HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-10-27, Page 28For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016.
From the Minister's Study
God is pleased to welcome you all in
By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Blyth Christian Reformed
Church
Donald had begun to use cocaine.
It was an expensive habit, and soon
he ran out of money. His parents
were devastated by the changes they
saw in their son, but they continued
to love him and provide for him. But
Donald grew more and more
belligerent and uncaring, and he
began to steal from his parents. It
started small, a few dollars taken
from a wallet and then escalated to
taking money from the bank. His
parents should never have given
them their PIN, but it was too late. In
a few days Donald had withdrawn
thousands of dollars from his
parents' bank account, money that
was meant to pay the mortgage and
buy food. And then Donald took his
parents' car and totalled it before
going to Vancouver with friends.
His parents were devastated.
Sometimes we can point to bad
parenting as the source of a child's
problems but that was not the case
here. Donald's parents loved him
and raised him well. Most children
would be envious of the care and
love these parents had for their son.
And now Donald, their only child,
was gone. They didn't know where
he'd gone and they didn't know if he
would return. What should they do?
They had heard he might be in
Vancouver, and they decided to go
and look for him. They roamed the
streets of the city, especially the
places were drug addicts were
known to be, looking for their son. It
took days, but they did find him. He
was dirty, strung out, thin and clearly
ill. When Donald saw his parents, he
tried to hide before they saw him,
but it was too late. His father ran to
the doorway into which he had seen
Donald disappear, and he pursued
him into the squalid apartment.
There with tears in his eyes he said
to Donald, "Come home".
He knew the dangers. Donald
would always struggle with drug
addiction. He may steal again, and
he would probably break his parents'
hearts more than once. But his
parents loved him and they wanted
him to be their son again.
Early in the Bible we see a similar
story. As the Bible tells us, God had
created Adam and Eve, and he had
placed them in the Garden of Eden,
giving them the most wonderful life
imaginable Adam and Eve had it
good, very good. The story
continues, however, and turns to
great sadness. Adam and Eve didn't
think it was good enough; they
wanted more. They stole from God,
taking something that didn't belong
to them, and they ruined his garden
and everything he had made.
How would God respond? We read
in Genesis 3 a most amazing
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
1V-
Cfirithan Teilamfiip
Oct. 30:
Potbless!
Guest Speaker: Dave Martin,
Voice of the Martyrs Canada
Evangelical Missionary Church
Tues. 7:30 pm Small Group at G&M Lisle's, Wingham
1st Wed. each month, 7:00 pm • Women's Ministry
Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm - Youth Group,
Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn
Nov. 7.6:45 pm - IF:HURON (for women),
Blyth Creek Maple Farm
10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God)
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
getlivingwateror)
response. Seeing the devastation the
crown of his creation had caused,
God could well have turned his back
on these first people and the entire
world that he had made. God didn't
need them or the world. He could do
quite well without them.
But God didn't do that. Instead,
God's first response to human
destruction and rebellion was to call
out a question: "Where are you?" It
might be a good practice to think
about the tone of voice that
accompanied that question. Would it
have been tinged with anger?
Perhaps a little. Disappointment?
No doubt. Sadness? Probably. But
the main emotion found in that
question would have been love.
Where are you? You are my children,
my creation, and I love you. I don't
want things to be this way. Where
are you?
I have spent many years reflecting
on this initial response of God to
human failure, destruction and
rebellion, and I have come to some
BRUSSELS
conclusions about the nature and
reason for that question.
First, God wants us to evaluate
where we really are without him.
Really, where are you without God?
Does our ignoring God or rebelling
against God really get us into a
better place? Where is our world
now that so many have chosen to
ignore God and his ways? Are we
really that much better off? Or does
all the brokenness we see around us
reflect that brokenness we have with
God? This is a question of challenge,
and it calls us to self-evaluation.
Second, God's question is a
dangerous one for God. He was well
aware that human rebellion, pride
and sinfulness would not stop there.
It would continue, and repeatedly
God would have to ask where we
are. In Canadian culture today, God
is ignored by many unless people
need something from him. God is
putting himself on the line when he
calls out to us.
Third, it is a question which
United Church
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am
Everyone Welcome
Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div.
Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Church bookings: 519-887-6377
Other concerns: 226-963-1175
eV' re 9nvited �a join ?Is e /n Worship
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Reformation service is in
Lucknow at 7:00 pm
rti -`
*WM
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
SauQaePa eoHrffc2tnctv 'e6ee eitaftet
You're Invited
to come worship
with us(
ti
Sunday, October 30
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.
Blyth United Church
Est. 1875
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, October 30
Moses,
1st Motivational
Speaker
All Welcome
MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
OFFICE: 519-523-4224
begins with God. God doesn't wait
for us to go on some long quest,
seeking him out. He hasn't hidden
himself from us. Rather, as we hide
ourselves from him, he seeks us out.
God acts first, and it is always the
case. God takes initiative. He wants
us to know that he cares very deeply
for us even when we care nothing for
him. He seeks us, not the other way
around. And for that we can be very
thankful, for if it were up to us, we
might not find the time to look for
him. We might be too busy hiding
behind all the busyness of life to take
up the search. God begins the search.
And, finally, the question calls for
a response. In a sense, that question
is held up for us to answer as well.
God calls to us, seeking us out. We
are given the opportunity to respond.
By his grace, many of us have done
exactly that. We have come out of
hiding and thrown ourselves into his
arms through Jesus Christ. We have
learned to trust him again. But
perhaps you do not trust God yet. I
encourage you to try. He is calling
out to you. His Spirit may well be
working in your heart and mind, and
you haven't answered. Answer his
call and say, "Here I am, such as I
am". And be assured of this, through
his grace and mercy, he will be only
too pleased to welcome you as his
beloved son or daughter.
ANGLICAN PARISH
OF NEW BEGINNINGS
AL
BLYTH BRUSSELS
Trinity St. John's
A (am 11:15 am
liri
4/
Church Office Church Office
519-357-4883 519-887-6862
Everyone Welcome!
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
Anniversary and celebration of the Garlands'
Sunday, October 30 at 10 am. Special music by the Harmony
Reception to follow. Everyone welcome.
As of November 6 our service will begin
1,
Y; t, ,
ministry on
Kings Quartet.
at 11 am
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
_
10:30am This Sunday At Huron Chapel In Auburn
huronchapel.com
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.