HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-09-13, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012.Rev. Tom Murray, Knox United
Church, Belgrave
Earlier this year our session,
stewards, and official board agreed
to a plan to involve the congregation
in the Back to Church Sunday
program in September of this year.
The date of the BTCS in Canada for
2012 is Sunday, Sept. 16, the day
after our Church Bazaar. By the way,
please do circle this weekend, and
plan to attend our Knox United
Church Bazaar on the Saturday
morning before the Back to Church
Sunday. The time of the Bazaar is
Saturday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
with soup and sandwich lunch from
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please do join
us!
The Back to Church Movement
began in the mind of Michael
Harvey, a layman and businessman
from Manchester, England in 2004.
At that time Michael gave up a high-
flying job in the City of London to
teach church leaders to see new
possibilities, using an approach that
quickly became established as Back
to Church Sunday. It was initially
started in the U.K., and since
then the BTCS movement has spread
to Europe, Australia and New
Zealand, North and South America
and other countries throughout the
world.
Michael, through this program,
challenges churches of all sizes to
double their congregation in a day –
by daring to invite their friends and
others in the community to come to
church with them on that Sunday.
The results have been remarkable.
Hundreds of thousands around the
world have rediscovered, renewed or
found their faith. As Michael puts it,
“It takes a very brave person to walk
into a church alone nowadays, but”
as he continues, “God is still
speaking to them. All they need is a
gentle invitation.” Will we respond
to this moment and offer an
invitation?
From between the covers of
Michael’s 2012 book, Unlocking the
Growth, what we hear is the
information and data that supports
the development of the Back to
Church Sunday as a world-wide
movement. What were we hearing?
That this is all about God - God
wanting his created back in a
relationship with him or her. How
we got the point, but missed the
person, meaning Jesus. That faith is
more than acts of worship; it is about
mission and discipleship. And
ultimately, that churches need to be
welcoming and inviting, whereas in
the vast majority of churches, we are
the ones stopping God from doing
what God wants us to do in our
generation. And finally, that the
question of an invitation; was largely
unpracticed. Exactly! When was the
last time you offered a gentle
invitation to someone and their
family to attend church with us? In
the BTCS movement, “We aim to
reach people who are not here
through the people who are.”
Success is inviting one person and
letting them make the decision
before God; the response of a yes or
no given is between those we invited
and God.
At the end of the day, this is a
program which must be rooted in the
heart of each individual or family. If
we wish to see this program happen
and for Knox to double in size, for at
the very minimum of one Sunday,
then we need to give prayer to the
possibility and power of the
simplicity of BTCS. When was the
last time someone came up to you
and asked if you could get them a
seat for this coming Sunday’s
worship! In speaking of his
experience of Back to Church
Sunday around the world, Michael
Harvey said this about his encounter
when in Canada to en-courage the
mission. Twenty per cent of the
people invited while 80 per cent did
not. Some reasons shared with him
about why 80 per cent of Canadians
he talked did not go about inviting
people were: fear of rejection, too
busy, and experience of rejection.
Other reasons included fear of what
their experience might be, fear of
yes, it's not my job; I don’t want
change, intrusion, or secret disciples.
The question for any church is:
Will we participate in the BTCS
movement? What do we have to
lose, after all, for jumping in feet
first? Absolutely nothing! We
will have the opportunity to
move significantly along the future
God has, and promised to have for
us.
I would like to take this
opportunity to encourage our
communities’ faith leaders to do
their own research and reading on
this growing movement. I
respectfully request you all to
consider an invitation to gather in the
waning months of this year to
discuss the possibility of our
working together for God’s
kingdom.
In the meantime, I look forward to
meeting the folks that people bring
to worship September 16 and
sharing bread with you following
our time together. God bless you
all!
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, September 16
Brussels Business & Cultural Centre
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
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
BRUSSELS
Sandra Cable, Pastor
Church Office 519-887-6259
E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am
Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
United Church
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
t Sept. 16: Mk. 9:2-13
Evangelical Missionary Church
“The Curtain
Pulled Back
on a
Mysterious
Identity”
Worship 10:30 am at
A&B Morrison’s,
39718 Amberley Rd.
(west of Wingham)
Coming Sept. 23 - new location
in Blyth, 308 Blyth Road!
250 Princess St., Brussels
519-887-6388
www.bmfchurch.com
Guests Welcome
Jesus Is Lord!
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
Worship Service 10:00 am
Sunday School 11:15 am
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
SEPTEMBER 16 ~ Sunday School Kickoff,
guest speaker Rachel Hearn
SEPTEMBER 23 ~ Why People Look Up To You...Yes You!
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
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
Olympians Begins
September 26th
at 6:30 pm!!!
Our children’s program for
kids JK-Gr. 6 begins iwth
“Barefoot Olympics” Night.
This is a night of games and
fun that requires bare feet!
It is also registration night
so bring your parents!!!
From the Minister’s StudyBack to Church Sunday returns Sept. 16
Got Married...
519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114
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