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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-05-26, Page 16BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Rev. Cameron McMillan Manse 887-9313 11 a.m. Morning Worship Service "God comes In Unexpected Ways" Church School - Nursery 9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship Service Church School "As comes the breath of spring with light and mirth and song" Church Office 887-6259 HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 Sunday -10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour 11 a.m. - Hank & Janet Sonnenberg 8 p.m. - Evening Service Wednesday - 8 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study Friday - 7:30 p.m. - Youth THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA You are welcome this Sunday May 30 - Day of Pentecost Holy Eucharist Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Rector, The Rev. E. Paul Acton, 887-9273 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Carolyn McAvoy 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service We welcome you to come and worship with us. BRUSSELS MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP 9:25 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE Guest Speaker: Rev. Harold Shantz from Milverton Mennonite Fellowship 10:30 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 7:30 p.m. Evening Hymn Sing featuring "Cornerstone" Everyone invited. Pastor: Tom Warner 887-6388 Elder: Linda Campbell 357-1648 PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1993. From the Minister's Study A parable of a good samaritan is it to put your whole self into a competition? What prize are you after? How are you running the race that your life is? By Rev. Carolyn McAvoy Melville Presbyterian, Brussels Knox Presbyterian, Belgrave How are you running the race of your life? What is it to put your whole self into a competition? The Greek root of 'athlete' means `to compete for a prize.' What prize are we after? What is it to truly compete? The race was truly in the air as I entered the stadium that day. Everywhere I listened, there were excited murmurings about the outcome of the men's 3,000 m. "That American runner is incredible, the power ..." "Well, I'm betting on the two Kenyans." "The Canadian has a good shot, I think ... don't you think?" We crammed into our little seats, hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn being advertised by their enticing smells. Struggling to get comfortable, I shifted around in my seat, my runners sticking slightly to the cement below me. I looked down at the empty track. A prelude of organ music played by Glenna Buffinga greeted worshippers to the Blyth Christian Reformed Church, Sunday, May 23, at 7:30 p.m. After the call to worship, Psalm 84 was read responsively. Scripture was gleaned from Ephesians 6 verses 10-20, Judges 5 verses 6, and Judges 3 verses 31. The congregation was then given the opportunity to choose a few favourite hymn selections. The sermon began with a brief description of the situation as it existed politically in Israel in the era of the Book of Judges. The song of Deborah, in Judges 5 Rev. Peter Tucker of Belgrave Pastoral Charge was guest minister at Bluevale United Church Sunday morning. In his message he left the worshippers with many thoughts on communication. Technology has created many avenues of communi- cation which we can enjoy from our favourite chair, but do we fail in our daily lives to communicate fully, with our family, loved ones and with God. Before going down to Sunday School, the children gathered at the front and Rev. Tucker, using his Melville Church is busy preparing for its annual Maytime supper, to be held Wednesday, May 26. The ladies are getting organized and the managers have worked on some repairs, all in anticipation of this yearly fundraising and fellowship event. Drivers are lined up to deliver some meals to homes. Diners will enjoy an hors d'oeuvre and lovely hymns (played on the new CD-tape player given by Lloyd and Violet Heibein in memory of Sherry Souch), as they wait for the savoury tastes of the ham and turkey supper. Mother's Day was celebrated in a special way this year, with all the children making cards for the ladies of the congregation, and giving them out during the worship service. The junior choir shared in The blocks were set, the track clear, all was ready for the race. Off to the side I saw the athletes. They were busy taking off and putting on various clothing and jumping up and down, stretching, psyching up, trying to prepare themselves for this race. Anxiously they approached the starting blocks and set themselves up. The tension mounted. The noisy stadium had become silent, holding its breath. Each athlete was poised, eyes straight ahead, unwavering, muscles taut. "On your mark ..." Bang! The gun went off. There they went, bursting out of the blocks, speeding