HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-04-19, Page 25From the Minister's Study
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1989. PAGE 25.
"I don't pretend to understand but I still love you”
BY REV. CHARLES CARPENTIER
BRUSSELS AND ETHEL
UNITED CHURCHES
I no longer find it strange that
the Egyptians consider the cat
sacred. Around our place, the old
tom that came in our lives 12 years
ago as a two-week-old kitten is
practically worshipped!
A couple of months ago, my wife
decided to spend about three weeks
with our grandchildren and said to
me when she left: “Bon voyage,
and don’t forget to look after
Morris - the cat.” Bending down to
the old scrounger she stroked him
and said: “Now, be a good boy,
Morris, and don’t take any rubber
mice!”
That evening, before going to
bed. I was just lingering over a cup
of caffeine when he came in the
kitchen. He looked curiously. Then
he went to the basement door,
partly open, looked down, listened.
Plainly perplexed, he gave a little
meow, then went up the stairs to
our bedroom. I watched him. A few
minutes later, and almost in panic,
he bounced past me into the living
room. This time when he looked at
me, his expression was a study in
pathos. “Meow-ow” he said. “El
Catto” I told him, “you, too, have
become a prisoner of love.”
With a flash I remember that we
who are from the side of Christmas,
of Easter and of Pentecost are a
study of pathos, and prisoners of
love. After all, your Lord told you
bluntly: “This is my command
ment, that you love ....” Not an
invitation, but a command. True,
he does not compel your love, and
still he commands it. Why? Be
cause the love that Christ has in
mind, the love that makes you
Christian, the love that puts flesh
on your Easter life, is a relation
ship. You see, if it takes two to
tango, it takes two to love, you and
God in a relationship forever. This
is not pretty poetry, or sentimental
slush, or moonlight and roses, or
starry-eyed saints with lilies in the
hand. It is a tough love, and over
the ages countless men and women
have found it unreasonable.
But it is a love that means that I
can say “Look Lord, I don’t pretend
to understand you, but I still love
you. Though you puzzle me day
after day, I still love you. Though
you tolerate wars, and political
prisons, and bloated bellies on little
children, I still love you. Though
my father died very young from
cancer, I still love you. Sometimes,
I’m not sure why I love you; but
this 1 do know, that if you could
give your own Son to a bloodsoaked
death for me, you must care
deeply, more deeply than my dull
intellect can fathom.”
That is what our Christian
ANGLICAN CHURCH
OF CANADA
April 23/89 Easter 5
MORNING PRAYER
REV. PATTNUNN 887-9267
Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels
9:30a.m. 11:15a.m.
Theme: “God in Us. ”
pathos, and our Christian love, in a
nut-shell, harsh though it seems, is
the type of life God demands of
you. If you can master this, you
have found a new confidence. You
are fulfilled, for you are greater
than your environment. You are not
controlled. You control. You are
not the victim; You are the master.
And so, my friends, “Bon voy
age! Till we meet again, and don’t
forget the good Lord loves you, and
so do I.
'Christ is the door' minister says
Greeters at Blyth United Church
on Sunday were John and Vera
Hesselwood. The service opened
with a sing-song led by Cheryl
Cronin and Margaret Kai. In
charge of Junior Congregation was
Betty Lewis. Candice Howson was
the nursery leader.
The combined Intermediate and
Senior choirs sang “Sing a new
song until the Lord”. Ushers were
Brenda Brooks, Jim Walsh, Earl
Fyfe and Lenora Davidson. Hymns
were “Saviour like a Shepherd lead
us”, “All the way Our Saviour
leads us” and “He Leadeth Me”.
The title of the sermon was
“Jesus leads us into abundant
life”. In the scripture reading John
10 (1-10) Jesus relates the parable
of the good shepherd. Rev. Rami
rez explained how in this passage
Jesus refers himself to the one and
only door whereby we can enter
into God’s kingdom. Jesus is the
shepherd, we are the sheep. Those
that listen and follow his word will
find comfort, assurance and secur
ity.
Verse 9 says “I am the door, by
me if anyone enters in, he shall be
saved”. Rev. Ramirez made spe
cial note of the word ‘anyone’ in
this verse. This door is not an
exclusive door available only to
certain people but it is for all those
who believe on His Name - it is
open to anyone whatever your
class, colour or creed. When we
enter through this door Jesus says
“we will be saved and shall go in
and out and find pasture”. It does
not mean that life will suddenly
become rosy. We still have to be a
part of this world and will suffer
physically or mentally and we will
still be in sin, but Jesus will be our
shield, our slavation and our secur
ity. Like a parent encouraging his
child to walk his first steps, who
picks him up when he falls, Jesus
will help us to rise above our
troubles and failures. He will lead
us to abundan* life.
The service closed with the
benediction and choral response,
“God Loves You”.
d of Ed. approves prayer policy
A recommendation from the
Education Committee of the Huron
County Board of Education dealing
with the Lord’s Prayer issue was
passed at their April meeting.
