The Citizen, 1996-02-21, Page 20ath
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.
Mr Visitors 'Welcome Wheelchair accessible
FREE APRIL
FOOL'S DINNER
All You Can Eat
SPAGHETTI
ENTERTAINMENT
M • N AY, APRIL 1, 1996
BLYTH & DISTRICT COMMUNITY CENTRE - 6:30pm - PAY ONLY FOR YOUR couRr
ADULTS $2.50 Each Utensil CHILDREN UNDER 6 FREE
Proceeds to Blyth Church of God Building Fund
Phone 523-4590 for information
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
Church School/Nursery
9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship
Church School
Teach me God to wonder
Teach me God to see
"Welcome to Brussels United"
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.
887-9831 Wheelchair Accessible
"Let us love one another, for love
comes from God . . ." 1 John 4:7
BRUSSELS MENNONITE
FELLOWSHIP
Every Person Welcome
9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship Service
Guest Speaker
- Don Vair
10:30 a.m. Sunday School
for all ages
Elder Carl Siemon
519-345-2606
PAGE 20 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1996
From the Minister's Study
Ash Wednesday service time of healing
By Rev. Nancy Beale
St. John's and Trinity
Anglican Church
They quietly knelt in prayer,
confessing their sings to God.
Asking forgiveness for those things
that they had done which were an
offense to God. They asked
forgiveness for those things which
they knew that they could have or
should have done - but in the
course of their busy dog; to day
lives, they just didn't take time to
do. They told God they were sorry,
and they asked for the courage and
the strength to lead a better life.
Then, quietly they each came
forward. One by one, they
approached the front of the church.
Each one, in turn, heard these
words, "Remember you are dust,
and to dust you shall return." The
sign of the cross was made, with
ashes, on their foreheads. Then
silently, they returned to their
seats.
This scene will happen over and
over again today, in Christian
churches throughout the world.
Today is Ash Wednesday ... the
beginning of the annual Christian
journey through the days and
It was the Seventh Sunday after
Epiphany and Transfiguration
Service at Blyth United Feb. 18.
The Scouts Canada and Girls
Guides of Canada participated.
Rev. Stephen Huntley, minister
conducted the service and Shirley
Vincent was organist.
Greeters were Mary Thompson
from the Brownies and Jesse
Hakkers from the Cubs. Ushers
were Chris Knox, Cub leader, Ross
Clark, Scout leader, Sharon
Hartman, Pathfinder and Nicole
Bradley, Rover.
Preceding the service, Shirley
Vincent played a musical prelude
followed by Cheryl Cronin singing
It Is No Secret What God Can Do.
In an impressive procession, 50
members of the Scout and Girl
Guide movement entered the
church carrying the colours of all
the different flags.
Rev. Huntley opened with
Greetings, Call to Worship and a
special welcome to all. This was
followed by the opening hymn,
Don Vair, from the village of
Belgrave, spoke at Brussels
Mennonite Church on Sunday, Feb.
18. Thelma Steinman was worship
leader and Mervin Lichty led the
congregational singing with Nancy
Elliot-Greenwood as pianist.
Joy-Ellen Greenwood played a
piano solo for the offertory.
Vair spoke about wisdom. One
may have worldly wisdom, he said,
and be put on a pedestal by man,
but be foolish in the realm to
spiritual wisdom. To be wise in
God's wisdom, one must humble
himself and consider himself
foolish. Things of God are
spiritually discerned and man must
be "plugged in" to God to
understand God's truth.
Man will never call for Christ
unless he realizes he's a sinner and
needs Christ for salvation, just as
one won't call a fire department
weeks that lead up to Easter.
The Ash Wednesday service is a
reminder for us of the frailty and
uncertainty of human life. We are
but dust ... and someday we all
will return to dust. It is a time for
the Christian community to gather
together, and collectively say that
we are sorry. We recognize that we
are imperfect.
As Christians, on our faith
journey, we once again commit
ourselves to work harder at follow-
ing Jesus, and serving God. We are
reminded that God continues to
love and forgive us.
