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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-08, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017. From the Minister's Study 'We are all one body' says Livingstone By Allan Livingstone, Interim Priest for the Anglican Parish of New Beginning St. John's - Brussels, Trinity — Blyth, Trinity St. Paul's — Wingham and Archdeacon for Huron Perth How is your body working these days? When the whole thing is working as it is meant to work, we don't think much about all the different parts that make up the whole thing. For example, when we manage to walk along a beautiful lakefront beach, we forget for the moment that a matched pair of feet comprised of countless bones supports us. But break one little bone in one foot and suddenly we become painfully aware of the parts that make up the whole. If you are like me, you wake each morning and thank God for another day and the wonders of all his creation. For the most part, I don't think of thanking him for giving me thumbs or the little toes on my feet or even my appendix. On the other hand, when I struggle to get out of bed because of a troublesome back or when I cannot hear because a cold has plugged up all those channels in my head, I wouldn't mind a quiet word with God about the ailing parts of my body. St. Paul gives us an eloquent reminder about how our community is like the body. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. (1st Corinthians 12:12) When daily life in our community clicks along like a well-oiled machine, it is easy to forget the individual contributions that individual members make. But when things don't go right for us or when we have a bad day, we find it easy to blame those individuals. Sometimes even the smallest things set us off. Yesterday it was some inconsiderate fool who broke a beer bottle on the front lawn. Today, it might be a restaurant server who forgot to bring milk for my coffee. Tomorrow it might be... Well, it could even be me because of my careless attitude towards someone else in need. We are all one body. In the perfect community each one of us plays the part of a little bone in the foot, a thumb or even an appendix. When a part breaks down, the whole body suffers. So how is it that we are able to keep that community body and all our relationships all together and all contributing? Well, some people talk about having a shared vision in a community or an organization. We like to say that we all need to contribute to the common good for linin Water Cfaistiaa 1-dims/lip June 11: Mt. 13:1-23 "Keeping on Sowing Despite Disappointment" Plus special presentation - Wingham Right To Life Evangelical Missionary Church Small Group • Mon. 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.6:30 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.org 164 all to be happy and prosperous. Christians say that the Holy Spirit breathes life into all those separate body parts, even those old bones. Old Testament people believed the Spirit was more than just a metaphor. The Spirit of God was in the wind. In ancient days, the Lord spoke to a prophet named Ezekiel. "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezekiel 37) For these ancient people, every step taken was thanks to inspiration from the Spirit. In the days following Jesus' departure to be with his Father in heaven, his disciples felt that their community was in danger of collapse. It was as if the head was missing and the rest of body was failing to function. Instead of feeling like one body, they felt like a collection of old dead bones. Being leaderless, they struggled to find the motivation to share a vision for what lay ahead. On the Day of Pentecost, that inspiration came to them thanks to the Holy Spirit. As the story goes, suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (Acts 2) The rest of the story in the Book of Acts tells of how that community of disciples of Christ shared a vision and acted upon it. Often they were unable to explain how it was that they found the words to bring the message of comfort and joy found in the Gospel. As hard as it was to explain, they knew that inspiration was the Holy Spirit. Perhaps today you will pick up the phone and call someone who you had no idea was in need of a lift. Tomorrow you may wake in the �YL BRUSSELS 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 ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH .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 discover why we are growing esl_. Huron Chapel Every Sunday @ 10:30am in Auburn huronchapel.com Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, June 11 14, i Please join us and see our renovation process making us more accessible to you All are welcome u OFFICE: 519-523-4224 middle of the night with some brilliant idea of how to make life better for a neighbour. Perhaps tomorrow you will find the courage to take a risk that improves life. More than chance, these things happen because the Holy Spirit inspires us. Find a quiet moment today to just breathe. As you breathe feel life coming into you and feel the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I pray that each of us experiences more than a moment in our lives when the wind seems to rush and we become inspired. I pray that our lives are filled with others who are filled with the same inspiration. I pray that all of us are inspired to be integral parts of one body, all working for the common good, all contributors to one community. Amen. Book Your Ad Now for the 2017 IPM Issue 35,000 copies in total Call The Citizen 519-523-4792 or contact sales representatives Brenda Nyveld & Heather Fraser e-mail: ads@northhuron.on.ca You re ,imited 7 k'iY1 [/LS SUNDAYS Morning Service Evening Service 10:00 am 7:30 pm n (e)orsii 17 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH 4\6, Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 eaueael¢ eocrurc2ficery edie L You're Invited to come worshp with us Sunday, June 11 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 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, JUNE 11 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 519-887-6687 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.