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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-04-23, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015. By Rev. Gary Clark Blyth and Brussels United Churches Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Islamic Centre of Northwestern Ontario with 12 teenagers and 48 adults from a number of United Churches in Huron County. The centre invited us to come for a meal and experience their community face to face. As it turned out they prepared a feast for us, which was shared with an equal number of youth and adults from their community. The evening began with some introductions and then a very engaging talk by a learned scholar Dr. Munir ElKassem. Dr. ElKassem, who is a scholar as well as a professor of dentistry, displayed humour and passion as he explained Islam to us. The basic premise of his talk is that there exists more similarities with Judaism, Christian and Islam than differences. Largely this is because both Jesus and Moses are important prophets (messengers of God) held up in the Quran (the Islamic Holy Book). In fact, says Dr. ElKassem, Muhammad is mentioned fewer times than either Jesus or Moses. The virgin birth of Jesus is also held up as truth and a sign of the intimate connection of Jesus with God. Everything from our Bible, both Old and New Testament is considered holy revelation that Muhammad did not want displaced but rather honoured ‘with’ the revelations he received from God. Dr. ElKassem spoke about the pillars of the Islamic faith and the bridges between it and these other world religions. All and all everyone present felt that we had a very different picture of Islam than what we see on the TV. So our intellect was fed and our faith respected. Next, as I said, we were treated to a feast of traditional Middle Eastern food. The flavours were wonderful and the invitation to “eat, eat” sincere. Now that is doing hospitality right. But the hospitality didn’t end there, many of us were seated at tables with folks from the centre. At my table, a father of two boys kept reminding the boys to ask me if I needed anything like coffee or tea and then off they went to bring it to me. I saw in this young father the desire to teach respect and service to his children. We spoke about the everyday issues like kids spending too much time on video games and about the struggle to maintain a faith life in the modern world. To our surprise we discovered that, like most Christian churches, they struggle with holding on to their youth and passing on the faith in a meaningful way. I asked him about ISIS and what did he think. He said that he didn’t want to see any of the videos or read any of their postings. I could tell that he was as confused, disgusted and angered that these people were perpetrating terrible acts in the name An opportunity to learn A recent visit to the Islamic Centre of Northwestern Ontario was enjoyed by several Huron County residents, who called the trip informative and eye-opening. From left: Selena Reitsma, Shannon Edwards, Greg Edwards, Sheik Janaail, Amjad Alli and Kathy Douglas. (Photo submitted) 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. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, April 26 “You Look Surprised?” Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome ALWAYS A PLACE FOR YOU @ HURON CHAPEL IN AUBURN 10:30 SUNDAYS HURONCHAPEL.COM MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, APRIL 26 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: 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. getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Sunday, April 26 Evangelical Missionary Church Small Groups Weekly in Blyth & Wingham TEEN CHALLENGE LONDON Exciting 1st-Person Testimonies of Lives Turned Around BBQ Potbless - Bring Desserts Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, April 26 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 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCHBRUSSELS WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am All Welcome United Church 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 From the Minister’s Study Islamic Centre visit thought-provoking: Clark Continued on page 22