around the track. The runners jockeyed for position, taking turns being first and last, round and round the track. The crowd was breathing with them, feeling their heart beat, wiping off the sweat. What a race! One runner began to pull out, lengthening his strides as they got to the last lap. "Look, he's gonna take it." "Look at him go!" The crowd broke its silence, began to cheer, exploded. Then ... a collective gasp. outlines the reign of terror that the Philistine people had over the Israelite people. Citizens avoided the roads, caravans ceased their travel and fear prevailed. A man named "Shamgar", fought alone for God's cause. Through God's plan and Shamgar's efforts the Israelites were finally freed. Rev. Heersink drew a parallel to the battle that Jesus Christ fought alone, the victory on the cross for the redemption and freedom of man. This is a congruent to the battle Christians must take part in, he said. We need to have the courage to oppose the wrongs in this world and struggle to fight for what is ring as a symbol of love, told them there was no beginning and no end to love and reminded the children that God never runs out of love. His love is everywhere. The children's hymn was "Jesus, Friend of Little Children". Scripture passages were taken from Acts of the Apostles 1: 6-14, 1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11 and John 17: 1-11. The anthem "How Long Has it Been" was sung by Mary Lou Johnston and Eileen Sellers, accompanied by Etoile Johnston on the piano. Ed Powell and Jack Fischer were ushers. the music for the morning service, along with the senior choir. Also that day, members took time to consider that many were in the Manivan Larprom was pianist for the congregational singing at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship on Sunday, May 23, with Christa and Christine Knorr leading. Pastor Tom Warner gave the message. Next Sunday is pulpit exchange Sunday. Pastor Warner will be preaching at Crosshill, and Pastor Harold Schantz and the Drama team from Milverton Church will be in Brussels for the morning service. "No, ... no, it's horrible." The leader had stumbled and fallen. His leg hung in a grotesque fashion and he writhed in obvious pain, far from the help of coaches and first aid. The second place runner was nearing the felled leader. The crowd held its breath ... With visions of the gold medal hanging before him the runner ... pounded on ... BY, with the renewed vigour one has when he gets the break he has been waiting for. The third place runner (who was now in silver medal contention within a half lap) was coming up to the felled man. He rounded the corner, and in a profound movement, stopped his whole self, turned to the runner and offered him aid The race continued and three runners crossed the fmish line but no one noticed. NO ONE NOTICED WHICH ATHLETE WON THE PRIZE All eyes were on the twosome, far back on the track, the one clinging to the other as he limped towards the finish line. Back the questions crept ... what good and right. Rev. Heersink suggested some concrete ways in which this can be accomplished. We can take an active stand in politics, education, farming, science and other public issues. We live in the age of baby boomers, liberalism, materialism, modernization, and the era of decline in Christianity, he said. The Church is called to walk the highways of the Lord without fear. Rev. Heersink concluded saying, this is 1993, yet this is the year of the Lord. The hymn of response to the message was, "Christ Shall Have Dominion!" On Sunday, May 30, there will be confirmation, communion and baptism with Rev. Banks in charge. On June 6, the U.C.W. will lead the worship service in Bluevale with the theme being used on Conference Sunday, "The Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women." The prayers and best wishes of the Bluevale congregation go to Rev. and Mrs. Tucker and family as they enter a new pastoral relation- ship with the United Church at Elliot Lake. process of planting, and by blessing the seed and soil acknowledged the responsibility of caring for the land, Continued on page 18 On Sunday evening, the congregation gathered at Howard and Alice Martin's for a barbecue supper. Next Sunday afternoon, BMF will be in charge of a service at Hurordea. In the evening Brussels will host the Wellesley - West Cluster Service. There will be a concert by the Cornerstone Group from Brussels and guest pianist and song leader from Zurich Mennonite Church, at this cluster service. Christ's battle, sermon topic Love never ends, says pastor Melville plans busy spring BMF to host cluster service You are Welcome 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 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH--523-9233 GUEST MINISTER: Rev. Gerrit Heersink Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.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 Witeetcfuzir accessible