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