HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-05-04, Page 17PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017.
From the Minister's Study
Rejoice! Reach out! Remember! Relax!
By Allan Livingstone
Trinity Anglican, Blyth
St. John's Anglican, Brussels
Four Simple Rules to Bring Peace
into Our Lives, by Paul of Tarsus.
Sounds like the title of a new self-
help book to be introduced by Oprah
on a talk show. My imagination is
overflowing with ideas of how an
interview with Paul and Oprah might
play out.
He would be absolutely
flabbergasted at the state of this
world some 1,900 years after he
died. To be fair, I can't think of many
television personalities who could
handle such an interview as well as
Oprah might. (I'm tucking away
the idea for a future sermon.) But
what about Paul's original words?
You can check them out for
yourself in his Letter to the
Philippians, Chapter 4, verses 4-11.
Here's my twist on what he wanted
for us.
Four simple rules: Rejoice!
Celebrate God every day! Reach
out! Be gentle, work with people
not against them! Remember!
We know what the Lord has
done for us! Help others to see that
the Lord is coming to do the same
for them! Relax! Instead of
worrying, shape your worries into
prayers!
If you do all this, God will bring a
sense of wholeness that will be a
settling influence in your day. Good
rules, aren't they!
We believe that Paul penned these
words sitting in a Roman prison in
some eastern Mediterranean city. He
was quite used to being in prison,
being inclined as he was to speak his
mind about his powerful faith in
Christ in a Roman world that was at
least suspicious if not intolerant of
these new plain -speaking Christians.
Many were martyred, and
until the time of the Roman
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"Tackling the
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Evangelical Missionary Church
Small Group • Mon. 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham
Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn
10:30 a.m.- Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow — 519-523-4848
getlivingwater.or)
Emperor Nero, Paul's Roman
citizenship protected him from
execution.
How can anyone imprisoned,
tortured and persecuted so often in
life provide such passive advise to
rejoice, reach out, remember and
relax? Perhaps we can put it all
down to extraordinary strength of
character, developed in a life of
discipline. All the early historians
talk about Paul's strong body and
mind. But we also know that Paul
was a man consumed by his faith. If
we were to ask him where he found
the ability to carry on, he would tell
us that above all it was faith that
sustained him. He would also say
that he was sustained by the faith of
those around him and he was fond of
citing examples of people whose
encounters with God brought them
strength.
The Christians in the City of
Philippi were a source of inspiration
for Paul even though they had begun
to argue among themselves. Church
politics are nothing new! He prayed
that his letter to them would lift their
spirits and make them stronger in a
time when the city was so focused
on commerce and trade and the
inevitable crime, greed and
especially, intolerance that
prospered in life in the fast lane. As
we understand, when people suffer
from stress, it becomes very easy to
argue.
It's a timeless message! Society
today presents many parallels to life
in Philippi. We read about and watch
random violence every day. Being
gentle seems so hard in an
environment where everyone is in
such a hurry to do more and get
more. Though we look for signs of
Christ in our lives, it is too easy to be
a doubter. We carry worry like a
loaded backpack, consulting our
horoscope, hoping for the big win in
You re 9nvited a join Is e9n Worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN f+
REFORMED CHURCH re.''''
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
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BLYTH BRUSSELS
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leEveryone
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Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, MAY 7
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.
Nursery care available
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the Lotto 649 and taking pills to help
us sleep and forget what others think
of us. These things seem almost
routine in our lives.
In Philippi, Paul's words were
engaging and inspiring. The
Christian community could imagine
him being in their midst and actually
speaking to them because he had
visited them.
He had organized the Christian
community there. He was held in
great respect.
's BRUSSELS
His words have been inspiring
throughout the ages because he
presents his rules so joyfully.
In much earlier times, some
Christians were so inspired by Paul's
image of Christian life that they
formed monastic communities.
Most of us would find that kind of
discipline called for in monastic life,
but every one of us yearns to find
peace of mind. Even so, places like
Continued on page 21
United Church
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookings: 519-887-6377
Everyone welcome
226-963-1175
Eauaael4 eocxox2firltv S'iite eitaftee
You're Invited
to come worsh p
with us
Sunday, May 7
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
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.
All are welcome
C.•
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:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph's
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.