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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2015-11-05, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015. By Pastor Andrew Versteeg Brussels Community Bible Chapel This past weekend marked one of the greatest days of historical significance that the ‘Western World’, and maybe even the whole world, has ever known. The day is Oct. 31, and it is known as ‘Reformation Day’ on the church calendar. Oct. 31, 1517 was the day this all began. It was the day that Martin Luther, a German monk, posted his 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther had been motivated primarily by a sense of guilt for his sin, and a gripping fear of God’s anger against his sin, to become a monk. He had hoped that by entering a monastery he could find peace for his soul and peace with God. He thought that by dedicating himself to God this way he would be able to earn God’s favour and know His smile upon him. Martin Luther worked hard at following the commands of God, at his religious duties, and was very conscientious about taking note of and confessing his sins. Still he could not find peace or joy in any of this until the Lord opened his mind to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord used Romans 1:16 -17 to bring Luther to saving faith in Jesus Christ. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’” What Luther discovered was what every Christian before him and after him has discovered. Namely that salvation from our sin and being made right with God takes place through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is what is key and most important. It is not our religious duties, our attempts at being good, our observance of religious days, our confessions of our sin, etc., that make us right with God. It is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; in who He is, and in His life, death and resurrection. What this essentially means is that by faith we receive Jesus as our Savior. He lived a life of perfect obedience without sin, which we call His righteousness, and He died on the cross as a payment for our sin. His resurrection indicates that the payment for sin has been made in full and the punishment for sin has been satisfied resulting in eternal life. After all his exhausting trying Luther realized that Jesus had done it all for him, and he received God’s gift of salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus. Luther was excited about his new found freedom in Jesus and he wanted others to know this as well. He decided that the best place to begin was with the church. The church in his day had wandered from this truth and Luther believed that if the church rediscovered this truth and taught the people, then many people, just like him, would also receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. His hope and prayer was that the church would be ‘reformed’ around this teaching of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Luther wrote up 95 theses, or statements, on what he understood the Scriptures to teach about salvation. He wanted to discuss these statements with the church leaders, so he wrote them in Latin on a piece of paper and nailed them to the church door. He wrote them in Latin so that he could address the leaders of the church. He did not intend this for public reading. But someone got their hands on this document and translated it into German and began printing it on Germany’s newly-invented printing press. The end result was that for the most part the established church rejected what Luther had to say, but the public received it joyfully. The teaching of the gospel spread all over Europe and to this day it is still spreading around the world. The church was ‘re-formed’, not as Luther had envisioned it, but according to God’s plan. Still today we proclaim this gospel. This is not Luther’s gospel or any man’s gospel, but this is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the truth that will set you free from your sin and make you a child of God and a citizen of His eternal kingdom. It is a gift that God offers to everyone, and it can only be received by faith in Jesus Christ. The October meeting of the Melville Guild and WMS was held in the church parlour on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The devotions were taken from the Glad Tidings, titled, “Thankful: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. Leona Armstrong read the call to worship and the hymn, “Come Ye Thankful People, Come” was sung. The scripture Psalm 66 was read in unison and Dona Knight read Thessalonians 5: 16-18. The WMS Purpose was repeated in unison and the hymn, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” was sung. Leona Armstrong and Dona Knight each read one part of the topic, “Thankful: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. Each member was given three pieces of paper, one piece of paper said yesterday, one said today and one was titled tomorrow. During the prayers of the people the members were asked to write something on their pieces of paper, for which they are thankful, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Leona Armstrong took up the collection and read the offering prayer. The hymn, “Now Thank Thee All Our God” was sung and Dona Knight read the blessing. Leona Armstrong presided over the business. The minutes of the September meeting were read by the secretary, Dona Knight and Leona Armstrong approved the minutes as read. The Guild treasurer’s report was given by Alice Marks and Leona Armstrong gave the WMS treasurer’s report. The Harvest Supper, to be held in the BM&G Community Centre on Nov. 8 was discussed. The next meeting will be held on Nov. 17 with Mary Douma and Alice Marks in charge of the devotions. Alice Marks moved to adjourn the meeting and a lovely lunch and a time of fellowship was enjoyed by all. Melville Guild holds meeting 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. MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 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 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, November 8 ~ Remembrance Sunday “Remember IS A Verb” Sunday, November 15 “There Must Be Something In The Water” Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, November 8 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 Everyone Welcome! 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 Nov. 8: Mark 9:14-29 Evangelical Missionary Church Tues. 7:30 pm Wingham Small Group Wed. 10 am “Coffee Break” Women’s Bible Study at CRC “DANIEL PLAN #5: “The Awesome Power of Faith” Friday, November 13, 7:00 p.m. FREE MOVIE! “Do You Believe?” From the Minister’s Study Church marks Reformation Day, Oct. 31 BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED