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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1995-09-06, Page 12Storyz An exciting time of • Bible stories • Creative crafts • Songs and snacks for 4 and 5 year olds • Little Lambs for 2 - 3 year olds BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Wednesday mornings beginning September 20 10:00 - 11:30 For more information call Joanne Van Amersfoort 523-4202 Nursery provided for babies and toddlers ikroefat A community Bible study for everyone! • Coffee • Fellowship • Meeting new friends BLYTH UNITED CHURCH Wednesday mornings beginning September 20 10:00 - 11:30 Wednesday evenings beginning September 27 8:00 - 9:30 at Femmy Van Amersfoort's home For more information call Susan Howson 523-9436 NO PREVIOUS BIBLE KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE EXPECTED! 'veryone Welcome MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Cathrine Campbell 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service We welcome you to come and worship with us. BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH--523-9233 Sunday 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20" Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX Sunday Faith 20 5:30 a.m. Weekdays, Global T.V. Ail 'Visitors Welcome Wheelchair accessible BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Rev. Cameron McMillan Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship Service Church School Registration 9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship Church School All my hope on God is founded A Welcome to all HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 Sunday 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 - Pastor Bob Lewis, 526-7441 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 PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1995. From the Minister's Study True faith makes all the difference By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Blyth Christian Reformed Church Recently I read three tales which all have to do with faith in God. These were not your run-of-the- mill kind of tales. nor do I think that these tales are equally impressive. Let me therefore begin with the one that gives me some difficulty. We have probably all heard of Susan Smith, the young mother from South Carolina who drowned her two young sons by strapping them into a car seat and letting the car roll down a boat ramp into a lake. Her guilt was not in doubt, though for nine days she stuck with a story about a black man who had stolen her car with the children inside. She even went on national television to plead for her boys' lives. But in the end she confessed to her crime. And in her written statement she said: "I have put my total faith in God and he will take The Jardine family from the Nile brought special music at the Auburn Missionary Church on Sunday, Sept. 3. The playing of His Eye is on the Sparrow, with two saxophones and flute, was enjoyed by all. Sarah Jardine brought the offertory number, playing For Those Tears I Died on her flute. She was accompanied on the piano by Dorothy Bolton. Pastor Carne's message, "The pause that refreshes" had scripture from Isaiah 55: 1 - 3 and 6 as well Carl Siemon gave the message at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship on Sunday, Sept. 3. He stressed the urgency of taking Christianity seriously. Eternity is not to be taken lightly. Going to church and doing your best is not being a true Christian, he said. We must stop being afraid of what other people will say, but being afraid of what A Wingham couple has begun a petition asking CKNX Radio to continue its weekly broadcast of the local church service. Greg and Cheryl Waring, who began the Concerned Listeners Group are planning a mock picket line at CKNX at 1 p.m. on Sept. 7 to show public support for the peti- tion. "This is meant to be a peace- ful, quiet protest that will still get our point across," Cheryl Waring said. The petition states that the radio broadcast, which is almost 60 years old is "a spiritual resource for peo- ple of all ages." "CKNX's announced decision to cancel this broadcast denies people of all ages in this region of pro- gramming they have valued. We urge CKNX to reconsider this irre- sponsible decision." The rain date for the mock picket line is Friday, Sept. 8 care of me." Did she also put that "total faith in God" when she was in an adulterous relationship just prior to the murder? We cannot judge the heart of Susan Smith. And I believe in radical conversions. But it does raise the question whether "faith in God" had been her anchor in life all along or whether she only talked about that when she had no other option left for finding meaning in her life. True faith in God makes all the difference in the world. But you cannot use faith as a crutch that you will only use in times of special need. True faith in God is the surrender of your life to God's leading under all circumstances. But let me move on to another tale of faith in God. This is a tale about a church in Spain. It has some 500 members - of which about 50 per cent is HIV positive, the virus that causes AIDS. It is a church that grew out of gospel- as Acts 3: 19 which says repent and" turn to God. Many people need periods of refreshment, he said. Jesus met the Samaritan woman at a well and He said, "I will give you living water." God initiates refreshment because we need it, Pastor Carne said. The opposite to spiritual refreshment is clouds without water. We have a choice: we can seek our own refreshment, which will grow dry or seek God's refreshment, he said. Jesus will say," he said. Luke 16: 19 - 31 was the chosen scripture passage. Lloyd Koch was the worship leader. Mervin Lichty led the singing and Anne Hemingway was pianist. Andra Dettweiler played the piano for the offertory. Wendy Martin introduced the Sunday School teachers for the new year, based drug rehabilitation program. "AIDS has made a family of this church," said- one of its pastoral leaders, who was rescued from heroin addiction himself. Putting his faith in God had turned this violent drug trafficker into a servant of God. He didn't mean to say that life was now easy for him ( he has full- blown AIDS), but, he said, "We do want to say that with God, things are different. I think about whether I could face this situation without God, and I think, 'No. No.' I give so much thanks to God that my situation ... is not worse." A man who came to this church out of "a life of hatred, holdups, and heroin" said: "I've seen street people die of AIDS without God, and it's horrible. But we see our people with an incredible peace, united with the Lord." That kind of tale of faith in God impresses me. Upon claiming that faith, the lives they lived were lived in obedience to the God in whom As God supplied water and manna for the Israelites in the wilderness He will supply us with the living water of being born again. There is satisfaction in times of refreshment. "Heaven came down and glory filled my soul which is a lot different than going through religious forms. If you're not wanting to bring the water of life to someone else you had better seek the Lord and ask Him for the water of life for yourself," Pastor Carne said. and the children in the respective classes. Next Sunday is Children's Sunday and there will be a fellowship meal followed by a Sunday School picnic. Elwin Garland will bring the message next Sunday. they put their trust. But she "gleefully reported that she My third tale has its setting In had gone out and purchased a huge Kenya, a country where disease is cooking pot so that the mental widespread, where poverty has led hospital would be able to cook the to an epidemic of theft, where corn mush that is often the only government is corrupt, and where food provided the patients." tribal divisions robs the country of That is a tale of love, but of a any hope of stability. love that is deeply rooted in her In this country, a Roman faith in God. It's "faith expressing Catholic nun, who is well past itself through love" (Gal. 5:6). retirement age, stays on visiting the Faith that cannot be questioned national mental hospital. Hundreds because of the clarity with which it of psychotic men and women are is expressed. warehoused in old barracks-like Three tales about faith in God. buildings. They lack drugs and Not all are equally impressive. But even basics like food and soap. when you see a living faith in God A former resident of that country in the lives of people, you are once sent $50 to that nun, hoping invariably witness to remarkable that she would spend it on herself. things. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA You are welcome this Sunday SEPTEMBER 10 - PENTECOST 14 MORNING PRAYER - BCP Rev. Nancy Beale Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Couple plans CKNX protest Jardine family sings at service C. Siemon brings message