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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-10-08, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2009.By Rev. Gary ClarkBlyth United ChurchI was at a wedding receptionrecently and I struck up a conversation with a total stranger. He spoke of his religious upbringing but that he no longer practised any organized faith at all. This in itself is not a surprise. I get that a lot from people. The interesting thing for me is that this person knew his Bible and since we were at a wedding feast we had a wonderful discussion about Jesus turning wine into water at a wedding feast.(John 2:1-11). We agreed that the story is about more than a miracle. It has to have something do with the ability of a people to celebrate in the midst of oppression. Jesus helped them take the water of sadness and turn it into the wine of joy. Of course, there are other overtones of Jesus’message of God’s love being the good wine which was saved until the last. But let’s not go there right now. The thing that caught my eye, in the midst of that discussion, was a couple who was not having a good time. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that the man was in the dog-house. He walked behind the woman with his shoulders slumped, his eyes downcast and no joy on his face. The woman wasn’t looking too happy either. I quipped to my new friend, “Look, those two are turning wine into water.” This weekend we celebrate Thanksgiving. We come together, often from far away, for the expressed purpose of giving thanks for family, land and the blessing that both bring. The question I have is with so manypeople not being “religious”anymore, who are we thanking? We could thank our ancestors for bringing us to this land. We could thank the First Nations people who gave up so much in our coming here. We could thank countless soldiers who either gave their lives or some of the best years of their lives to defend us. We could thank our parents who bore and raised us. We could thank the people who grew the food we willconsume from heaping plates. Wecould thank each other for how wehave added to the lives of friends and family. We could thank God for being in the midst of at it all. So many to possibly thank and yet I fear we barely give thanks enough for the one who passes us the potatoes. How can it be that a people so rich in the reasons to give thanks are so thank-less? Perhaps all our blessings come tooeasy to us. We have come to expect ascommon more than any othergeneration in the history of humankind. Millions in Asia before the storms and tsunami of the past week had only a fraction of the comfort and food security we enjoy yet we are less thankful than they. By our taking so much for granted we have turned the wine into water. Ironically our riches seem to be the source of our thanklessness. But then again maybe it is our loss of a connection to God that is at the root of the problem. Without placing God at the centre of our lives our own arrogance and pride rushes in to fill the gap. We can easily fool ourselves into thinking that we are the source of everything good in our lives. It’s kind of like the illusion of the self-made ‘man.’ This illusion conveniently forgets the parents who bore him, the education system that schooled him, the economic system who benefitted him and the countless others who worked for him or bought from him. This also means that the only one we have to thank is ourselves.My invitation to all who read thiscolumn this week is to take stock ofall those to whom you owe thanks and give them thanks! It will help us to learn again the joy of gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful spiritual gift. It can help to heal old wounds. It can bind broken relationships and remind us that love is the first gift of God. It can place God back in the centre of our lives. With God there we can face any sadness. With God there we can be reminded that we can rely on others and others on us. With God we can look at our many blessings and see them for what they truly are, gifts. It can change how we approach this Thanksgiving weekend. This is more than time to gather, it is a time to says out loud, “Thanks.” Believe me it will change every conversation you have and make it better. Wouldn’t you rather spend the weekend turning water into wine instead of wine into water? I know I do. Happy Thanksgiving! Praise The Lord was the theme for the Maitland Presbyterial Women’s Missionary Society meeting held on Monday, Sept. 21 at Knox Presbyterian Church, Molesworth. There was a time of fellowship and desserts were served by the Molesworth women before the meeting. President Joanne Lennips constituted the meeting with prayer. Rev. Linda Pasmore welcomed everyone. There was a sing-song, followed by the worship time taken from Psalm 150. Special music was provided by the Skinner Family from Listowel. Rev. Anne Yee-Hibbs, area educational consultant presented an introduction to the new study program for 2010-2011, entitled Staying Rooted in an Uprooted World. Guest speaker was Rev. Dr. Karen MacRae, minister from Belgrave and Belmore who spoke about doing her doctoral thesis on the 1997 Book of Praise. She gave an explanation as to how the hymns were chosen; all being Bible based. There is a reference section in the hymnal to cross reference hymns with Bible verses. Hymns range from very old to up- to-date including music and words from different cultures as well as Canada. Members sang many familiar hymns as well as learning new ones with the help of Rev. MacRae’s two assistants, Mary Simmons and Evelyn Dickson. Molesworth hosts Presbyterial From the Minister’s StudyTake some time to turn water into wine 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590 B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS O N , I N D I A N A “The Church is not a building, it is people touching people Sunday School 9:45 a.m. - Christian Education for all ages 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service Mid-week Bible Studies See you Sunday! Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 9:30 am Together for Worship 10:45 am Coffee Break 11:00 am Sunday School for all ages Noon Potluck Meal Everyone Welcome Pastor Brent Kipfer 519-887-6388 invites you to celebrate Thanksgiving MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-9831 11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School 9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service Please join us for worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00am Evening Service 7:30pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Pastor John Kuperus Hwy. 4, Blyth 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 Evangelical Missionary Church October 11:1 Tim. 6:6ff Happy Thanksgiving “Richly Provided, Richly Sharing” Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, October 11 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 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 October 11 Morning Prayer BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Sandra Cable, Worship Leader Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca Sunday, October 11 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 Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Blyth United Church Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark All Welcome Sunday, October 11 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. REV. DAVID WOOD 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 WEDNESDAY IS FAMILY NIGHT Beginning at 6:30 p.m. there are Bible-based programs and small groups for everyone between the ages of 4 through to 94! Nursery is also available.