The Citizen, 2012-05-24, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012.
By Madelaine Higgins
Another week of excitement and a
busy schedule continued at St.
Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
with sports teams gearing up for
important games and meets, and
students hurrying to finish
assignments and meet deadlines. On
Monday, Mr. Geddes and the
concert band departed for Nationals
in Ottawa, where they achieved
silver. This is an outstanding
accomplishment for their first time
at Nationals. Congratulations! The
girls’ rugby team played at St.
Anne’s and the senior girls’ and
boys’ soccer teams spent the day in
Listowel.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, St.
Anne’s hosted the Huron Perth
Track and Field meet where the
Eagles achieved second overall and
earned some MVP titles.
Congratulations to this dedicated
team, to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson and
to the Midget Boys for bringing
home another Huron Perth
Championship. Also on Wednesday,
the boys’ rugby team had
By Pastor Andrew Versteeg
Brussels Community Bible
Chapel
On Mother’s Day we had a
sermon at our church from
Ephesians 6:1-3. “Children, obey
your parents in the Lord, for this is
right. Honor your father and mother
(which is the first commandment
with a promise), so that it may be
well with you, and that you may live
long on the earth.”
Mother’s Day was two Sundays
past and Father’s Day will be here in
a few weeks. These are important
family days on our calendar – one of
the family traditions that have been
handed down to us that we still like
to participate in. These two days are
not necessarily “Christian” in and of
themselves, but the concept of
honouring our fathers and mothers is
certainly biblical.
God has ordained it right from the
beginning that procreation would
take place through male and female,
or, to say it another way, through
fathers and mothers or moms and
dads. We all have a father and
mother. So what is God telling us
through this passage in Ephesians
six?
First, we see that this passage is
being addressed to children. The
passage begins with, “children, obey
your parents in the Lord ...” It is
Christian children that are being
addressed initially. Previous verses
in this book of Ephesians make it
clear that this was first of all written
to Christians – those who have been
“raised up with Him (Jesus) and are
now experiencing new life in Jesus
Christ. But we know as well, that
this is also a command of God that is
given to all children because a
reference is made in this passage to
the ten commandments.
The fifth commandment is cited,
“honour your father and mother.” In
this passage the word “obey” and the
word “honour” are used together. To
obey or to honour our parents means
first of all that we listen to them. It
means that we listen to them when
they ask us to do things around the
house like chores, or when they set a
bedtime for us and tell us when it is
time for us to go to bed. It also
means that we are to listen to their
instruction about life in general.
We are to learn from our parents
about life; things such as how to
read, how to cook or build, or handle
money. Later we learn things like
how to drive a car, or get a job, or
rent or buy a house. The idea is that
our parents are given to us by God to
teach us and prepare us for life. We
need to be prepared for the day
when we leave our parents’ home
and go out to begin life on our own.
God gives a wonderful promise to
children if they will believe Him and
obey this command by obeying their
parents: “so that it may be well with
you, and that you may live long on
the earth.” Parents are flawed and
they are sinners too, but still God
gives a promise to bless children
who obey and honour their parents.
We need to trust God with what He
says and promises.
This passage also implies an
expectation on parents. Parents are
expected by the Lord to teach their
children first of all about the Lord
Himself. Then the Lord commands
parents to instruct and teach their
children about life and to be
constantly preparing them for
independence. In this sense parents
are called to work hard to work
themselves out of a job. Children are
a gift from the Lord, they are a
blessing, and they are also a
responsibility.
Our lives are full of family
problems. We have broken families,
we have disobedient children, we
have irresponsible, neglectful
parents, and we see trouble in
families all around us. The problem
is the sin in our hearts and the only
solution is Jesus. Jesus said,
“behold, I am making all things
new” (Rev. 21:5). Jesus offers
forgiveness for all our sin as
children and parents. Our sin is
always first against Him and then
against each other. We need to trust
Him and confess our sin to Him,
then He will enable us as children to
honour our parents, and as parents to
fulfill our responsibility through
new life in Him.
St. Anne’s band wins gold
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
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, May 27
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 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
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, May 27
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
June 3, 2012 ~ Ethel U.C. 135 Anniversary & Closing Service.
No Service at Brussels U.C.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, MAY 27
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
May 27: 1 Thess. 1:4ff, 2:8ff
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
Thursdays 7:00 pm - Truth Project Small Group at Dows’
Evangelical Missionary Church
“Joy and Power
Ministering
God’s Word”
POTLUCK celebrating
25 years pastoral ministry!
Saturday, May 26, 9-11 am:
ABC Women’s SPRING BREAKFAST
at Heartland EMC Clinton
250 Princess St., Brussels
Pastor Brent Kipfer
519-887-6388
www.bmfchurch.com
Guests Welcome
Jesus Is Lord!
Worship Service 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:15 am
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
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
MAY 27 ~ Guest Speaker
JUNE 3 ~ Join our Sunday School for their Camp
Menesetung Sunday Service
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Rev. Mark Royall, Sr. Pastor
9:25 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m
Morning Worship Service
Join us this Sunday,
May 27th
as we continue the
sermon series...
Live Like You
Were Dying
From the Minister’s StudyHonour your parents says the Bible
Continued on page 18