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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-07-10, Page 16HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 Sunday Monday Wednesday Friday 10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour 11 a.m. - Morning Service 8 p.m. - Evening Service 7:30 p.m. - Addictions Support Group 7:30 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study 7:30 p.m. - Youth PARKINSON'S YOUR CARE WILL HELP FIND THE CURE fEh 1-800-565-3000 NC BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540 11:00 a.m. Joint Service of Worship for the congregations of Brussels United and Melville Presbyterian at Brussels United Church for the month of July 9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship "This is my Father's world and to my listening ears All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres" Welcome PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1996 From the Minister's Study New pastor talks of getting the call By Rev. Christine Johnson Brussels & Ethel United Church • Four years ago today, I was vacationing in a rented cottage in the Haliburton area. It was a cold, rainy miserable summer when sunny days were rare. The weather certainly matched my mood. I had just lost one of my best friends and I had given the funeral eulogy. I was grieving and rather lost, trying to make some sense of what had happened and looking to the future. It would have never occurred to me then, not in a million years, that I would this very week be starting out on my first pastoral charge as an ordained minister. That summer, however, was the turning point of my life. Since my husband, the Rev. James Murray, was taking a break from his church work, he was quite happy to stay at home and watch our young children while I tried out every United Church in the area. I had a deep hunger to worship, to be meditative and to pray. One Sunday, I attended the United Church in the village of Haliburton. I don't remember much about the service except that the minister's sermon was about Jonah and his refusal to go to Nineveh. As I watched this minister deliver his sermon, I suddenly felt a strange stirring inside of me. It is hard to describe a moment when you feel that God is speaking to you. The minister simply lecame a form and as I looked at him I thought, "That could be me up there." And then, of course, my usual excuse bubbled up inside me. "I can't do that ... I'm the minister's wife." From somewhere deep inside of me I realized that that excuse was not good enough. God wanted me to serve, not because I was married to someone, but because I was who I was. I sat in the congregation stunned. After going to the bottom of despair in my grief, I realized that it was time to climb out and get on with my life. I didn't hear much of the rest of the service because I was in such shock. I went home to our cottage and didn't say anything until I found a quiet moment to speak to James. After I described what had happened to me, he just sat there, smiled, and said, "Well, my only comment is, what took you so long?" His instant assurance and support was what sealed my decision. Shortly after we returned to the manse in Hagersville, I started to make enquiries about attending Emmanuel College, and began the long process of discerning what type of ministry God was calling me to. Just this past June 2, in the Port Dover arena, I was ordained by the Hamilton Conference of the United Church of Canada to "Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care". Just a few weeks earlier, I had heard that I would be serving the Brussels-Ethel Pastoral Charge, and James had been asked to serve the Bluevale-Walton Pastoral Charge. Although James has been ordained seven years, he graciously agreed to put his name up for "settlement" along with mine. As a newly ordained person I am required to go where the church sends me, but James is not required to do the same. His willingness to do so meant that the church was more able to find two adjoining pastoral charges for us. When we heard the word that we were to come to this part of the country, we were very pleased. Although neither one of us was familiar with this particular corner of the world, I knew the southern part of Huron County quite well after a summer job working as a newspaper reporter in Grand Bend. When James was newly ordained, our settlement charge was in Pasadena, Newfoundland so we were ecstatic that were allowed to stay in Ontario. It is certainly a strange way to begin a pastoral relationship. Neither myself nor the church were allowed to "choose" their path in a conventional sense, but my hope and prayer is that we through the ,Spirit blowing in the settlement commit-tee, God chose this relationship for us. You are Wet-come at the BLYTH COMMUNITY 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 Come join the celebration! July 14 - Guest Speaker Bob Heywood of Exeter - 10 a.m. service July 21 - Guest Speaker Muriel Coultes - 10 a.m. service Rev. Stephen Huntley 523-4224 Myth 'United Church THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Sou are welcome this Sunday JULY 14 - PENTECOST 7 MORNING PRAYER Rev. Nancy Beale Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. ANNUAL PORK CHOP BARBECUE, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 5:00 - 7:30 P.M. "1,•11 •1•••• 7-iNai...110, 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 From the past It isn't just storytelling, but a Kids' Adventure at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship these days. With some creative special effects the Virgin Mary makes an appearance through the time machine to share her story with the young participants. Several other guests arrive from the past to bring their message as well. Milverton man, guest pastor Lloyd Koch was the worship leader on Sunday, July 7 at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship. Erla Koch was song leader and Christy Pardys was pianist. Joanna Steinman played for the offertory. Pastor Harold Shantz from the Milverton Mennonite Fellowship was the guest speaker. He spoke from Nehemiah 1 and Luke 7: 36- 50. In the church people need to consider carefully what is of the flesh and what is of the spirit. Just You're invited to worship with us this Sunday Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. Rev. Adrian A. VanGeest will lead both services Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other atufforgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as God forgave you." BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible because they have done something for years, doesn't make it right. Jesus was not afraid to break from tradition., For example, he welcomed people the Pharisees thought didn't belong. When people really see what Jesus is, their lives will change, Pastor Shantz says. Churches will have to change. "We need to take a stand for Jesus or we will be swept along with the crowd." Next Sunday Bill Dyck will bring the message. Following Sunday School the fellowship meal will be held at Martins' Landing (weather permitting). Thought for the week: Keep your light shining. God will put it where it will be seen.