HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-05-24, Page 11By Pastor Brent KipferBrussels Mennonite FellowshipWhen I was a preschool child, my
great-grandfather and I had a ritual.
Walking together between the two
houses on our farm, we would stop
at an apple tree along the path. He
would hoist me up to a particular
branch. “Look at that apple,” he
would say.
It was barely more than a bud.
Every time we passed the tree, he
would point to the same apple – at
first small and green, eventually
large and red. I was eager to see its
progress; he took delight in my
wonder at the world.
“One generation will commend
your works to another,” the writer of
Psalm 145 declares to God.
Do you ever think about the legacy
you want to leave for future
generations? What vision for life do
you want to impart? What priorities,
values and goals do you want to
instill? Often we are unconscious of
our teaching.
Some children were once playing
inside on a rainy day. They were inthe living room. Their mother wasworking in the kitchen. At one point,
she heard the children’s voices
getting louder and louder. Finally
she went to the door and scolded
them for arguing.
“That’s not the way to act,” she
said. “Nobody is happy and helpful
when you argue like that.”
A young child responded, “But
Mom, we weren’t arguing. We’re
just playing Mom and Dad.”
Children learn what they see.
In our short time on earth, we
leave a legacy whether we are
intentional about it or not.
Psalm 78 begins with a vision of
older generations sharing God’s
word and wisdom with younger
ones. As they do, both young and old
are renewed through the stories of
God’s mighty work:
So each generation can set its hope
anew on God, remembering his
glorious miracles
And obeying his commands.
Each generation is called to share
the truth and love of God with thenext generation, to unfold:1. the wisdom of God in creation,
2. the good news of Jesus Christ in
salvation, and
3. the empowering of the Holy
Spirit in daily living.
My great-grandfather oriented me
to the world God has created, but he
did more than that. I do not
remember him primarily for the
information he passed on to me - but
for the relationship he built with me.
Love is at the foundation of God’s
creation and he has designed us to
first experience it through our
families.
As wonderful as it is, creation
wisdom is not enough. The world is
in a mess. Beauty and ugliness
coexist. God’s good creation is in
trouble. Because of our sin, we are in
trouble. Because of that, I want to
impart knowledge and love of Jesus
Christ, Saviour and true Ruler of the
world. It is never too early to begin.
A three-year-old girl was taken to
the doctor because she had the flu.
Her name was Katie. When thedoctor looked in her ears, he asked,“Will I find Big Bird in here?”
Katie was taken aback - but she
knew the answer. She gave a firm,
“No.”
Then, as the doctor was getting
ready to look in her throat, he asked,
“Will I find the Cookie Monster in
here?”
Again, Katie answered no.
Finally, as he was listening to her
heart, the doctor asked, “Will I find
Barney in here?”
The little girl looked at him
directly in the eye and said, “No.
Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my
underwear.”
Her family had introduced her to
Jesus. Will her three-year-old
understanding of Jesus need to grow
to serve her in later life? Of course.
But a legacy was in progress.
Finally, God calls us to model and
teach a dependence on the Holy
Spirit. In the end, we cannot provide
the strength, creativity and direction
that younger generations will need to
face the challenges they will meet.
They need to discover the power of
God for themselves.
We can, however, lead the waythrough lives that are marked bylove, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control. This will require us
to keep learning and repenting and
growing in our passion for God and
God’s reign in our lives.
My great-grandfather inspired me
to keep learning. When he was in his
80s he began to read the Bible in a
new translation: The Good News
Bible.
One time he was reading Matthew
17 and made a new discovery. In all
his years of reading the Bible in
older German and English
translations, there was one detail that
had escaped him.
He eagerly wanted to talk about it
with my mother.
He asked her, “Did you know that
Jesus got his disciples to take a coin
out of a fish’s mouth?” That had
never been plain to him before. He
continued to learn and share his
discoveries about Jesus with others.
Though he was probably not aware
of it, that formed part of his legacy in
my life.
What legacy will you leave?
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2007. PAGE 11.
Continued from page 1
Story: Road from Vietnam.
Phuc now lives in the Toronto area
with her husband and two sons and
has been on the road lately spreading
her message throughout Ontario,
including visits to Zurich, Listowel
and Hanover.
Pastor Dave Wood connected with
Phuc through a friend and knew right
away that listening to Phuc speak is
something the people of Auburn
would want to hear.
“I thought it would be an
interesting story. It’s a picture that
most people from 40 up would
remember; the Napalm Girl,” Wood
said.
“I think she’ll bring a message of
forgiveness. She’s going to share her
story, then and now, and how she
managed to cope.
Wood says this event has been
months in the making and he’s
hoping that Phuc’s message can
reach as many as possible in the
area.
Wood said that over the last few
engagements, Phuc has averaged an
audience of approximately 600. He
says the chapel can hold about half
that, so seating is limited.
Tickets are $7.50 each and can be
obtained by calling (519) 526 - 1131.
Tickets are also available at Radiant
Life and Abundant Health in
Goderich and at the Gift Chest in
Wingham.
From the Minister’s StudyPastor speaks of a legacy worth leaving
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
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Sunday
9:45 a.m.
Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Yard Sale
Saturday, May 26 ~ 9 am
in Church Parking Lot
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
Sunday, May 27
Ethel United Church
Worship Service & Sunday School
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service & Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
SUNDAY, MAY 27
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 519-887-9273
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Worship Service,
Sunday School & Nursery ~11:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 27
All Welcome
Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. - Family Night with “Olympians”
7:00 p.m. - Adult & Youth Bible Study
Something for everyone!
Call the church for current Youth events
HURON CHAPEL
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 519-526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
& PASTOR DON PLANT JR.
May 26th, Special Guest, Kim Phuc
limited seating ~ call for ticketsgetlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Sunday, May 27 – Pentecost
Evangelical Missionary Church
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
Mondays 7:30 pm -Prayer Warriors
Tuesdays 7:30 pm -Wingham Small Group
“Following Your Passions
to Discover
God’s
Call - Pt.2”
Communion
Pastor brings story here
Farmers
hold oour
future iin
their
hands
Farmers have maintained the
knowledge and biodiversity that
is the basis of the planet’s food
supply for thousands of years ...
and counting.
Visit oour wwebsite: wwww.usc-ccanada.org
or ccall 11-8800-5565-66872 tto ppledge
your ssupport ttoday!
Charity Reg. # 11927-6129-RR0001
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, MAY 27
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 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
To find out more about offering high school students work experience contact the
Foundation for Enriching Education Perth Huron
at 519-527-0111 ext 231 or visit www.foundationforeducation.on.ca
Training students today creates a pool of
skilled workers for tomorrow
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