leads to, it was there on every news
outlet. I went to a vigil in Stratford
on the Monday night following this
atrocity. One of the speakers was the
local Imam. Did you know that there
is a Mosque in Stratford?
The Imam kept his remarks short.
'You're -'nvited aloin
SUNDAYS
Morning Service
Evening Service
'21S AL 61:54 i U
10:00 am
7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
BRUSSELS
United Church
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookinos: 519-887-6377
HURON CHAPEL
Every Sunday in Auburn @ 10:30am
huronchapel.com
He basically said, "that the young
man who killed those who were in
prayer had probably never entered a
Mosque before in his life. Had he
come even once to see and hear what
truly goes on in a Mosque he would
never had taken a gun there last
night." He didn't call the shooter a
devil. He didn't call for vengeance.
He didn't blame Canadians for
allowing people like this to exist.
Instead he spoke of gratitude on
receiving so much support and love
from the community. He asked the
crowd to look around at the different
faces and ages and backgrounds of
those present. He said, "This is a
place of acceptance, care, peace,
respect and support. And all those
things are known by just one word,
Canada"
We ended the vigil by sing "0'
Canada" as a way of saying that we/I
recommit ourselves to the way of
peace. May it be so in our
communities and families.
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
B LYT H
Trinity
9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH USI
S.
Everyone welcome
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. -- 226-963-1175
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Iiiti
We invite you to join our church family in:
Worship & Sunday School - 11 am
Coffee & Snacks following the service
Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2
- a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and
made possible by the Brussels churches working together.
Brussels:
6.
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
HURON CHAPEL
Every Sunday in Auburn @ 10:30am
huronchapel.com
He basically said, "that the young
man who killed those who were in
prayer had probably never entered a
Mosque before in his life. Had he
come even once to see and hear what
truly goes on in a Mosque he would
never had taken a gun there last
night." He didn't call the shooter a
devil. He didn't call for vengeance.
He didn't blame Canadians for
allowing people like this to exist.
Instead he spoke of gratitude on
receiving so much support and love
from the community. He asked the
crowd to look around at the different
faces and ages and backgrounds of
those present. He said, "This is a
place of acceptance, care, peace,
respect and support. And all those
things are known by just one word,
Canada"
We ended the vigil by sing "0'
Canada" as a way of saying that we/I
recommit ourselves to the way of
peace. May it be so in our
communities and families.
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
B LYT H
Trinity
9:15 am
Church Office
519-357-4883
BRUSSELS
St. John's
11:15 am
Church Office
519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH USI
emmeG4 eomm �tfatv Vac nit d
Sunday, February 12
You're 7nvitec Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
to come worshiy at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
with us 9
I 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m.
, -_ ` Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers
during the sermon.
Coffee & cookies after the morning service.
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, February 12
4F Re -defining
•
- Neighbourhood
Iiiti
MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. 6. OFFICE: 519-523-4224
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
[
,.
.� I i -
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
� Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
a 220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph's
Sunday
• 11:00 a.m.
•-•-..
1025 Wallace Avenue N.