HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-10-27, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011.By Pastor Ernest DowLiving Water Christian
Fellowship (EMC), Blyth
It’s been over a month since the
“Occupy Wall Street” (OWS)
movement began. The protest has
spread to over 80 countries,
including dozens of major cities
such as London, Chicago, Rome,
Brussels, and Frankfurt – not to
mention cities in our own country.
What’s it all about? An informative
article in the Montreal Gazette
(Oct.18/11, Who's occupying Wall
Street and what do they want? A
primer) summarizes it this way:
“Protesters say they are concerned
about income inequality in a post-
bailout, high-unemployment
economy. They say they’re upset the
top one per cent of earners are
improving their incomes at the
expense of the remaining 99 per
cent, with many middle- and low-
income earners left behind.”
Apparently it is creamy at the top.
The article points out that, in 2009,
the top one per cent of Canadians
earned about 11 per cent of total
income in the country, while the top
one-fifth took home about 51 per
cent of total income. That means the
remaining four-fifths of the
population share less than half of the
total pie.
Alarmingly, the gap between rich
and poor is growing. The article cites
a recent report which found:
“Between 1982 and 2007, the share
of total income going to the richest
one per cent in Canada nearly
doubled to more than 14 per cent
from about eight per cent.” A senior
economist and author of the report
concludes this is leading to growing
instability; the trickle-down theory
of wealth is no longer working.
However, when we look at income
inequality on an international scale,
the figures are even more startling. A
well-referenced Wikipedia article
notes, “The richest one per cent of
people in the world receive as much
as the bottom 57 per cent;” and,
“The three richest people... have
assets that exceed the combined
gross domestic product of the 47
countries with the least GDP.” It’s
hard to fathom such wealth!
So, for an ordinary person, it’s
easy to assume that we must be part
of the “99 per cent” that OWS
protesters claim are getting shafted
by big banks and corporate greed.
Yet the Gazette article ends with an
observation that may bring us up
short. While Canadians earningabout $200,000 annually constitute
the top one per cent in this country,
when you start looking at the global
picture, “Anyone paid
approximately $53,000 CDN a year
or more is included in the top one
per cent of worldwide income
earners...”
That would put quite a few of us in
the top one per cent! According to
2005 Census data for the Township
of North Huron, median income of
all families comes in at $65,689.
Granted, in many cases that includes
more than one income-earner, but it
still compares very favourably with
the $53,000 benchmark that
separates the “one per cent” from the
“99 per cent” globally.
Theologians talk about God’s
“preferential option for the poor”. In
the Biblical view, when we help the
poor, we lend to God and honour
God. Consider these verses: “He
who oppresses the poor shows
contempt for their Maker, but
whoever is kind to the needy
honours God.” “He who is kind to
the poor lends to the LORD, and he
will reward him for what he has
done.” (Proverbs 14:31; 19:17) And
in Jesus’ own account of the King
judging between the sheep and the
goats – what was the main
difference? “The King will reply [tothe sheep], ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of Mine, you did
for Me.’” For the goats, it was –
“Whatever you did NOT do for one
of the least of these, you did not do
for Me.” (Matthew 25:40, 45).
Canadians are the envy of many
people in other countries of the
world. We take for granted universal
health care, excellent educational
systems, professional-calibre
emergency services, overflowing
supermarket shelves, and
opportunities for employment that
simply do not exist in many areas of
the globe. Before we assume we
belong to the ‘99 per cent’ less-
privileged, let’s remember our
obligation to be generous toward
those in the poorer 99 per cent
globally who try to eke out an
existence on a mere couple of dollars
a day. In the Oct. 20 issue of The
Citizen, Publisher Keith Roulston
pointed out sagely, “We – most of
the 99 per cent – have been happy to
buy products made by people
making less in a day (or in a week)
than our workers make in an hour.”
The following is attributed to St.
Augustine: “God does not demand
much of you. He asks back what He
gave you, and from Him you take
what is enough for you. Thesuperfluities of the rich are the
necessities of the poor. When you
possess superfluities, you possess
what belongs to others.” What
‘superfluities’ can we share with
others, from that with which God
has blessed us materially, in order to
make the whole world a richer
place?
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, October 30
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 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
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
Roast Beef Supper - Saturday, October 29, 4:30-7:00 pm
For cost and tickets call 519-523-4224
OCTOBER 30 - Children: Our Expectations Become Their Path.
Kids have a costume Halloween party.
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, October 30
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
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
October 30: Matt. 22:1-14
Too Busy, Too Hasty:
Finding Guests for
the King’s
Banquet
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women At The Well
Evangelical Missionary Church
THIS SATURDAY:
FREE COMMUNITY BREAKFAST
at Memorial Hall, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
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, October 30
Rev. Perry Chuipka
www.nabcom.ca/church
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 7:00 pm
in the Clinton CRC
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.
Rev. Mark Royall speaking
ADULT FELLOWSHIP
‘GAMES NIGHT’
Saturday, October 29th
at 7:30 pm
Join us in the
Fellowship Hall and
remember to
bring your
favourite
snack and
game!
From the Minister’s StudyA new perspective on top one per cent
See histories and historic
photographs on the
Huron History section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
The Citizen
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