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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-07-26, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2012. PAGE 13. Clark nominated for national position Blyth United Church Reverend Gary Clark is moving up in the United Church of Canada. During the first week of May he was named as a commissioner for the church organization and, following that, he was one of 15 of 500 commissioners nation-wide who was nominated to run for Moderator of the United Church of Canada. “The moderator is the national leader,” he said. “They help guide the church with their vision and plans.” The fact that there are 15 nominations is indicative of a change, according to Clark. “There’s a real sense of excitement with the spirit of leadership moving,” Clark said. “We have 15 nominations, which is the most ever I believe. The previous highest was nine.” Those 15 aren’t the only competitors for the August 16 election, however, Clark said. “The general council can nominate from the floor,” he said. “As a matter of fact, a nomination from the floor came second last time.” Even if Clark doesn’t win, he still feels that being a commissioner is a great honour. “Even if I’m not elected, I’ll still be a commissioner for my three-year term,” he said. “It’s an important job, we don’t just help make the decisions but also explain how those decisions work.” If Clark is elected to the moderator position, he says being a commissioner will be a good model for how he wants to lead the church. “I want to get back to the people By Pastor Ernest Dow Living Water Christian Fellowship At a church service recently, I heard a speaker imply that the drought currently affecting many states south of the border is an example of God’s judgment for sin. Is this accurate? Certainly the drought is of unusual proportion. Grain and other livestock feed prices are being dramatically affected. In its July 15 statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the following to be in “poor to very poor” condition: 38 per cent of the nation’s corn crop, 30 per cent of soybeans, and 54 per cent of pasture and rangeland. Some 1,297 counties in 29 states have been declared disaster areas because of drought. The U.S Drought Monitor reports that 61 per cent of the continental United States is in a moderate to exceptional drought. Locally here in Huron County, lawns have turned brown, and people with livestock are scrambling to find sources of hay for their animals. We should not be too quick to jump to the conclusion that drought is necessarily a direct act of God’s judgment against sin. It is doubtful that the nearly 1,300 counties most severely affected are unarguably worse sinners overall than their neighbours in the U.S. In the Bible, some famines are not attributed to anything more than mere historical fact, e.g. the famines in Genesis that sent Abram and later Isaac to neighbouring countries in search of temporary relief (12:10; 26:1). Jesus cautioned his disciples against drawing too quickly a line connecting physical disaster and “just desserts” for sin (Jn 9:2f). In fact, He maintained that their heavenly Father “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” – God’s mercy toward sinners is one aspect of His perfection (Mt 5:45, 47). On the other hand, there are many examples in the Bible of God using drought and famine to warn people about their sin and call them back to Himself. The prophet Elijah proclaimed to wicked King Ahab that there would not be rain for three years because he had abandoned the Lord’s commands and followed the Baals (1Kings 17:1; 18:18). Amos describes God’s withholding of rain so that fields dried up and stomachs were empty, yet people did not return to the Lord (Amos 4:6ff). The occasion for Joel’s prophecy was an infestation of locusts in conjunction with a devastating drought: “The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up...Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed...Surely the joy of mankind is withered away.” (1:10-12) In the book of Haggai, the Lord Almighty states that He has called for a drought because the people have been busy panelling their own dwellings but have neglected God’s house which still lay in ruins; “Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.” (1:10) The question of fertility of the land, and whether the Jews would rely upon God to provide their needs, was at the heart of the Old Covenant. God revealed through Moses that rain would be a reward for obedience, but if the people refused to listen to God, “I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.” (Lev 26:19-20; see also Deut.28:23f) Moses clearly warned people of the danger that prosperity could bring – “then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God...You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth...” (Deut 8:12, 17f) This seems to be the key point. Are we willing to admit our dependence upon God for the harvest of crops, food to eat, and success in life in general – or do we view it all as depending on us, attributable to our brilliance? Are we too quick to be proud and self-exalting when things go well? The vagaries of weather should be reminders of how dependent we really are on God. Humility predisposes one to be quick to help others in trouble, whereas pride can make one defensive, over-protective, jealously guarding what we call “ours” when others are in need. The New Testament records a severe famine in the time of Emperor Claudius, predicted by a prophet at Antioch named Agabus. The famine became an occasion for others to show their love and concern; “The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea.” (Ac 11:29) Others’ distress can provide an opportunity for us to show our love and share the good things with which the Lord has blessed us. However wonderful or admirable our individual abilities and accomplishments may be, the weather reminds us there are many factors in life that are totally beyond our control; factors for which we need to trust God, and acknowledge humbly our dependence upon His mercy. Drought, crop failure, high feed or food prices, and hunger can point us back to heart-issues; particularly pride, humility, and our ultimate reliance upon the Lord’s goodness and provision. As the Apostle Peter exhorted, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1Pet 5:5-7) 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 Faith In the Festival, Through the Eyes of the Blyth Festival Plays JULY 29 ~ The Lonely Diner AUGUST 5 ~ The Devil We Know 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 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, JULY 29 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 tJuly 29: 2 Sam. 12:1-14 “A King’s Contempt, A Poor Man’s Lamb” Evangelical Missionary Church Worship with Communion 10:30 am at 211 North St., Blyth (home of E & Y Dow) Please bring a lawn chair. AUGUST: “Visitation Month” at area churches Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, July 29 Brussels Legion at 10:30 a.m. and in various homes at 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 Daily Vacation Bible School ~ August 20-24 at Brussels Arena 9:30 am to 12:00 noon. Register on line at brusselscommunitybiblechapel.com or call Rick Packer BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Sandra Cable, Worship Leader Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship Brussels United Church is closed for holidays in July. From the Minister’s StudyWeather reminds of factors beyond control By Denny Scott The Citizen Continued on page 20 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131 www.huronchapel.org Rev. Mark Royall, Sr. Pastor 10:30 a.m Morning Worship Service Got Married... Call for pricing & details 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 Share your news by placing your announcement in The Citizen