This humble acknowledgement
of our brokenness, our very
HUMAN nature is then followed
by a celebration of the Eucharist -
Holy Communion. In the
Eucharistic feast we sample a
foretaste of the Kingdom of God,
where all are welcome to eat and
drink together ... where no one will
ever go hungry. We celebrate the
love and forgiveness that Jesus
came to proclaim.
There is something very beautiful
and healing that happens in the Ash
Wednesday service. I have always
experienced it as a wonderful
balance between sorrow and
Praise to the Lord.
Warren Moore, Scout leader,
read the Old Testament Lesson
from Exodus 24. The New
Testament Lesson was read by
Robert Goodall of the Scouts and
Rachel de Boer of the Girl Guides.
It was from 2 Peter, chapter 7.
The choir anthem was a solo by
Cheryl Cronin, Christ is Knocking
Today, accompanied by Shirley
Vincent on piano.
Rev. Huntley delivered a sermon
entitled, "Fair Dinkum!" He
explained that "fair dinkum"
means, 'truth - honest', an
Australian expression he learned on
the golf course while he was "down
under".
He said, "We hear stories about
the Transfiguration where Jesus
was transformed on the mountain
in dazzling white. Is the Bible
reliable for us today? Can we
believe what we read?
The Bible, he said, is probably
more reliable today because people
can trust accounts of first hand
witnesses. They went up the
unless his house is on fire, go to a
doctor for healing unless he is sick,
Vair said. Knowledge and wisdom
are not the same thing. The fear of
God is the beginning of wisdom.
Sunday evening some members
of the congregation travelled to
Crosshill Mennonite Church to
hear Brice Balmer speak on
"Caring for One Another as We
Deal with Addictions."
penitence - acknowledging the less
than perfect state of our lives and
the whole world, and the joy of the
Communion celebration - the
vision and the hope of what God
created and intended for each one
of us. It is an incredible way to start
the season of Lent.
The entire season of Lent is a
time in which we are called to
spend time in prayer and reflection
- examining our thoughts and
actions each day, and acknowledg-
ing our imperfection. It helps us to
recognize that the death and
resurrection of Jesus - the Christ, is
a total gift to us from God.
There is nothing . that we
ourselves have done to deserve
God's gift. It is a gift freely given,
so that we may, through that
selfless act of love, be forgiven all
our sins, and live in right relation-
ship with God.
On a personal level, Ash Wed-
nesday, and the entire season of
Lent, are a humbling time for me. I
am forced to acknowledge that as
long as I live, I will need God and
God's love. I am not perfect and I
need God to forgive me when I fall
short of who God made me to be.
mountain and saw the transfigura-
tion. They, too, have experienced
occasions of transcendence -
skiing, standing on a mountain top
or watching beautiful sunsets.
"These are occasions where God
speaks to us!"
In conclusion Rev. Huntley said,
"The Bible is like this, as no matter
what you've understood as read,
there is always much more. It is not
like a favourite TV show. The
Bible is "fair dinkum'. Read it and
reap.
The service concluded with the
Scouts and Guides filing out
carrying the colours.
The flowers decorating the
church were from the funeral of
Cliff Hoegy.
The World Day of Prayer service
will be held at the Blyth Christian
Reformed Church on Friday,
March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Any high school individual
interested in joining the church
(Blyth United) should contact Rev.
Huntley. Classes will begin after
Easter.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, the Grade
5-6 class enjoyed a horse and sleigh
ride at the home of Margaret and
Irwin Campbell.
The women gathered at Linda
Garland's on Tuesday evening for
the monthly ladies' fellowship
meeting.
Thought of the week: There is
nothing like the deep waters of trial
to test our spiritual stature.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are wet-come this Sunday
February 21- Ash Wednesday
"Imposition of Ashes"
7:30 p.m. - Brussels
February 25 - Lent 1
Morning Prayer - BCP - Brussels
Morning Prayer - BAS - Blyth
Rev. Nancy Beale
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Scouts, Guides at Blyth UC
Don Vair preaches at service
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