HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-03-22, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2000.
From the Minister’s Study
Minister says Christians should set tone
By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Blyth Christian Reformed
Church
We all know that the world is full
of evil. And most of us love to see a
whole lot less of it. But when it
comes to solving the problem of evil
around us, most of us are not all that
willing to do a whole lot about it.
One of the stumbling blocks to
reducing the practice of evil in this
world is that people try to solve it by
answering it with more evil. And
that never works. Two wrongs don’t
make a right.
But somehow, people can’t give up
on trying to do it that way.
Retaliation is far more common than
turning the other cheek.
We see that in hockey. The recent
near-fatal incident of violent stick
swinging in the NHL was such an act
of retaliation.
And though most hockey players
might have decried that act, they are
Luck,
topic at
Blyth
United
Greeters at Blyth United Church
on March 19 were Faye Bolger and
Harvey Snell. Lavem and Joan Clark
and Earl and Shirley Fyfe were ush
ers and took up the offering. Organist
was Barb Bosman. Karen Glousher
was in charge of the nursery.
Prior to the service Gayle Poore
led the congregation in sing-song.
The opening hymn was Come, Thou
Almighty King.
Nicole Kerr read the Old
Testament lesson Genesis 17: l-8,
15-16.
Keith and Allison Dow provided
music for the children’s hymn Shout
to the Lord.
Epistle lesson was Romans 4:13-
25.
The sermon was entitled “Faith -
no Luck - Hits rhe Jackpot”. Rev.
Ernest Dow told of how luck is a
pagan concept, that misfortune is a
part of the world. He said, “God’s
game plan is to bless us, not to keep
us guessing. “Faith is the winning
combination that opens up God’s
promises to us and escorts us into the
real blessing of being Christ’s.”
The service closed with the singing
of Trust and Obey and the choral
response.
Food Bank
gets donations
Huron County food banks will be
the beneficiaries of generous dona
tions from the Huron Dairy Producer
Committee and GayLea Foods.
In support of local food banks, the
dairy producer committee and many
volunteers scooped ice cream and
sold milk at the International
Plowing Match in Dashwood last
fall. The $1,000 proceeds are bing
donated to the food banks. As a cor
porate challenge, the committee
asked industry partner and farmer
co-op GayLea Foods to meet the
dairy producers' donation.
GayLea came forward with 88 kg.
of milk powder.
The Salvation Army will accept
the generous contributions, March
23 at 1:30 at their Thrift Store at 33
West Street, Goderich.
guilty of similar actions all too often.
Every professional hockey team car
ries some enforcers. And they some
times openly wam opposing teams
that the next time they meet will be
pay back time.
In political conflicts we see much
the same. If the Hezbollah guerillas
Job mortar shells on the Israelis, the
Israelis promptly retaliate.
That’s also the way it went in
Northern Ireland and the way it now
goes in Kosovo. And so the evil
never ends.
What is even worse is that many
who call themselves Christians are
no better. They seem to limit their
Christianity to the realm of personal
salvation or to doing good to their
neighbours. Their faith seems to
make no difference to the way they
treat their enemies, even though the
Lord Jesus has taught us to love our
enemies and do good to them
(Matthew 6: 43-45).
Already in the Old Testament we
read a warning against retaliation. It
says in Proverbs 24: 27, “Do not say,
“I’ll do to him as he has done to me;
I’ll pay that man back for what he
did.” And in the New Testament the
apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:
17, “Do not repay anyone evil for
evil. Be careful to do what is right in
the eyes of everybody.”
To say that this doesn’t work in
our modem world is nothing less
than a refusal to live a Christian life.
To say that Jesus wasn’t talking
about our situations simply isn’t true.
Our Christian faith should affect
every area of our lives, and that
includes our behaviour in hockey
arenas and in international conflicts.
In this Lent season, we are remind
ed of the way Jesus lived, of what he
did to make peace for us with God. It
says in I Peter 2:23, “When they
hurled their insults at him, he did not
retaliate; when he suffered, he made
no threats. Instead, he entrusted him
self to him who judges justly.” -
And just before this verse, it says:
“Christ suffered for you, leaving you
an example, that you should follow
in his steps.”
Jesus Christ taught us how to deal
with those who wrong us. It would
be a much better world if that were
taken more seriously. And those who
call themselves Christians should set
the tone.
Family fun and games
In addition to good food and fellowship there was some
thing for all ages to enjoy at the Blyth Christian Reformed
Church bazaar and auction held at the arena last Thursday
night. The upstairs auditorium was packed with shoppers,
bidders and game enthusiasts.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
9/du cute utelcame this Sunday
MARCH 26 - LENT 3
MORNING PRAYER
Trinity, Blyth St. John's,
9:30 a.m. Brussels
Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m.
Rev. Nancy Beale - Rector - 887-9273
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 526-7555
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017
Sunday 8:45 a.m.- Morning Worship Service
10:00 a.m.- Family Bible Hour
11 a.m.- Morning Worship Service
8 p.m.- Evening Service
Wednesday 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.- Family Night (Kids' Club)
Friday 7:30 p.m.- Youth
Blyth United Church
Come Worship The Lord With Us
Sundays - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Service & Sunday School
Minister ~ Rev. Ernest Dow
ALL ARE WELCOME
523-4224
you are ‘Welcome 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
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Supply Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
March 26, 2000
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
/tin u,& uLM&lip Sunday
Morning Worship Service ~ 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service ~ 7:30 p.m.
“Finally be strong in the Lord and in
his mighty power. ”
Ephesians 6:10
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
< Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
A Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
MELVILLE
^PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
- Morning Service
- Sunday School
- Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831