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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2010-05-06, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010. Keuntae Lee, an exchange student currently living with Blyth United Church Reverend Gary Clark, has found Canada to be quite different from his native South Korea in the nearly six months that he has been here. Lee, who turned 15 on February 6, has been in Canada since late December, and will remain until July 20. One of the biggest adjustments, according to Lee, is school. In South Korea, students would sometimes attend school six days a week, and take six or seven courses, which is a stark contrast to the four courses he is taking at F.E. Madill five days a week. Lee also spent extra time at school in South Korea. “I tutored while at school, so I was at the school longer, sometimes 12 hours a day,” he said. Currently, Lee spends his spare time doing homework, relaxing and taking English as a Second Language courses in Wingham. Lee knows that learning English will provide him with a leg-up in the global community and set him up for great success in his home country. “Knowing English has a huge effect in Korea,” he said. “English is very important to get a good job.” Currently, he wishes to be a teacher, but, by his own admission, his career ambitions change very often. His desire to be a teacher is born out of the great experience he has had with teachers in Canada. “Here school teachers are very great,” he said. Lee started learning English during a trip to North America when he was very young, but had to re- learn it for this trip. The process for becoming an exchange student isn’t a particularly arduous one according to Lee, but it is an expensive one. A student has to acquire a visa, permission from the school, insurance and guardians in the host country, as well as “lots of money,” Lee said. Lee says that everyone in Canada has been great, especially his Canadian guardians, Clark and his partner Kathy Douglas, as well as other landed immigrants from South Korea. He also said that friends at school, teachers and friends of his guardians have made his trip possible and fun. By Pastor Ernest DowLiving Water ChristianFellowship (EMC), Blyth It’s been wonderful to enjoy the warmth of spring temperatures, to look out the windows and see the daffodils, tulips and other flowers coming into bloom. Yet, looking out the windows, I am also made aware of the need to clean them - last season’s smudges on the glass and fuzz on the screen suggest a thorough cleaning is long overdue. It’s also a much-needed spiritual discipline to let God in to examine the smudges and grime in our soul; we need His help for an inner clean- up. This starts with acknowledging the authority of the Almighty - God’s power or right to have sovereign control in our lives. Is this a dictatorial authority to dread, as with some human despots? Sir Thomas More (who knew a thing or two about authority, being King Henry VIII’s chancellor until he made the fatal decision to challenge the king’s ethics) wrote: “Men desire authority for its own sake that they may bear a rule, command andcontrol other men, and liveuncommanded and uncontrolled themselves.” Is God’s type of authority like that, or is it different? What is its objective, purpose, or goal? The Bible reveals that God’s authority actually benefits us humans. As Jesus told His disciples, it’s not a throw-your-weight-around like the Gentile rulers who exercise authority; true authority or greatness in Jesus’ realm means becoming a servant, slave of all, just as Jesus served by giving His life as a ransom Mark: 10:42ff). How does God’s authority serve us? Look closely at Acts 5:31-32: the apostle Peter states, “God exalted him [Jesus] to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that [note: preposition to a purpose clause] he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” The number one benefit God’s authority provides is repentance and forgiveness of sins to deal with ourguilt – guilt that’s so much moreobjectionable and marring than those unsightly smudges on the windows. Peter put it back in 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord...” and v26, “When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” Repentance and forgiveness so we’re no longer locked up by our guilt; our heart becomes unblocked, able to love others. Once our spiritual house gets its spring cleaning, there’s a new inhabitant - the Holy Spirit (v23), ‘whom God has given to those who obey Him’. 3:19 refers to this as ‘times of refreshing’that ‘come from the Lord’. It’s because of God’s authority serving us that we can receive the Holy Spirit, our Helper, Companion, Paraclete. Praise God for the authority which can be ours in the Risen Christ when we receive Him by faith - an authority to be bold, free, delivered from guilt, indwelt by His Spirit.An example of someone who’sseen God’s power unleashed in an amazing way to serve hurting people is Wendy Hagar, a mother of two who is a member at Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church in Burlington. Back in early 2000, Wendy learned of 40 needy orphans in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and became determined to send them 100 pyjamas, mitts, and gift bags. But that’s where the God factor stepped in. A ChristianWeek article notes that she recalls, “It seemed everything I touched turned to gold. Everywhere I went, people wanted to help me.” Gifts of shoes, pants, t-shirts, sewing machines, desks, medical equipment and school supplies were left on her doorstep until her house was overflowing. On May 1 Sew on Fire Ministries celebrates 10 years of donating more than 165,000 gift bags to 90 countries and 32 Canadian cities. Wendy didn’t set out to do that. But she made herself available to God and He blessed many others through her. Bolstered by God’s empowering, she’s laying her lifedown to serve and witness. She says,“Our lives are like vapour. I want to be effective; I don’t want to just be busy – I want to be busy doing Kingdom work.” The funny part in all this is that the founder of Sew on Fire Ministries confesses, “I hate sewing” then adds, “but the joy of giving is incredible.” Her desire with the upcoming 10- year celebration is to give God the glory for what He’s done. She adds, “If you step out in faith, He’s going to bless you.” YOU ARE WELCOME 9:45 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning Worship Mid-week Bible Study C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS O N , I N D I A N A Timeless Truths For Today 308 Blyth Rd. E., Blyth Pastor Les Cook ~ 519-523-4590 Blyth Community Church of God Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, May 9 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: Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Chris McMichael 519.482.1644 119 John’s Ave.,Auburn 519-526-1131 www.huronchapel.org 9:30 a.m. Sunday School & Small Groups 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship Service Guest Speaker: Rev. Eugene Neudorf Special gift for all the moms! BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Sandra Cable, Worship Leader Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca Sunday, May 9 Mother’s Day Sunday Services & Baptism 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 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Welcomes you to come and worship with us Trinity, Blyth 9:15 a.m. 519-523-9595 St. John's, Brussels 11:15 a.m. 519-887-6862 Sunday, May 9 Please join us for worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00am Evening Service 7:30pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Pastor John Kuperus Hwy. 4, Blyth Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Blyth United Church Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark All Welcome Sunday, May 9 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. getlivingwater.org Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Living Water Christian Fellowship 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 Fridays 7:30 pm - Youth Group Christ-centred, Bible-believing, Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared May 9: Acts 16:11ff, 18:24ff “Lydia & Priscilla: Home-based Ministry” Happy Mother’s Day! MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, MAY 9 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-2664 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School From the Minister’s StudyPower to help spring-clean the soul Exchange student stays with Blyth family By Denny Scott The Citizen