HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-05-25, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017.
From the Minister's Study
Dow marks Global Day of Prayer to End Famine
By Pastor Ernest Dow
Living Water Christian
Fellowship (EMC), Blyth
The United Nations calls it "the
largest humanitarian crisis since
1945", yet, have you even heard
about it? Not likely.
In South Sudan, famine has
already been declared. Elsewhere
in the region, Somalia, Nigeria,
and Yemen are on the brink of
famine. It's estimated that more
than 20 million people are at
risk of starvation in these four
countries.
The World Council of Churches
and World Evangelical Alliance have
responded by calling for a "Global
Day of Prayer to End Famine" on
Sunday, May 21, 2017. Many
Canadian denominations (including
Anglican, United, Pentecostal, and
Evangelical Missionary, along with
various Catholic agencies) have
signed on in support. Altogether the
initiative has the backing of 348
member churches in more than 110
countries, together representing over
560 million Christians. This is
starting to sound like a big deal.
Those responsible have
strategically timed the Day of Prayer
to precede the G7 summit happening
May 26-27 in Italy. It's hoped the
attention of world leaders will be
brought to the looming famines in
Africa, while also reminding these
leaders of the unfulfilled G7 pledge
back in 2015 to lift 500 million
people out of hunger and
malnutrition.
So... If it really is "the largest
humanitarian crisis since 1945" - in
other words, the largest crisis in our
lifetime, for anyone younger than
72! - why haven't we heard more
about it? Or, to put it another way -
Why should I care?
For some of us, it's a case of
compassion fatigue: same old same
old. I was not even a teenager in
mid -1968 when news media became
saturated with images of starving
Biafrans, the fallout of an embargo
imposed during the Nigerian Civil
War. Over the course of two and a
half years, between 500,000 and two
million Biafrans starved to death.
Westerners were inundated with
horrifying images of bloated infant
bodies. The compassionate response
of some gave rise to a surge in
humanitarian non-governmental
organizations, which since that
time have been ready to appeal for
help whenever international crises
arose.
Yet, over the decades, an
"inoculation effect" has occurred:
our ears tend to become deaf to the
cries of the desperate. It's easy to
resort to well-worn excuses and,
with a yawn, scroll on or change the
channel. "The money won't get
where it needs to go due to
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May 28: POTLUCK
Guest Speaker: Missionary to China
1+ 111E10 II
Evangelical Missionary Church
Small Group • Mon. 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham
Youth Group • Wed. 6:36.8:36 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn
10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) II
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
getlivingwater.or)
government corruption." "Aid
agencies skim a high percentage of
money donated off the top." "Until
there's a regime change, what's the
point of a bandaid solution?"
We hide behind such excuses
despite the demonstrable progress of
several competent aid agencies (such
as Canadian Foodgrains Bank) in
becoming good stewards of funds
received, and ensuring donated
materials get to the locations in -
country where most needed. But we
conveniently ignore such facts.
At the root of our consciousness, a
niggling question remains: "Why
should I care?"
For one thing, the Bible is quite
clear that God calls us to respond
with compassion to those who are
hungry. The Lord asked rhetorically
through the prophet Isaiah, "Is not
this the kind of fasting I have
chosen: to loose the chains of
injustice and untie the cords of the
yoke, to set the oppressed free and
break every yoke? Is it not to share
your food with the hungry and to
provide the poor wanderer with
shelter— when you see the naked, to
clothe him, and not to turn away
from your own flesh and blood?"
(Isaiah 58:60 Share your food with
the hungry. True worship is not just
about rote ceremonies and half-
hearted spiritual rituals like fasting
while continuing to exploit one's
employees.
Genuine faith affects how we use
our material wealth. In the New
Testament, James asks the church,
"What good is it, my brothers, if a
man claims to have faith but has no
deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without
clothes and daily food. If one of you
says to him, 'Go, I wish you well;
keep warm and well fed,' but does
nothing about his physical needs,
what good is it?" Do something for
those without daily food.
Likewise, Jesus' teaching about
His return implies we will be judged
based on how we responded to the
You re c9nvited a loin Ws 9n Vors4ip
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH s.-
%
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
8 Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
ANGLICAI' PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
41
AL
4
BLYTH BRUSSELS
Trinity St. John's
9:15 am 11:15 am
Church Office Church Office
0v
4/
i
519-357-4883 519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, MAY 28
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.
6.
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service & Sunday School
at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 28
A new vision
for our future
All are welcome
OFFICE: 519-523-4224
needs of our neighbour, whom He
commanded us to love. Such
responses become tokens of worship
to our Lord via the vicarious poor: "I
was hungry and you gave Me
something to eat... Whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers
of Mine, you did for Me."
(Matt.25:35,40) You gave Me
something to eat.
One of Jesus' most vivid and
challenging stories features an
unidentified rich man who feasted in
luxury daily, while ignoring a poor
BRUSSELS
beggar that was laid at his gate.
Eventually both die and go to their
final reward. Things do not turn out
well for the selfish rich man! (Luke
16:19ff) Let him warn them, so that
they will not also come to this place
of torment.
Since the time of the Biafran
conflict, the `global village' has
shrunk considerably; we speak to
customer service reps in India, we
order the latest gadgets from China.
The 20 million at risk of starving in
Continued on page 19
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
eftetimeed eamotZatv edee eitaftet
You're invited
to come worsh p
with us _
Sunday, May 28
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
uron Chapel
10:30am every Sunday in Auburn
uronchapel.com
r
■
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.