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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-10-08, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015. Author Burpo speaks at several local engagements We were so grateful this past weekend to have Todd Burpo come to Auburn. In case you are not familiar with who Todd is, he wrote the book, Heaven Is for Real, the fastest-selling Christian book of all time. More than that, Heaven Is For Real was recently named by Amazon as one of their top 20 best- selling books of all time. Todd began the weekend by speaking at a men’s steak and egg breakfast at Huron Chapel on Saturday morning. The 60 men who attended were powerfully challenged by Todd with some practical and necessary principles they could apply to experience an effective Christian life. One of those principles that really spoke to me personally was in how we pray to God. He encouraged us to switch our prayers from focusing on, “give me” to “use me”. In fact he challenged us to change this focus in our church for one month and see what God might do among us. Saturday night Todd shared and answered questions about the Heaven Is For Real book and movie at the Blyth Memorial Hall. He also spent time having us focus on our relationship with God. Many of those who attended stayed to meet, talk and pray with Todd after the event. I know he was there until the last person had left which was about 11 p.m. The next morning Todd was back in Auburn at Huron Chapel for the Sunday morning service. Once again, he spoke from the heart and once again, it spoke to all of our hearts. He really challenged us as parents and grandparents about how important it is for our children to see us seeking Jesus in our life and growing in our relationship with Him. He shared how important it is that we pray with our children and how crucial it is for them to be able to say to others that their dad or mom, grandpa or grandma, is the same at home as they are at church. At the end of the service, the front of the church was lined with people who came forward where Todd prayed with each one of them. Auburn resident Joel Scott said, “It was awesome to hear Todd speak the ‘hard to hear’ truth… it was a powerful message.” After the service, Glenda and I went to lunch with Todd and Jeff Gayle, the Executive Director of Heaven Is For Real ministries, where I had learned something I had not known until that moment. Todd hardly ever preaches at other churches other than his own on Sundays. He told me he might preach twice a year in another church. He does many weekday events but he wants to be back home on Sundays at his own church in Imperial, Nebraska where he is the Lead Pastor. So Glenda ask him, “So why did you come to Huron Chapel?” “God’s favour,” Todd responded. When he received our invitation he prayed and felt God was telling him to come and stay for Sunday. At that moment I was so grateful to God in leading Todd to choose Huron Chapel as one of the two churches he would preach at over the course of the year. Thank you to all the those who came out for one or all three services and to the dynamic team at Huron Chapel who gave time and labour to make this past weekend a win. Away or busy on October 19? y o ou YYo awA n Oc e in advotou can v y ousr by o ? . eance in adv 9r 1ebotn Oc ee rr’uof yI vdr auoat y r 9 aebotcO ou can vOr y ountry anthe c , yylrae etoo vy tda e bcalg pnilloe pcnav n toom nor, f2d 1nr 9 a y Elections Canada offict ane aotou can v y until y daountry an ober 13Oct e ton vau co, y n eewtee b .m.0 p0:o 8n t sose acry Elections Canada offic ober 13 .m.t 6:00 p a ountry anthe c oting locaor all vF d, visit car elections. ( TTY 1-800- Elections Canada has all the inf eady to be rretto y until y daountry an ober 13Oct our vtions, check yoting loca caelections. or call 1-800-46 5)391-836TTY 1-800-. ormnada has all the inffo .etteoo vvoeady t ober 13 .m.t 6:00 p a tionormaer infotour v 3-68681-800-46 ou needtion yyoorma NEWS FROM AUBURN By Mark Royall Call 519-441-2223 PEOPLE AROUND AUBURN Breakfast and a message Best-selling author and pastor Todd Burpo made several stops over the weekend sharing his message that Heaven is for real. One of those stops was a steak and egg breakfast at Auburn’s Huron Chapel Missionary Church on Saturday where he shared the story of his son’s visit to heaven. (Mark Royall photo) Breakfast with the Lions The Auburn Lions Club hosted a breakfast on Sunday, providing diners with pancakes to get their day off to a good start. Making sure community members went home happy and full were Greg Park, left, and Travis Teed. (Jim Brown photo)