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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-13, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015. By Pastor Andrew Versteeg Brussels Community Bible Chapel Two weeks ago our family had the joy of welcoming our daughter into our arms and into our family. She was born on July 30 and she and mom are doing well. I had the privilege of attending the birth, and even though this is now the third birth I’ve attended I still find it to be an awesome event. In the months leading up to the birth I had opportunity to read a few articles and things that describe some of the changes that occur for the baby at the time of birth. There are massive changes for the baby at birth. Up until the time of birth the baby’s lungs are actually breathing water but not exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. Then they switch over to air and they open up and oxygen exchange begins. The heart changes as well. Essentially what takes place in the heart is a change so that the baby now starts pumping blood to the lungs to take in oxygen instead of receiving it from the blood flowing through the umbilical cord. The baby also is hungry and the nerves around its mouth are extra sensitive to enable it to receive its first meal. After these changes take place, there is no going back. It is impossible for the baby to again live in the womb under those circumstances. A real change has taken place and new life begins. It had lived in the darkness of the womb and now it lives in the light in its new surroundings. In the scriptures, becoming a Christian is described as a spiritual birth that has a lot of similarities to physical birth. Jesus described it in John Chapter 3 as a birth ‘from above’ that takes place by a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just like the baby that was born in physical birth was transferred from one state of existence into another, i.e from inside the womb to the outside, so it is in spiritual birth. Colossians 1:13- 14 says, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Jesus), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” When our baby was born we were thankful to have the support of many. Our church family was praying for us, our immediate family was at the hospital and we also had a trained staff at the hospital to help. But really when it came down to it, this was mostly to do with the mother and her baby; she had to give birth. Even the baby was passive and couldn’t do anything to help. In the same way that we are passive at our physical birth, we are also passive at our spiritual birth. John 5:63 says, “it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” The scriptures make it clear that we are helpless to make ourselves new and to make ourselves Christians. We have sinned against God and we have died spiritually and only God can give us new life. This is something that God has to do to us, and this is something that God does to those who call out to him in faith. Romans 10:13 says, “whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” When our little baby was born, she began to breathe, cry and desire food. Her life had changed and now she needed to grow and eventually become mature. If Jesus has given you new life, then you need to grow as well. You need good food and God has supplied us with lots of good food to enable our spiritual growth. His Word, the Bible, is our food and we need to read it and hunger for it, and, as it were, digest it. Then we will become healthy and strong, and stable, and productive for the Lord. “Like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord” (1 Peter 2:2-3). HE second-guesses review But You Can Send It Ahead! Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20 HuronChapel.com treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your Do treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your on’t store up t treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures here treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your e on earth, whe treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your ere moths eat , and treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your them and thieves do not break in and steal treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy thieves do not break in and steal treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy HuronChapel.com thieves do not break in and steal treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy HuronChapel.com Matthew 6:19-20.thieves do not break in and steal treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy HuronChapel.com Matthew 6:19-20 treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 August: VISITATION SUNDAYS Evangelical Missionary Church Worship at a church near you! Make your HOLIday HOLY Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, August 16 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and at various homes at 6:30 p.m. from July 5 to Sept. 6 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 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 CHURCH BRUSSELS 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 Birth, new birth and the resulting changes Detailed financial information return (FIR) statistics now have some Huron East councillors wondering if it’s worth spending a minimum of $50,000 for a service delivery review. At council’s Aug. 4 meeting, Treasurer Paula Michiels provided councillors with a large quantity of the most up-to-date data available (from 2013). Councillors were then given a verbal report by Michiels, showing that the municipality is largely comparable to other Huron County municipalities in many areas. It was these figures that made some councillors feel that an outside service delivery review, at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars, was perhaps unnecessary – especially at a time when the municipality is being so hard hit with cuts from the provincial government. Huron East ranked exactly in the middle of a number of different cost- for-value services in a list of the county’s nine lower-tier municipalities, Huron County itself and West Perth, Huron East’s closest neighbour, often used for comparison. Whether it be general government, protection services, transportation, health, social and family services, recreation and cultural or planning and development, Huron East is sixth on all lists, putting it dead centre. The lists were topped by Huron County, for best value per- capita and bottomed by North Huron, for lowest value per-capita. In summation, taking into account all factors, Huron East is the third- lowest per-capita municipality in Huron County behind Howick and Morris-Turnberry. The first per-capita figures, dealing with costs, however, don’t take into account taxation. When taxes are factored in, Huron East would shift down one spot to fourth- lowest, then behind Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh as well. “When considering both comparisons together, the Municipality of Huron East is providing a reasonable level of services at a responsible cost level and compares very well to other lower tiers in the county,” Michiels’ report states. Direction of the conversation quickly shifted, however, to Mayor Bernie MacLellan and his comments as part of a recent media story about the pending service delivery review. Several councillors were angry with the mayor, who had been quoted by a local media outlet as saying that in the last 10 years, taxes in the municipality had risen somewhere between 300 and 400 per cent; a statement that councillors, as well as Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight said simply isn’t true. “It’s not a fact,” said Councillor Ray Chartrand. “With economic development trying to bring people in, it’s damaging to tell people that taxes have gone up 300 to 400 per cent.” Several councillors agreed with Chartrand, saying that the mayor was not helping Huron East’s situation by spreading (knowingly or unknowingly) false claims that could damage the municipality’s image. Councillor Nathan Marshall, MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 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. 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, August 16 Guest Speaker: Lay leader Bob Kellington Sunday, August 23 See the Play Hear the Sermon “Mary’s Wedding” Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Continued on page 14