It was decided that, “The open
ing exercises in all public, elemen
tary and secondary schools in
Huron County must include O’
Canada and may include The
Lord’s Prayer and/or a moment of
silence.
According to Committee chair
man, Graeme Craig the recom
mendation was made only after
consultations with school principals
and other school boards. Mr. Craig
believes that while this adheres to
the court’s ruling that one religion
cannot be given primacy over
another, it is also giving the people
of Huron County a bit of what they
were asking for.
The exact readings that will be
Sanctions, boycotts
topic at Sunshine Unit
The Sunshine Unit of the Blyth
U.C.W. met on Thursday, April 13.
Marjorie East and Alma Madill
were in charge of the worship,
using the theme “Life is a partner
ship”. Marjorie gave a reading
with the same title. The golden rule
is the royal law of abundant and
significant living: You must love
your neighbour as you do yourself.
Alma lead in prayer. A couple of
hymns were sung with Ella Rich
mond at the piano. This portion of
the meeting closed with Marjorie
reading “The Prayer of a Mother
Superior”. Ruby Pattison was in
charge of the study. She spoke on
sanctions against South Africa.
Sanctions are defined as penali
ties on moral issues and some do it
by boycotts, but mostly it is
economic sanctions imposed by
governments, etc. Most of our
banks withheld loans except the
Bank of Nova Scotia. The church
has imposed sanctions for compan
ies, to discontinue their invest
ments, like “Varity” who has a
large establishment in South Afri
ca. However, these do not always
have the desired effect and it has
hurt more blacks than whites, in
loss of jobs. This causes the black
people to slip back into poverty
from being middle class folk. Hope
for the blacks are in improved
education and of this they seem to
be getting less and less control.
Co-leader Bev Chambers took over
for the business portion of the
meeting.
Feme McDowell read the min
utes of the last meeting and 19
answered the roll call with a total of
107 sick calls and visits. It was
decided to have a bake table at the
garage sale May 12 from 7 to 9
p.m. They were also asked to save
Campbell soup labels for a school
for the deaf in Puerto Rico. The
meeting closed with the U.C.W.
benediction and a delicious lunch
was served.
appropriate in Huron County are
being investigated and a list will be
passed at the board level.
Mr. Craig explains that the
Board adopted its own position for
the system which trustees feels is
universal to the system. It had to
comply with legislation and they
believe it does. Also they have tried
to do what the community wants
and will accept.
The options for opening exercis
es are left largely up to the teacher
who the Board feels will do what
she/he believes will be appropriate
for the students. Each classroom
must sing O’ Canada following that
with a moment of silence, readings
that respect Canada’s multicultural
society, or nothing.
Also Arnold Mathers the HCBE
Superintendent of Program says
the Board has developed opening
exercises which are based more on
morals than religion and he sus
pects that more schools will be
using morals/values lessons in
addition to appropriate readings.
Genealogical
Society studies
church records
On May 3, the Huron Genealogi
cal Branch of O.G.S. will be going
on a bus trip to the United Church
Archives in Toronto. Members will
be researching United and Presby
terian Church records. The price of
the trip will be between $20 and
$25 depending on how many go.
Anyone interested in going, should
contact Mrs. Marie Dillman at
524-4451.
A BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
i King Street
Minister - Reverend Charles Carpentier
CTz Sunday, 11 a.m. Morning Service
April 23 Sunday School - Nursery Care
Minister’s Subject: “How to Glorify God.”
Lunch and presentation following service on Sunday.
God s love saves.
Melville
Presbyterian Church
BRUSSELS
Jim Gray, Molesworth
11 A.M. MORNING SERVICE
SUNDAY SCHOOL
9:30 A.M. BELGRAVE SERVICE
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
AUBURN
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE 526-7515
10 a.m. - Family Bible School
11 a.m. - Morning Worship
8 p.m. - Evening Service
Wed., 8 p.m. - Prayer and Btble Study
Sat., 10:30 a.m. - Kids’ Klub and Young Teens
i Blyth Christian
Reformed Church
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH
Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Rev. W.H. Lammers
Sunday School 11:00 a.m.
The Church of the “Back to God Hour” and “Faith 20”
Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX, Sunday
Faith 20 5:00 a.m. weekdays, Global T.V.
ALL VISITORS WELCOME
Start a clean page
Whether it’s in family life, career, or spirituality, sometimes
we need to start a clean page Not necessarily through
quitting, divorce, or running away, but through the forgive
ness possible irt'Christ. That’s not easy.
Whether you’re single, married, young or old, at our church
you’ll find people who are trying to care, reach out, and
love. Like Christ taught. Start a clean page this week: join us
for worship and in our search to care for each other.
Brussels
Mennonite Fellowship
Welcomes You
239 TURNBERRYST., BRUSSELS
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:30 a.m. Family Bible Study
Counseling & Referral Services Available
Douglas & Miriam Zehr, Co-pasters
[0)887-6’12or [H]887-6112