The Citizen, 1989-08-16, Page 8iikmuuiuiHi
PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1989.
Photo by Gregor Campbell.
Gregory and Marie Blake.
Mmister’s Study
Your labour is not in vain
BY PASTOR BOB BARNHART
BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD
“Near the end of the afternoon,
he tried to distract himself and
make his mind forget about his
body. Only then did he reflect on
the assignment. Dirt from one
place was being taken to another.
There was no purpose, no reason,
no meaning to the task. The
endless trips with the wheelbarrow
were a marching in place, a
marking time an excuse in futility,
“Tomorrow you can move the
dirt back to where we began,” the
guard announced to the group.
This was taken from a book
entitled “The Pastors Barracks”.
The man was a German pastor who
was imprisoned in a German
concentration camp for opposing
Adolph Hitler. That particular day
they were moving dirt from one
place to another and then moving it
back to the same place. As he said
in the book it was an exercise in
futility.
Have you ever felt like your life
was like an exercise in futility? Did
you ever wonder what your purpose
was in life? There has to be more to
life than just existing. Paul gives us
some encouragement. It is found in
first Corinthians, chapter 15, vers
es 57 and 58? “But thanks be to
God. He gives us the Victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore my dear brothers, stand
firm, let nothing move you. Always
give yourselves fully to the work of
the Lord, because you know that
your labor in the Lord is not in
vain.”
Moving dirt from one place to
another can be meaningless. But
when you work for the Lord it is
never in vain. When I say work for
the Lord I am not referring just to
pastors. All Christians can and
should work for the Lord. God has a
task for each of us to do. Ephesian
2: 10 “For we are God’s workman
ship, created in Christ Jesus to do
goo dworks, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.” God wants
to use each of us where we are at.
It is true that moving dirt was
meaningless but God used him to
touch the lives of many of the
prisoners plus I believe his book
will touch many more lives. That is
where his labor in the Lord was not
in vain.
Another beautiful aspect of
laboring for the Lord is that God
doesn’t judge like the world does. I
don’t have to publish a book to be
successful. I don’t have to pastor
the largest Church in Canada to be
a successful pastor. God wants me
to be faithful and do the best I can
where I am at.
Laymen can be used of God ’■ i
as much as a pastor. In fact tney
may have more of an influence
because people expect a pastor to
be good but when an ordinary
person does it, people sit back and
take notice. All of us need to give
ourselves fully to the work of the
Lord, knowing that our labor will
not be in vain.
^ BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH y-
Sunday,
August 20
King Street
Mr. George Cowan, Speaker
11:00a.m. Morning Worship
Newly-weds residing in This is the day that the Lord hath made.
SALTER - BLAKE
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, Molesworth was the sett
ing August 5,1989 for the marriage
of Marie Pearl Salter to Gregory
William Blake. Rev. Paul Cham
bers performed the ceremony,
assisted by Father Stan Soltysik.
The bride is the daughter of
Clayton and Katherine Salter, R.R.
1, Listowel and the groom is the
son of John and Irene Blake, R.R.
2, Brussels.
Maid of honour was Crystal
MacDonald, Listowel and brides
maids were Susan Hart, Listowel,
Karen Brears, Listowel and Deb
McLean, St. Catharines. Flower-
girls were Sarah Hart of Listowel
and Lacey McCall of Brussels.
Groomsman was Steve Blake of
Brussels and ushers were Don
Blake, Blyth; Michael Blake, Sea
forth; and Michael Salter, Listowel.
Ringbearers were Matthew Mc
Call, Brussels and Sebastion Hal-
zamer, Atwood.
Organist was Mrs. Michelle
Blake, Brussels and soloist was
Julie McCall, Brussels.
Following a reception held at the
Brussels, Morris and Grey Com
munity Centre, the couple enjoyed
a wedding trip to Florida. They are
residing at R.R. 1, Walton.
No Service
Trinity, Blyth.
ANGLICAN CHURCH
OF CANADA
August 20/89 Pentecost 14
MORNING PRAYER
LAY READER
11:15a.m.
St.John’s, Brussels
Westfield Church 100 years old
cream
7
ChurchWestfield
*•
MAIERHOFER-SPARLING
Mr. and Mrs. M. Keith
Schuman of Martinsville, In
diana, are pleased to an
nounce the forthcoming marr
iage of their daughter, Laurie
Anne, to Grant Rufus Steven
Sparling, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Grant R. Sparling, Blyth. The
wedding will take place Satur
day, August 26, 1989 at 6:00
p.m. at Calvary Bible Church,
Kalamazoo, Michigan.
BY EVA SNELL
On August 27, 1989 the congre
gation of Westfield Church is
celebrating a birthday - a very
special birthday - a 100th birthday
of the church.
The church has reached its
century mark and members are
about to turn the page of history
and enter its second century.
The Westfield Church was built
in 1889 on part of Lot 33, Con. 5 of
East Wawanosh. The land was
donated by Mr. John McClinton, a
highly esteemed gentlemen who
was a farmer and also a school
teacher in this area. James Young
of Auburn took the contract to
build the church for $1,414 and
sublet the mason work to McDon
ald and Coombs. Mr. Doherty, of
Clinton, and Mr. Neelands, of
Wingham laid the cornerstone. The
cornerstone was laid on June 25,
1889 followed by an ice
social. In October 1889 the church
was officially opened at which time
a tea party was held.
This church building was erected
by the ancestors of current mem
bers, the pioneers of this commun
ity. They gave of what little they
had to make this building a reality.
It is a treasure which the pioneers
have handed down to them and
entrusted to their care and keep
ing.
In 1920 after World War I, three
beautiful stained glass Memorial
windows were placed in the church
in memory of William Buchanan,
Ivan Wightman and Russel Woods
who paid the supreme sacrifice. In
1988 these three windows were
restored by the Edwards Glass
Company of London.
Over the years many new things
have been added to the building
and improvements made, but basi
cally it has been maintained in the
lifestyle of the period in which it
was built.
A church is a landmark - a
footprint of those who have travell
ed this way before. As one century
closes, another begins and they
trust that God will still use their
little church to be a witness for
Christianity in their community,
that the faith of their fathers will
not be lost to future generations
because of their apathy or neglect.
The cause for which this congrega
tion was established continues to
live, not in the building but in the
lives of its people.
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 Bible Study
Melville
Presbyterian Church
BRUSSELS
Rev. Carolyn McAvoy
11 A.M. MORNING SERVICE
SUNDAY SCHOOL
9:30 A.M. BELGRAVE SERVICE
1 BLYTH CHRISTIAN
4^ REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH
Sunday at 10 a.m. and 7:30 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