HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-02-09, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1994.
From the Minister^} Study,
Studying transfiguration
By Rev. Jock Tolmay
Blyth United Church
I enjoy leaded glass windows,
looking at them or making them.
They represent an ancient and
glorious heritage going back 1,000
years. They have been used to
embellish the greatest civic and
religious buildings of the Christian
era.
Out on the street as you walk the
dog in the evening, they enact old
sagas of saints and heroes, gigantic
colour-slides projected against the
dark. From the inside, whether you
are in a vast sanctuary or in the
front room of a tum-of-the-century
farmhouse, they transform the very
air around you.
They are impossible to make. O,
not the craft itself: the cutting,
grinding and soldering are pretty
mediocre skills, once you come to
terms with the unforgiving nature
of the glass. It is the nature of light
itself that throws you. You see, you
never look at a window, really,
unless you are cleaning it.
Windows are for looking through,
not at. The problem is that light
treats different colours differently
as it passes through the glass. You
can plan as carefully as you like,
when you put the window in place
there are always surprises - usually
pleasant ones. Some colours just
jump out at you, and it is as though
the window takes on a life of its
own.
What does all this have to do
with the Transfiguration?
Many churches will be looking at
this strange story this coming
Sunday. Jesus, accompanied by the
inner circle of his disciples, retreats
to a high mountain, where they are
subjected to a real Cecil B. de Mille
experience. Jesus' appearance is
changed, his face starts shining and
his clothing becomes dazzling
white. Moses and Elijah, two of the
main characters from the Old
Testament, suddenly appear in
glory. Next a bright cloud covers
Guest pastor
at CRC service
Rev. Kevin De Raaf of Owen
Sound led both worship services
and the sacrament of holy
communion av Blyth Christian
Reformed Church, Sunday. The
scripture reading was taken from
Hebrews 13: 1-21 The sermon title
was "Faith to Carry Thorough".
Rev. DeRaaf asked the
congregation members who as
parents, they can develop a pure
and lasting faith in their children.
This is a very difficult question, he
said, because adults struggle with
their own faith. How can they keep
their faith when the world is so
busy and the church seems to be
out of date, he asked?
Reading Hebrews, chapter 13,
people see the Bible is not outdated
at all, he said. This chapter reminds
us that to keep on loving each other
as brothers, marriage should be
honoured, keep your lives free from
the love of money and to be content
with what you have.
In this chapter God also says that
he is always there. "Never will I
leave you; Never will I forsake
you." This should give us enough
confidence to live our lives with the
faith God wants to have, Rev. De
Raaf said. God calls us to be living,
acting servants. If we are firmly
rooted by God we will be
continually growing, developing
and learning to live our lives in the
strength of God.
Next Sunday is Cadet Sunday.
Elder Bert Sjaarda will lead the
morning service and elder Martin
Wilts the afternoon service.
them all - nice touch! - and out of
the cloud the Voice of God affirms
the unique nature of this ex-blue
collar worker from Nazareth. Then,
quickly as it started, the show is
over, and there is just a stunned
silence.
What did it all mean? Was it for
Jesus' sake, to reassure or undergird
him before the final conflict? Was
it for the disciples' sake, to clarify
who Jesus really was?
John, one of the witnesses may
be referring to this event when he
says, "We saw his glory, the glory
which we received as the Father's
only Son". Peter, another witness
referring to the time "we were with
him on the Holy Mountain" says,
"With our own eyes we saw his
greatness...We were there when he
was given glory and honour by
God the Father". (2 Peter 1-17).
The effect on these witnesses
seems to be that at the
transfiguration they were
confronted with the "God side" of
Jesus in a new and inarguable way.
It caused awe, amazement and fear.
Even in the light of all they knew
of Jesus already, his teachings, his
miracles, his authority over
spiritual beings, they saw him in a
way so new so startling, that they
were forbidden to share it with
even the other nine disciples.
From where does the fear come?
The sights and sounds in
themselves were enough to knock
the disciples flat, but I think there
may have been something more,
and it is that which effects you and
me. A safe predictable Jesus,
whether our language is in terms of
a friend of Little Children, or gentle
shepherd or the poet's pale
Missionaries
A male quartet consisting of
Pastor Came, Jim Campbell,
Marlin Good and Pastor Bob Lewis
sang at the morning service of the
Auburn Missionary Church. Their
song, "My Jesus I Love Thee" was
inspiring.
Pastor Came's message, "The
Face of an Angel" was taken with
scripture from Acts 6: 15 and Acts
7: 54-57. Do you know what an
angel looks like? he asked. A sinful
life style etches itself on the face of
a person. He said, in the scripture
we find Stephen had a converted
heart. Conversion will do
something about your appearance
Galilean, is one we can handle. But
what happens if we prayer-rub the
Jesus-genie's lamp for some routine
shopping list concern of our own
and then he refuses to go back into
the lamp?
