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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-12-01, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016. From the Minister's Study Are we preparing for the return of Jesus? By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church We are having visitors stay with us this weekend. Fortunately we have a spare bedroom which will serve them well. Of course, we have to clean it up a bit. The spare bedroom is on the main floor of our house, and it sometimes becomes a bit of a dumping ground for those things that don't quite have a home. There is a tote or two on the floor. The bed has a few unfinished projects on it. And the dresser is covered in library books (some of them overdue) and various papers (mostly bills) that need to be looked after. Before our visitors arrive, we will have tidied up the room so that they will feel welcome. We have work to do before Saturday, the anticipated day of their arrival. It is the Advent Season, a season of expectation. In less than four weeks we will be celebrating Christmas. A lot of us have some work to do before Christmas arrives. We have gifts to find and purchase, goodies to bake, houses to clean and decorate and food to buy. Many of us, during the Advent Season, anticipate the coming celebration of Christmas. Christmas, for us, is more than just a time of enjoying festivities; Christmas is also a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We are reminded that Jesus came to this world, not as any ordinary little baby, but as God incarnate, God taking on a human body and dwelling among us as a human. We celebrate the beginning of Jesus' life on this earth, recognizing that Christmas begins Jesus' road to the cross and the salvation for all who believe. Advent, for followers of Jesus Christ, is a time of celebration because God loved us so much that he sent his Son to us to bring about reconciliation between us and God through the forgiveness of sins. Advent is about celebrating the coming of Jesus at Christmas. In churches around the world, we have extra work, preparing extra services and music, decorating the sanctuary, preparing gifts for children, special offerings - all to make our celebration of Christmas more meaningful. But Advent is more than just an anticipation of the celebration of the first coming of Jesus to this world at Christmas time. When Jesus ascended into heaven some 33 years after he was born, he promised that he would return again. And one day he will return, this time not as a baby, but as a king reclaiming his authority over the entire universe. We don't know when it will happen, but his return is as certain as his first t t t t t t t t t t t t t t Notter C%itiatt 7Fel1 Dec. 4 - Is. 11:1-10 2^d Sunday of Advent - "Peace" Chris Palmer - Canadian Foodgrains Bank: Helping the Poor Evangelical Missionary Church Small Group • Tuesdays 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham Women's Ministry • 1st Wed. each month, 7:00 pm Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn IF:HURON (for women) • Dec, 5, 7:45 pm at 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 getlivingwater.org, advent, his first coming to this earth. And that would imply that we have work to do. When we anticipate a guest coming to stay in our house, we clean up the guest room, making it ready. Advent provides us with a time to evaluate our lives and ask whether or not we are ready for the return of Jesus. We may have some things that we need to do before that day arrives. And, because we don't know when it will arrive, we need to be constantly prepared. So, what do we do? In the past we have heard stories about so-called prophets who foretold the exact day that Jesus was going to return. Those who believed their message sold whatever they had, and they gathered in a certain place, and they awaited for the return of Jesus. Obviously it never happened, and they along with their "prophet" were made to look foolish. Certainly the way of preparation is not that we sell everything we have and quit life as we are living it. In one of his parables, Jesus talks about a master going on a journey, leaving his servants in charge. Using simple common sense, Jesus illustrates how the servants should act when the master is away: the one who is in charge of the food, for example, should ensure that everyone receives their food as required without hoarding it for himself. If the servant does as he is expected, everything will go well when the master returns. If, however, he takes advantage of his fellow servants and mistreats them, he will be held accountable for his actions. We learn from Jesus' teaching that what we ought to be doing is being faithful with what God has given to us. We are encouraged to ask the question, "What would Jesus think about what I am doing with my life, You're Jno'ited + join lis Syn 7k' arp SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 BRUSSELS United Church Saturday, December 3 - Nativity Display 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. - support the Brussels Ministerial Sunday, December 4 - Advent II White Gift Service and Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. Blue Christmas Service at 7:00 p.m., a service of comfort for those who are grieving. Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175 Emmett). eoffestItititv eitaftee You're ZnvitedT to come worshr p with us ez= Sunday, December 4 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 With Us At Huron Chapel "Always A Place For You" Every Sunday @ 10:30am in Auburn - huronchapel.com my time, my resources, my abilities?" Are we living faithfully, caring for God's creation and for each other? Or are we living selfishly, looking after ourselves only? Will we rejoice when we see Jesus face to face and will we be proud to show him what we have done, or will we be a little ashamed of our lives? Will he be pleased with what we have done, or will he shake his head in sad disappointment because we have not used what we have been given for the betterment of each other and the world? We recognize, of course, that what we are doing, whether or not we are faithful, does not change our status with Jesus. If we put our trust in him and his death on the cross, we will be welcomed into eternal life. But if we trust him, we also want to do Continued on page 24 ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS B LYT H Trinity e.). 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 US! MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 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 j Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, December 4th ADVENT 2 - "Digging for the Treasures of Christmas" Youth enthusiast Mary Ross is here for a special kids' event MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. 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.