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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-04-17, Page 20Raising the flag... 's bid, that is Auctioneer Kevin McArter, left, and his assistant Jeff Cardiff auction off a flag donated by Huron MPP Helen Johns for the Melville Presbyterian Church talent auction on Friday night. Snells greet at Blyth United 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 You are Welcome at the BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. Rev. VanGeest Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant wads are a honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Blyth Christian Reformed Church Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Rev. Cameron McMillan Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship "A Titanic Disaster" Church School - Nursery 9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship Church School "External Father, Strong to Save Whose Arm has Bound the Restless wave" Welcome to Brussels United Church 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 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA You are wet-come this Sunday APRIL 21 - EASTER 3 HOLY EUCHARIST BAS All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner at St. John's on April 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. Rev. Nancy Beale Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Friday, April 19 TALENT AUCTION SILENT AUCTION TABLE Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a food booth available Auction begins at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, April 21 9:30 a.m. Guest Speaker: Sandy McEachern 10:30 a.m. Sunday School (for all ages) We Welcome You PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1996 From the Minister's Study Erring on the side of grace By Rev. Stephen Huntley Blyth United Church The Metro Toronto Police Force, some would say, has egg all over its face. A young woman, with desperate needs, coerced them into an embarrassing situation. She was not dying, she did not have her purse stolen, I'm sure by now you've heard the story. The questions raised by many regarding this young woman are, why did the police jump to such quick conclusions? Don't profes- sionals have ways of avoiding these mistakes? Perhaps they need to have been less compassionate towards this woman and run her through some tough checks? Regardless of the embarrassment caused by this incident and the seeming lack of professionalism, I It was the Second Sunday of Easter with the seasonal colour - white, for the service at Blyth United Church, April 14. Greeters were Hary and Deanna Snell. Ushers were the Falconer family, Lorie, Jackie, Orie and Corine. Rev. Stephen Huntley, minister, conducted the service and Phyllis Boak, director of music was organist. Rev. Huntley opened the service with Call to Worship, Introit and announcements. He reminded everyone about 'Australia Night' which he and his wife, Kate, are hosting April 17 at 7:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to experience first hand the other side of the pulpit exchange when they were "down • • ONE HUMANITY INVESTIGATE THE BAH.:VI FAITH fog Ri.coRm \ ROL I I I IF. B.1I l.\ l I \1111, l 1, v=.I .c,\I 1-800-433-3284 for one am encouraged by what happened. Police are sometimes depicted by the media as shooting first and asking questions later and yet in this instance they acted compassionately and generously. Having perceived injustice they acted swiftly (perhaps too swiftly) to come to someone's aid. Most people in this world who care for others often find themselves in a similar dilemma asthat of the Metro Toronto Police. What should I do? How do I respond to needs? Should I help someone when I have some doubt as to their true need? Do I give to an organization whose aim is to assist people overseas when I know some of the money may go astray or be used for administration costs? Do I help a neighbour who in the under", Following the children's hymn, I Love You Jesus Deep in My Heart, the choir sang an anthem, His Grace Is Sufficient For Me, accompanied by Mrs. Boak on piano. Barb Richmond read the Old Testament Lesson from Acts and the New Testament Lesson from I Peter. Rev. Huntley read the gospel reading from John 20: 19-31. Rev. Huntley's sermon was entitled "God Came Back". He delivered it in the form of a past has wasted assistance reck- lessly? These are tough questions and questions which will get even tougher in our present climate of restricted spending. One question many Christians ask when confronted by ethical dilemmas, is, what would Jesus do? The Gospel accounts of our Lord, and the writings of the Apostle Paul lean heavily on the grace of God in situations of need. Grace is risky business. Grace allowed a wasteful (the literal meaning of prodigal) young man to return home after blowing the family fortune. Grace allowed workers in a vineyard to all receive the same pay even though some of them had worked longer hours than the others. Grace forced the Apostle Paul to always keep one foot ahead of his fellow Jews. dialogue having the congregation participate. He said that sometimes the Sunday following Easter is a low Sunday _after the outburst of Easter Joy with the resurrection. Following the sermon, Brenda Brooks spoke on Minute for Missions. She told about "Emmanuel House" in a small rural Newfoundland community. It is a place for victims of some type of family violence. They are offered therapy and nurturing there from a caring staff. Continued support to the Mission and Service Fund makes this possible. Christians are often accused by the world around of being gullible or too soft on people; always ready to give someone another chance. And sometimes, like the Metro Police, we end up with egg on our faces. Christians are those people, regardless of past errors of judgement, who need always to err on the side of grace. The opposing choice carries a frighteningly high cost. (Matthew 25). What would Jesus do? The answer: These days Jesus is wearing a Metro Police uniform! Eggs, too, remind us of Easter. As an Easter people are we big enough and saved enough to once in a while handle a few eggs thrown our way? I hope so! God Bless.