HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-05-27, Page 18PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 27,1992.
The Minister's Study:
Society has gone soft on law and order says Minister
BY JAMES H. CARNE, PASTOR
THE MISSIONARY
CHURCH, AUBURN
“For better, for worse,” is a
commitment to the future, and to
each other, that a couple makes on
their wedding day. It can be, also, a
sign of the times. Someone has said
that, in the “last days,” the “bad”
will get worse and the “good” will
get better. I think that this is an
accurate and observable description
of these days that precede the
winding down of history.
Let's look first at the “worse”
scenario. Governments get more
and more secularistic and amoral.
The advent of Sunday shopping
and casino gambling will tear even
further the fabric of our moral fibre
and will cast an increasingly
secularistic cloud over our society.
As much as one must deplore the
violent destruction of the
Morgentaler abortion clinic, yet the
NDP Government support of a man
who thumbed his nose at the law,
and the repair of his illegally-
established clinic out of the public
purse, are an abomination! Murder
and mayhem proliferate unabated
and reflect the little respect that
many people have for a society that
has gone soft on law and order. The
old humanistic philosophy that
Exchange Sunday
held at Brussels
Mennonite church
Sylvia Cameron was worship
leader on Sunday, May 17 at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.
Pastor Tom Warner gave an
inspiring message based on
passages from Thessalonians and
from II Timothy.
On Sunday afternoon the
congregation gathered at the home
of El win and Linda Garland for a
bridal shower for Heather Baan and
Richard Gerber who will be
married next month.
On Sunday, May 24, Exchange
Sunday was held at Brussels
Mennonite Church. Dave Rogolsky
of Poole Mennonite preached at
Brussels and Pastor Tom Warner
had the service at Poole. Sylvia
Cameron was the worship leader.
Thelma Steinman was song leader
and Heather Baan played the piano.
Dave Rogolsky preached on
stewardship and stressed the
Christian's obligation to give the
first fruits of his labour to the
Church or to God's work. The
scripture reading was from Acts 6.
The ladies met at the church on
Tuesday, May 19. The Milverton
ladies joined the Brussels ladies for
a joint meeting with Anne Snider as
guest speaker, sharing about low
self-esteem and depression.
The Youth and grade seven/
eights gathered at Warners on
Sunday evening for a wiener roast
and fireworks display.
observed that, “every day and in
every way we get better and
better,” can be hardly supported by
the statistics. So, the “bad” gets
worse.
To counter-balance the bad-to-
worse situation, there is also a
good-to-better picture: the Cold
War has ended; disarmament is
taking place on an unprecedented
scale; “iron curtains” are being rent
asunder and countries, formerly
inaccessible are opening up to
democracy and to the gospel;
Missions organizations and Bible
Societies are having to scramble to
keep up with demands for their
services; outreach ministries are
meeting with huge success in their
efforts. I read recently of a church
in Eugene, Oregon, that was started
seven years ago. The fact that a 17-
acre site has been purchased, a
1600-seat auditorium is a rather
notable accomplishment. The plans
that the church has to plant 100
new churches in the next few years
and their success in establishing
seven new congregations already in
its seven year history borders on
the phenomenal. This church
expects to see 800 people come to
faith in Christ in one year. I suspect
that they will not be disappointed.
In another instance a missionary
society, celebrating its golden
anniversary, tells how it developed
from the original six men who
founded it to an organization that
has included more than 3,000
missionaries who have established
600 churches among tribe groups in
23 countries. They have translated
the New Testament into 24
languages and are working on 100
more. Work is being carried on
among 200 language groups and 25
training centres in 10 countries that
have been established for the
purpose of training a steady stream
of missionary candidates. And this
represents the accomplishments of
only one of hundreds of missionary
agencies. The “good” is getting
David and Darlene Pullen
Couple marry in Londesboro United
Darlene Caroline Hulley and
David Stewart Pullen were married
Saturday, May 23, 1992 at 3 p.m.
in Londesboro United Church by
Reverend Paul Ross.
The bride is the daughter of Ken
and Betty Hulley of Londesboro,
and the groom is the son of Don
and Florence Pullen of RR 4, Clin
ton.
Maid-of-honour was Sandra
Howson of Blyth and the brides
maids were Denise and Ruth Hul
ley of Londesboro. Junior
bridesmaid was Crystal Hulley of
Clinton and the flower and ring
bearer was Kimberly Hulley of
Clinton.
Best man was Mike Pullen of
Clinton, brother of the groom.
Guests were ushered by Dean
Cartwright of Toronto and Rick
Steele of Exeter.
The soloist for the ceremony was
Marian Visser of London and the
pianist was Bryan Pickell of
Goderich. Rick Elliott of Blyth
played the bagpipes.
A reception was held at the
Seaforth Community Centre. The
couple will reside at RR 2, St.
Marys.
Angela Verburg and Tina Bos provide
musical prelude to Blyth CRC service
Greeters for the May 24 morning
service at Blyth Christian
Reformed Church were Calvin and
Cheryl Bakelaar. The musical
prelude to the service included
several selections with Angela
Verburg playing organ, and Tina
Boss playing the clarinet. The
opening hymn, No. 374, “This is
My Father's World”, was sung.
In the announcements it was
mentioned that Gerrit Beimers is in
St. Joseph's Hospital in London.
Also this Thursday at 8 p.m. there
will be a special Ascension Day
service.
After the announcements the
baptism of Mark James Siertsema,
son of Mike and Deb, was
administered, with guest pastor Mr.
Nathan Elgersma from Kincardine
officiating. Afterwards Marg
Siertsema performed a solo of
dedication entitled “Wordless
Ones.” Scripture for the morning
message came from I Samuel 3.
The sermon title was “Starting
Over”. In the illustration Samuel
receives a message from God that
he is to relay to Eli the priest. The
priesthood in Israel, under the
headship of Eli would soon be
terminated due to the stubborn
refusal of the Israelite people to
conform to God's laws. Eli and his
people would have to put off old
traditions and begin anew. In our
own lives sometimes we have to
venture beyond what is safe and
break out of traditional molds.
Mr. Elgersma said that we often
ignore the topic of judgement as it
is too frightening. Yet if we look
closely at the Bible we receive
comfort because we know that by
God's Grace our failures and messy
lives are not the end of the road.
Christ's forgiveness affords us the
grace to start over.
The morning service closed with
No. 314 as the hymn of dedication.
better! His people in these last days and,
So, it is not all doom and gloom. for them, the future is always “for
God is working mightily through better.”
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
May 31 - 7th Sunday of Easter
at
Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
The Rev'd E. Paul Acton, 887-9273
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11 a.m. - Morning Service
8 p.m. - Evening Service
Wednesday - 8 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study
Friday 7:30 p.m. - Youth
ETHEL UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
- 115th Anniversary Service
- Guest Speaker - Mr. Kevin Stewart
******
- Members of the Brussels' United
congregation are invited to attend the
Ethel United Anniversary Service.
Brussels service withdrawn******
"The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ the Lord"
you are ‘WeCcome at
the
BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults
11 -12:15 - Morning Worship
Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 McCONNELL ST., BLYTH
11:00 a.m.