Instead he reveals himself not as
our Servant from the Spiritual
Somewhere Else, but as God,
radiant and glorious, and in charge
of everything. He is not at our beck
and call, to collect dust, like our
bibles so often do, on some
unobtrusive but convenient shelf
until crisis or conscience reminds
us of Him. Rather it is he who calls
us, to servanthood, yes, but to
sonship and daughterhood as well.
He is like a window in a dark,
neglected comer of an old church,
there all the time, but suddenly
radiantly alive with light,
transforming that opening to the
wider world beyond, and also
transforming the air around the
waiting worshipper. You see, this
was not only for those far off few,
but for each of us. What Jesus
wanted to reveal to them he wants
to reveal to each one of us; as Paul
says, "It is the God who says 'Let
light shine in darkness' who has
shone in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ
(2 Cor. 4-6). It is for each one of
us, but watch it! He is bigger,
brighter and more glorious than
you or I could imagine.
When he comes to you there is a
good chance that in some or other
part of your life, like the disciples,
you are going to be knocked flat as
well.
hear quartet
because it gets rid of guilt and the
shifty eye. It's the inner beauty that
counts. Right relationships will put
a glow on your face and a sparkle
in your eye. Anger is always an
expression of selfishness. Any
home that tries to solve problems
by anger will be in a turmoil.
Conversion is a transformation.
Stephen had a spirit-filled life,
Pastor Came said. There is a
difference between conversion and
a spirit-filled life. The Missions
Conference is the first weekend of
March. The decorations are superb
and the missionaries who have
recently returned from their field of
labour should be informative.
McAvoy, World Day of Prayer speaker
Rev. Carolyn McAvoy will be
the speaker at Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship for the 1994 World Day
of Prayer Service, to be held on
March 4, at 7:30 p.m.
The service was prepared by
Christian women of Palestine, with
the theme, "Go, See and Act".
The writers call on Christians
around the world to pray with them
for peace with justice in their
homeland.
All the people in the Middle East
affected by the long-standing con
flict are included in the prayers.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam
all have roots in the region.
A peace agreement signed by
Israel and the Palestine Liberation
Organization, in September,
brought hope of movement towards
self-rule for the Palestinians.
There have been expressions of
hopefulness as well as apprehen
sion regarding the move towards a
peaceful settlement.
The Christian women believe the
need for prayer and compassion for
the people is very strong.
Each year, on the first Friday in
March, people in 170 countries take
part in the "informed prayer and
prayerful action".
The Canadian service is spon
sored by the Women's Inter-Church
Council of Canada, which repre
sents 11 denominations.
Offerings received during this
special service will be used by the
council to support spirituality,
human rights and women's con
cerns in Canada and abroad.
30-hour famine
Area students from Central
Huron Secondary School will be
doing their part to provide funds for
emergency aid and long-term
development projects to the hungry
of the world, in a spring project.
The students will be participating
in the 24th annual 30 Hour
Famine, organized by World
Vision Canada.
Those involved will not consume
solid food for 30 hours, existing on
only juice and water.
The pledged funds will be used
for such projects as the one which
oversaw the planting 1.8 million
trees in drought ravaged Ethiopia,
says a news release from World
Continued on page 22
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
February 13- 6th after Epiphany
Morning Prayer
Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Rector, The Rev. E. Paul Acton, 887-9273
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship
- “Christ - The Light of the World"
- Church School - Nursery
****
9:30 a.m. - Ethel Morning Worship
- Church School
Christ is made the sure foundation
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
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.
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
Sunday 10 a.m.
11 a.m.
8 p.m.
Wednesday 8 p.m.
Friday 7:30 p.m.
Family Bible Hour
Morning Service
Evening Service
Prayer & Bible Study
Youth - Pastor Bob Lewis, 526-7441
COMING FEBRUARY 18th - 20th
Serge LeClerc & Peter Kun
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH-523-9233
Sunday 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Reading Services
Bert Sjaarda -10 a.m.
Martin Wilts - 2:30 p.m.
Cadet Sunday:
Cadets please wear full uniform
The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20"
All Visitors Welcome Wfieelchair accessible
Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX Sunday
Faith 20 5:30 a.m. Weekdays, Global T.V.
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d Sunday, Feb. 13: WORSHIP SERVICE with Emmanuel d
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Fellowship Meal To Follow d
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Pastor Tom Warner Elder Linda Campbell
887-6388 357-1648
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