The Citizen, 2011-09-08, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011. PAGE 11. By Ernest DowLiving Water Christian
Fellowship
The news has been full lately of
dramatic revolutions in Mideast
countries collectively referred to as
the “Arab Spring”: regimes have
toppled in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya,
and others such as Syria have been
severely rocked.
Meanwhile, another revolution has
been proceeding quietly on the other
side of the planet.
For over 20 weeks, worshippers at
Shouwang (Lighthouse) Church in
Beijing, a large congregation that is
one of thousands of unregistered
“house churches” across China, have
been attempting to meet outdoors to
worship. Barred by government
actions against taking possession of
a $4 million facility they legally
purchased, they are protesting
nonviolently by trying to simply
gather outdoors for their worship
services. Each week more believers
are detained by police, and some
have lost their jobs or homes due to
harassment by officials.
Their persistent efforts represent a
real challenge to the monolithic
communist regime, for they refuse to
yield what they perceive to be their
religious right to gather to worship
freely, and they refuse to
compromise their faith by accepting
the restrictions and monitoring that
would accompany official
registration. As the weeks go by,
their non-violent protest is drawing
international attention to the
government’s obdurate violation of
basic human rights. In a country of
over 1.3 billion people, the
communist leadership shows little
tolerance for exceptions to the rule.
People must be round pegs to fit the
circular holes. Yet in such restrictive
circumstances, Biblical faith is
braving persecution to remind the
‘system’ that God made people with
certain human dignities and
value.
The website ChinaAid.org reports
the experience of a woman pastor
from Beijing’s Newtree (Xinshu)
church who attempted to join
Shouwang’s outdoor service Aug.
14. She was detained, harangued,
and intimidated by local authorities.
In response, she carried out a hunger
strike. In her account, she recalls a
previous incident which underscores
a prevalent devaluing of people
endemic in the national system
(please excuse the broken English
translation):“What do I protest against? I
protest against the abuse of power; I
protest against the destruction of
human relationships; I protest
against one’s personal interest being
held over conscience; I protest
against unrighteousness and the lack
of mercies; I protest against the
trampling and disregard of a human
being’s dignity and rights. I recall
that after I was detained for 48 hours
last time, I finally had an
opportunity to wash my face before
being released. A janitor waiting to
clean her mop was held up by me for
only a little bit time and she said in
all impatience, ‘You’ve already got
here. What’s the need of a clean
face?’ I responded out of instinct,
‘Though I’m here, I’m not a
criminal. Why can I not wash my
face?’ As soon as I finished my
reply, my heart was jumping with
fear. It was not because she had such
a disrespect for human rights, but
also because I discovered the
habitual consciousness of denial of
human rights that I have been
indoctrinated with. Why can’t a
criminal wash her face? Why did I
announce my right of washing face
by arguing that I am no criminal?
Isn’t this the universal cognitive
abilities in people’s heads? Is this
our cultural and habitual way ofthinking? This event has both
increased and deepened my
consciousness of our national crisis,
meanwhile also strengthening my
passionate hope for the faith to
become the backbone as well as the
soul of this people.” [emphasis
added]
In the secular communist view,
there is no God, no Creator; people
are merely biological accidents,
products of time and matter and
random selection. The Bible
presents a much different picture:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man
in our image, in our likeness...’ So
God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them...” (Genesis 1:26-
28).
Far from being cosmic chemical
accidents, in our original state we
bear God’s own image and likeness.
We are blessed, we have worth,
because God made us and calls us
into relationship. In the New
Testament, Jesus came to give His
life to redeem people, for we are all
sinners: He saw value in us despite
our most despicable failures. He
commanded us to love our enemies,
to love our neighbours as ourselves,
to value others not put them down.
He assured us we are of great value;“Indeed, the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Don’t be afraid;
you are worth more than many
sparrows.” (Luke 12:7).
Sometimes we are tempted to
devalue others who are inferior in
their abilities. Ontarians are
adjusting to a new emphasis on
accessibility for those who are
physically disabled. We may not be
burdened by communism as China
is, but we may unconsciously put
down those with physical
challenges.
A friend on Facebook quoted a TV
show which joked (in part) that girls
with one leg work at IHOP. I
immediately thought of someone in
our congregation who lost his leg in
a farm accident – someone who was
miraculously preserved from death,
endures great persistent pain, and for
whom I have the greatest respect –
and suddenly the joke didn’t seem so
funny. When we share God’s love
for other people, whether the
persecuted in China or ourchallenged neighbour up the street,
Biblical faith helps us attribute
worth and value to those who
might otherwise be scorned or
ridiculed.
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 11
No worship at BUC, 8:30 am at Emergency
Services Training Centre 9-11 Memorial
and/or 9:30 am at Thresher’s Service
Blyth Christian Churches
& the
North Huron Fire
Department
invite the public to a short service to mark the
10th anniversary of 9-11
Service will be held Sunday, September 11
at 8:30 a.m. in front of the new Fire Hall in Blyth
and will conclude at 9:04 a.m.
Participants will have time to join the Threshers
for the Church Service at 9:30 a.m. in Shed #3.
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Sunday School
begins at 9:25 a.m.
for all ages
10:30 a.m.
Worship Service
Guest Speaker:
Rev. Eugene Neudorf.
SOCCER TOURNAMENT,
BBQ & CONCERT
Saturday, September 17th
Huron Chapel is raising funds
to build homes in El Salvador.
If you have a soccer team that
you would like to enter,
please contact Rob Campbell
at 519-526-1131 or visit
www.huronchapel.org
for details.
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, September 11
Brussels Legion at 10:30 a.m.
and at various locations at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
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
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
Church Office: 519-357-4883
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, September 11
Rev. Perry Chuipka
www.nabcom.ca/church
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, September 11
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School will resume on September 11
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Please join us for 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
From the Minister’s StudyBiblical faith can attribute worth and value
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
Evangelical Missionary Church
Friday - Saturday
Sept. 9 & 10
Visit our Booth at the
Threshers for
home-baked pie,
cookies, free water, and confidential
prayer for personal needs!
Sun., Sept. 11
8:30 am -at new Fire Hall: 9-11 “Tenth
Anniversary Commemorative
Interdenominational Service.
9:30 am -Thresher’s Shed #3 -
Interdenominational Church Service.
See histories and historic
photographs on the
Huron History section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
The Citizen