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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-09-25, Page 15Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Coffee Break 11:00 a.m. Sunday School Everyone Welcome Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388 "...1 have called you friends." John 15:15 Cornerstone Bible Fellowship Ethel Communion - 9:45 - 10:30 Family Bible Hour and Sunday School - 11:00 - 12:00 Prayer & Bible Study - Tuesday 8 p.m. Ladies' Time Out - The last Thursday of each month 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. "Adventure Club": (for 10 consecutive Tuesdays) beginning Tuesday, October 1st - 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. All children ages 4-12 welcome John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father, but through Me.' Everyone Welcome Call Pastor Andrew Thursdays or Fridays at 887-6123 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH Auburn - 526-7555 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017 Sunday Wednesday Friday 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Family bible Hour' Morning Worship Service Evening Worship Crusaders & Youth Adult Prayer Meeting Youth THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Weecomee veue to came cued to o44140 eat% eed, Sunday, September 29 HOLY EUCHARIST tt Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273 BLYTH UNITED CHURCH Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, September 29 Worship Service 11 a.m. Sunday School is at 11:00 a.m. Baptism & Church membership ,41Z 2Veleo~ Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman - Office: 523-4224 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - beper&wcl.on.ca Septembei 29 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Worship Service and Sunday School Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. Worship Service and Sunday School Remembering Celebrating --- Living Our Faith! A MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 You are Welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship (Junior Church during service) 7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Bible Studies - Wednesday morning 10 a.m. Wednesday evening 7:30 p.m. Phone 523-4590 308 Blyth Rd., Blyth Reewe ced Avt aterzatext Sunday, September 29 Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. — 1 Corinthians 1:18 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH iN Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible VA IJ IA 11 Conte and waltz/tip, with to. Sunda* at 10:00 a.m. Guest Minister Rev. Roger Gelwicks (former pastor) Special music by Deb & Darlene & the band 'A 7:30 p.m. Guest minister Rev. Ken Benjamins (former member) 111 . Special music by the "Men of Note" ES31.1.132.1.11.531.63.621.61111-1135.6nal....C2.160-1.6111.113.16 KIESESIEZESIEFAMMEZEWSIEMESigaill 1 FA ril 4 On anniovittatty, Blyth Christian Reformed Church Saturday, October 5th & Sunday, October 6th join to, Saluida* fat ,g3teafticot from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. and an evening social from 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2002. PAGE 15. From the Minister's Study Tough to find fairness inparable When we turn to God through Jesus Christ we all will receive the same portion of God's grace. If we remember this, and don't let our human pride and arrogance get in the way, Jesus our saviour will work through us and help them, and us, to grow in faith through belonging to a faithful church community. And just as Anton the "factory- farmer" was eventually redeemed and returned to grace, so to will all who turn to the Lord, through belief in the sacrifice and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit in their and our lives. By The Rev. Tom Wilson St. John's/Brussels and Trinity/Blyth Anglican Churches don't know about you all. but the parable of the landowner and his payment of the day labourers in his vineyard (Matthew 20: 1-16) has always been a tough one for me to swallow. There just doesn't seem to be any fairness in it. And, as we all know, "fairness" is what it's all about in the world today. In many churches after the reading of the Gospel, we say, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ", but I bet many of us think, "I do give praise to Jesus Christ, but it still isn't fair!" I think, perhaps, in order to get a better handle on what God is trying to tell us in this parable, we've got to look at what it's not about. It's not about economics or just wage or labour-management relationships or, and perhaps most of all, it's not about fairness. It's about generosity and mercy. It's so easy for us, isn't it, to identify with the workers who've worked all day long in the hot sun? Especially, if we've worked hard all of our lives. How unfair can you get? The boss giving the same pay to people who worked only one hour as he gave to the people who worked 12. Where was the grape-pickers union when they really needed it? Well, if you agree with the boss's unfairness, your head may be in the right place, but your heart sure isn't? You see, the main stress of the parable isn't on the early workers. It's on the latecomers and the boss. Ah, the latecomers. The ones who didn't exactly rush to get in line so that they could work. Is the owner being arbitrary or is he being generous and compassionate when he gives the latecomers a full day's pay so that they could have enough to feed their families? And, aren't we fortunate that our God is like that; generous and compassionate in His love for us? Are you sure you'd want God to judge you with fairness? Or, would you prefer that He judge you with mercy? The reason I ask about these things is because we've got to get over the traditional idea that runs along these lines. You get what you deserve. Nothing comes free. You want something? Work for it. If you don't catch a break, tough. In August I saw the play Bamboozled in Blyth. I am sure some of you reading this saw it as well. Aylmer Clark the hero of the story, farmed in the traditional way, being a good steward of the land. Rotating his crops, using the manure from his few animals to fertilize the fields But his neighbour, Anton, was into the "bigger is better" concept of the "factory farm". He was producing so AM1'021MMONIMEWAIMIL Living/ Water to, 8 Cfuiatiatt Tip September 29 "Getting Ahead bg Losing All" 40.4 Matthew 16:21f. ALPHA starts Oct. 1 efvebt-cculted, Me-believing, 5efiattoilip-fuenditi, quturth-qeated 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School g g at Blyth Public School, ti corner of King & Mill h Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4648 his g www.tcc.on.ca/--dowfam NrAgrAsrmsowessagor much liquid nutrients he was having to buy up land just to have a place to put it. This land was not having the crops rotated on it, because certain crops soak up the liquid manure faster than others and the land was being exhausted rapidly. Anton had turned away from being a steward of what God had given him. He even turned away from his friend Aylmer! But in the end, there was an act of God and Anton was forgiven and reconciled to his friend Aylmer. And this is what Jesus telling us in the parable of the landowner. God is the landowner and God will reward those who turn to him. But no one is better than another in God's eyes. Does this mean we should not work for the good of the church and our community all the time? Certainly not! God expects us to be faithful at all times and when we are not, there are consequences. there is a judgement. The Israelites of the Old Testament were continually turning from God, and they continually suffered because of it, but when they turned back to the Lord they were rewarded. God's judgement is tempered with mercy. That if we repent and are truly sorry for our mistakes and sins against each other and our world, then God welcomes us into his vineyard and we receive the same daily portion of wages (God's grace) as someone who has been faithful for their whole life! We are all called to work hard of the Lord, to come to church on a regular basis, to worship with our faith community, to be faithful, and to love our neighbour, for this is what Jesus told us we must do. This is what God demands. God demanded it of the Israelites ,wandering in the wilderness, he demands it of us as Canadians. But this does not make us anymore worthy in God's eyes than the life- long sinner, who repents of their sins. attempts to make restitution and turns to God for forgiveness at the end of their life. So we work hard for the Lord here in Huron County and we should be glad We have the health and strength to do it. But we must always be welcoming to newcomers to our communities and our churches, as well as those who suddenly turn up in church after not darkening the door for many a year. For none of us, from the oldest, most faithful church attender, to the newest, repentant. previously lapsed member, is any better or worse that the other in the eyes of the Lord.