HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-10-15, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015.
By Rev. Gary Clark
Blyth and Brussels United
Churches
I have been struggling with a head
cold for the last two weeks. I am
surprised at how long it has been
hanging on and on. I am also
surprised at how hard it is to
concentrate and fight my way
through the fog between my ears.
Thoughts, words, both their
spelling and even pronunciation and
even actions have become difficult.
Typing this article is a real chore
because I get stuck for words and
when I finally come up with them
my spelling is suspect. Thank God
for spell check! Too bad there wasn’t
a brain check as well.
As I come to grips with this reality
and create strategies to deal with
this, it came to me that a fair chunk
of our society is also dealing with a
similar fog. This fog is not from a
head cold caused by a virus but
rather it is a symptom of something
broader and deeper.
I see folks having a hard time
making decisions or committing to a
regular obligation. There is a
nervousness about talking about
anything deeper than the weather.
And looking at the big picture of life
personally or globally is often too
big a task. This fog is crippling our
society and robbing it of young
minds and bodies. All societies need
a fully engaged population if the big
issues of our time are to be tackled.
Every generation has its big issues
and every generation is called on to
take a run at making a difference.
But the couch and numbingly staring
at the television offer a safe and risk-
free option to diving into society and
making a difference. Television isn’t
the fog, but like video games, it
offers a place of control without
effort, risk, ambiguity or stepping
outside one’s comfort zone.
I believe at the root of our cultural
fog is fear. A fear that we are not
good enough, that we will fail at
whatever we risk, and that everyone
will think we are losers. There is
fear that if we step up, all the
responsibility will land on our
shoulders and we will buckle under
or be sucked dry of all our time and
resources. When we are already
suffering from being overworked
and stressed, this fear is as real as it
gets. Fear is the mind-killer and the
stifler of creativity in our time. I see
it everywhere.
Luckily we have several antidotes
to the fear-filled fog. One has just
been celebrated this past weekend
and it is Thanksgiving. When we are
able to see, taste and celebrate the
bounty around us then the lie or fear
of scarce resources is exposed. We
have a lot and we should be thankful.
We have a lot and we could be
sharing more and still have more
than enough time, creativity, money
or other resources.
Thanksgiving momentarily clears
the fog because in the midst of
thankfulness what is there to fear?
The second antidote is faith; Faith
in ourselves, faith in our community
and faith that we have answers that
the world desperately needs – faith
that we were created by a loving
God who doesn’t make junk.
Every element and the power of
the whole universe is within us and
we have access to it if we try. God
has created us with the ability to
answer complex issues and the
ability to learn more from our
failures than our successes. If we are
not failing, then we are not learning
half as much as we could. Why fear
failure if it is much better than
success? That truth also shows that
God has a sense of humour and is
trying to help us laugh at our flaws
in which our deepest truths lay.
Fear can and must be faced by us.
Allow me to share my favourite
quote by Marianne Williamson from
A Return To Love: Reflections on the
Principles of A Course in Miracles.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are
inadequate. Our deepest fear is that
we are powerful beyond measure. It
is our light, not our darkness that
most frightens us. We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented, fabulous? Actually, who are
you not to be? You are a child of
God. Your playing small does not
serve the world. There is nothing
enlightened about shrinking so that
other people won’t feel insecure
around you. We are all meant to
shine, as children do. We were born
to make manifest the glory of God
that is within us. It’s not just in some
of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let
our own light shine, we
unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our
presence automatically liberates
others.”
As we liberate ourselves from the
fog of fear, we invite those around us
into the same new light of possibility
and the sheer enjoyment of life. In
other words, we are the last antidote
to the fog in our world. We may not
be able to cure the common cold, but
it is within us to cure the common
fog.
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.
HURON CHAPEL
In Auburn Every Sunday @ 10:30am
huronchapel.com
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, October 18
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
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, October 18
Your Vote is Your Voice
Sunday, October 25 ~ Join us at
Brussels United Church for 11 am Sunday service
Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m.
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.
Children
Welcome
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
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.
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
BRUSSELS
WORSHIP SERVICE
AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 11:00 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
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
Oct. 18: Rom. 12:1-13
Evangelical Missionary Church
Tues. 7:30 pm Wingham Small Group
Wed. 10 am “Coffee Break” Women’s Bible Study at CRC
“DANIEL
PLAN #2:
“What It Takes
to Really
Change:
From the Minister’s Study
Cure the common fog of fear with faith
#1 And We
Still Try Harder
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