HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-07-15, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010.
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
Township Council heard from a sect
of Amish ratepayers, who are having
problems with the new Ontario
building code during its July 6
meeting.
The representatives claimed that
they were having problems with new
building codes that prevented them
from practicing their cultural right of
building their own homes.
A new standard of building came
into effect on January 1, which
requires all windows in a home to be
Canadian Standards Association
(CSA) approved for thermal
retention as a means of reducing fuel
consumption and emission.
The handcrafted windows that
the Amish community uses are
not approved.
Building supervisor Kirk
Livingston suggested that there are
By Rev. Dr. Peter Kugba-NyandePastor, Walton and Bluevale
United Churches
I’ve been part of the Learning
Circle, a group of ministers in
Huron-Perth Presbytery who studied
a book entitled,Saving Paradise by
Rita N. Brock and Rebecca Ann
Parker.
Saving Paradise provides a history
and theology that offers an eye-
opening exploration of the mixture
of spiritual vision and imagination
that has marked many of the
great figures of the western
Christianity.
“During the first millennium,
Christians filled their sanctuaries
with images of Christ as a living
presence in a vibrant world. Jesus
appears as an infant, a youth, and a
bearded elder, a shepherd, a teacher,
a healer, an enthroned god,”
according to the authors. “Paradise
is simultaneously this earth, a
beautiful, luminous creation, and the
realm of the dead, which is
connected to the living but separated
by a thin veil through which the dead
can pass to accompany, bless or
guide the living.”
That means paradise can be
experienced here on earth and after
death in heaven, a view held by most
religions in the world.
Life in paradise does not mean
that conflict or despair or injustices
are eliminated. It means being
present, fully feeling, and
passionately engaged is possible and
that the struggle for life can be
sustained. In a world with diverse
cultures and religions, theresponsibility to experience paradiseon earth is the responsibility of the
entire community including both
religious and political leaders.
Humanity is accountable to the
Creator for maintaining the integrity
of God’s wonderful creation.
In December 2009, politicians,
scientists, environmental activists
and religious leaders from around
the world including Archbishop
Emeritus Desmond Tutu, the
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams and the Moderator of
the United Church of Canada
joined the United Nations
Climate Change Conference at
Copenhagen. Why are religious
leaders attending these
highly technical talks? And what
does faith have to do with climate
change?
In a statement, they said, “We
believe the United Nations Climate
Change Conference is a place where
faith and science must intersect. The
future of our children is at stake,
finding a way forward required their
attendance to the best science
available, so we are firmly grounded
in reality. But it also demands that
we recognize the spiritual values that
have guided humans for centuries so
we can work toward a vision of
wholeness.”
Climate change could have
“significant negative effects on
global mental health,” according to a
new scientific report in the journal
Psychological Medicine. The author,
U.K. psychiatrist Lisa Page, cites
“altered patterns of infectious
disease, injuries from severe weatherevents, food and water scarcity andpopulation displacement” as
mechanisms by which global
warming could cause “an increase in
the overall burden of mental disorder
worldwide.” The oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico is an example of
environmental disaster that affects
the livelihood of millions in years to
come.
The G8 and G20, consisting of
Argentina, Australia, Brazil,
Canada, China, France, Germany,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Republic of Korea, Turkey,
the United Kingdom and the United
States of America met in Toronto
from June 25-27. The agenda
included development; food
security; Africa; environmental
sustainability and green recovery;
trade and investment and
international peace and security.
The summit promised to ensure a
full return to growth with quality
jobs, to reform and strengthen
financial systems and to create
strong, sustainable and balanced
global growth. Guided by an
International Monetary Fund report
that was written specifically for the
summit, the leaders said they could
create millions of jobs and generate
trillions of dollars globally. The way
out of the fragile recovery is based
on continued fiscal stimulus,
strengthening social safety nets,
pursuing structural reforms and
evening out global demand.
According to the authors, “We re-
enter this world as sacred space
when we love life fiercely and, in thename of love, protect the goodnessof earth’s intricate web of life in all
its manifold forms. We feast in
paradise when we open our hearts to
lamentation, to amplitudes of grief
for all that has been lost and cannot
be repaired…We recommit
ourselves to this world as holy
ground when we remember the
fullness of life that is possible
through our communities, our life-
affirming rituals, and our love of
beauty.”
Entering paradise in this life is not
an individual achievement but the
gift of communities that train the
perception and teach the ethical
grace. Paradise provides deep
reservoirs for resistance and joy. It
calls to embrace life’s aching
tragedies and persistent beauties, to
labour for justice and peace, to
honour one another’s dignity and to
root our lives in the soil of this good
and difficult earth.
Paradise can be experienced as a
spiritual illumination of the heart,
mind, and senses felt in moments of
religious ecstasy and it can be
known in ordinary life lived with
reverence and responsibility.
As the Bible says, “For God soloved the world that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him will never be
perished.”
The family of God includes all
who believe in him in the past, all
who believe him in the present and
all who will believe him in the
future.
Concern over windows mounts
From the Minister’s StudySaving Paradise can be done on Earth
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Upcoming Events:
Vacation Bible School
will be at the Blyth CRC on July 26-30th
Outdoor Service and Potluck Picnic
will be on Sunday, August 1 at the Blyth Lions Park.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
,
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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
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Speaker:
Ivan Preston
No Sunday School
for summer months
ATHLETES IN
ACTION
SOCCER CAMP
August 16th - 20th
Room is still available,
call the church office
to register
519-526-1131
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, July 18
Brussels Arena at 10:30 a.m.
and various homes 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:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Brussels and Ethel United churches
are closed for the month of July.
Everyone is invited to worship at Melville Presbyterian.
Service time 10:00 a.m.
Outdoor Church Service ~ July 25 at 11:00 a.m.
at the Conservation Area. Potluck lunch.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JULY 18
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
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, July 18
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Sunday, July 18
Worship Service at 11 a.m.
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
July 18 - 2 Thess. 2
Humanism’s Doom,
Truth’s Tenacity
Shared summer services
at Blyth Community
Church of God at 10:30 am.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Continued on page 15