The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-24, Page 25THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019. PAGE 25. By Charmila Ireland Melville Presbyterian Church, Brussels “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day, He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.” I read this passage from Genesis the day I came back from my summer vacation. When I was little, I used to visit my grandma and grandpa. I remember, time after time, sitting at their kitchen table. A small knick- knack would always catch my eye – a flat little carved wooden sewing machine, painted black. And on it, in white letters, was painted the phrase: “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” This was puzzling to me. One – the bad grammar. I was pretty sure that neither “hurrier” nor “behinder” were words. Two – how could going fast make you go slow? Three – Why was this on a sewing machine? Very puzzling. Now, as an adult, I get it. Not the grammar – that’s still incorrect. But the rest, I understand. About 10 years ago now, I decided I wanted to make a quilt. I was going to make simple block rag quilt. First step – cut all my fabric into squares. So I got a cutting wheel and a mat and ruler and set to work. I started off very exact. Measuring and double-checking. Then I started to get sloppy. I started to rush, trying to get this part of the quilting over with so I could get to the next part. I went faster and faster. Cutting multiple blocks at once. Not checking to make sure they were actually six inches square. Any quilters reading this are already wincing at me and have a good idea where this is going. Well, I came to know what “the hurrier I go, the behinder I get” means, and why it was on a sewing machine. Turns out, there’s a point to slowing down and doing things right the first time; measure twice and cut once, and all that. Our lives are the same way. I discovered this myself the hard way around Easter this year. Easter is a busy season for ministers. I was getting pretty overwhelmed. But I made it through, and on Easter Monday, I left for the Presbyterian Pastor’s Conference. The theme of the conference was “Rest and Renew”. It was sorely needed. Because I was hurrying and hurrying and getting more and more behind. Getting more and more overwhelmed. I was neglecting to take care of my relationships – with God, my husband and myself. I needed a Sabbath. Sabbath is the day of rest. One day a week that is set apart for rest and worship of God. It seems simple, but rarely ends up that way. Now, some would call taking an entire 24 hours to do nothing but rest and worship foolish. Or wasteful. Or lazy. But it isn’t wasted time at all. It is your time for God, yourself, and your relationships. It is time for your soul. The hurrier we go, the behinder we get. Sometimes, we just need a break. Sabbath has existed since the beginning of time. For six days, God created the world. On the seventh, God looked at creation and rested. Pleased with His labours. This established a pattern, a need, a gift. That it is right and good, for the King of the World and for us, to take a break. It is a gift from God, given to meet the needs of our hearts, bodies and minds. God is so serious about it that it clocks in as commandment number four. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” In this world, we tend to brag about how busy we are. It’s not uncommon to tell someone that we have a lot on our plates and to hear them list off how much they’re doing. It’s like being busy is a sign of success. You’re busy because people need you, people want you. You are so compassionate that you simply can’t say no when someone asks you to do something. You are such a selfless super-parent that you have to make sure your kids are in four different activities for every time of year. A full calendar means a full life. And yet, the hurrier we go, the behinder we get. So often, we get busy chasing busy-ness that we don’t stop to take time for God and for ourselves. Even Sunday – I imagine many of you, including myself, typically have plans to get some work done on Sunday afternoons. After all, Saturday is now another day for work, so Sunday becomes the only day you have to get household chores and whatnot done. So we simply don’t stop. And that’s not right. Because we need Sabbath. We are only human and we need a break. Sabbath is the gift God gives us. A day to spend in rest, worship, things that give us joy and things that renew our relationships. Jesus was challenged by the THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com 519-526-1131 ~ 119 John’s Ave., Auburn Evangelical Missionary Church 9:30 a.m. Sunday School, 10:30 a.m. Worship Stewardship Message by Marlow Gingerich, Abundance Canada Potluck/Workshop on Wills & Estate Planning Sunday, October 27 Tuesdays 7-9 p.m. Celebrate Recovery Wednesdays 6:30 - 8 p.m. – HEIRBORN (JK-Gr.6) & YOUTH GROUP (Gr. 7-12) Thursday 6-8 p.m. Seniors’/55+ Fellowship Potluck Find a Small Group near you! See our website Office Hours: Thursday ~ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm blythunited@tcc.on.ca Worship Service at 9:30 am Guest Speaker: Kate Monk Accessible Sunday, October 27 Blyth United Church Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, October 27 at 10:30 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. 650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School) Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 Morning Service at the Blyth CRC at 10:00 am Guest minister Pastor Rick DeGraaf Reformation Day Service at the Exeter CRC at 7:00 pm You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 Nursery care available 519-887-6687 Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Worship & Sunday School - 11:00 am Coffee & Snacks following the service We invite you to join our church family in: The Regional Ministry of Hope BLYTH BRUSSELS Trinity St. John’s 9:15 am 11:15 am COME WORSHIP WITH US! Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The‐Regional‐Ministry‐of‐ Hope St. Paul’s Trinity WINGHAM 11:15 am These Anglican Churches Welcome You BRUSSELS United Church Sunday, October 27 Worship Service at 11 a.m. Worship leader, Kate Monk All are Welcome From the Minister’s Study Taking the Sabbath is about more than rest Drop by our office in Blyth or Brussels and check out our wonderful selection of books. We have books for all ages. 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 Continued on page 30