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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2000-06-07, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2000. From the Minister’s Study Blessings for the distressed — By Pastor Ernest Dow, Blyth United Church (from a sermon for Rural Life Sunday, May 7/00) “Although rural people have no monopoly op stress or pressure, they do face significant struggles in our current economy and food system. The path to blessing begins with a cry for relief. Then we must turn to God, away from other idols, trusting in Jesus and what he’s done for us. Also we need to be able to recog nize the blessing when it comes, even if it’s not the handout we were expecting. Though farming is an honourable occupation, necessary for society in order to eat, many farm youngsters today do not see it as an enviable occupation to take up. The number of family farms is low, somewhere around three per cent of the popula tion. Farm kids grow up knowing enough about the long hours, hard work, and limited rewards of farm life that, although they’re not exactly ashamed of it, it’s not their top choice for a livelihood. , What are some of the crippling stresses farmers face? Some local farmers mentioned the hectic pace of modem agriculture, feeling like you need to keep getting bigger and big ger in order to compete. Bigger farms require bigger implements, which requires more financing, which takes more production, and so on. More people work off the farm to subsidize the low income. Farmers also mention the stress caused by having so many dollars invested in the operation. Commodity prices are very erratic. While they fluctuate unfavourably, input costs keep going up and up. He or she is receiving 22 cents less than two decades earlier. The farmer’s share of the consumer dol lar for pork chops shrank from 30 per cent to 14 per cent of retail price. Escalating input costs and low commodity prices spell minimal profits for farmers. Return on equity is low. one farmer wondered whether those paying $4,000/acre for land should get their heads exam ined. With mutual fund returns at 15 per cent and the cost of land so Congregation gathers at Camp The Blyth United Church service for June 4 was held at Camp Menesetung. Cliff Snell was greeter. The Way Band provided music throughout the service. The Sunday School Awards were presented. Students were presented with certificates and seals for this past year. Heather Elliott read the Gospel lesson John 17:6-11, 14-23. The sermon was entitled Wise as - ants? Rev. Ernest Dow told the con gregation that ants could give people some guidance: follow the leader, good things are for passing on,'have somebody bigger to protect you. God has a special purpose for your life; you ate unique, custom-made to meet a specific need and however small you feel trust Jesus that you are part of God’s big plan to bless the world through the Saviour. In recognition of the 75th anniver sary of the United Church of Canada the United Church Creed was recit ed. Cliff Snell and Herb Shannon col lected the offering. The Sunday School picnic fol lowed the service. much, what crop can be grown that’s going to net $600/acre? One non radical cash cropper put it something like this: “At what point are you no longer farming as a livelihood and instead paying to support it as a hobby?” There is a definite cry for relief. Some farmers are feeling like the lame man in Acts 3, begging for help. But Peter and John didn’t just leave him sitting there. God wants to bless us. God’s will is to bless us. That becomes possible when we first turn to Him, away from the idols and drives that con sumed us before. Peter urged the people to turn from their wicked ways; (3:19) “Repent...and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out...” The Psalmist said, (4:2) “How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?” What idols might these be as they affect rural life? Affluence: do we really need to worlf so many hours on and off the farm, cutting into fam ily time? For consumers, are we will ing to pay more than our current amount of 12 per cent of disposable income on food? How about nearer 20 per cent like Europe, Japan, and Israel? % There’s the idol of brand-spankin’ new machinery - that half-ton or tractor like the Joneses just got. Perhaps consumers have made an idol of flawless-looking food: the year-round tomatoes and apples flown in from offshore have spoiled us for the local “in-season” slightly imperfect produce. How many miles is it reasonable to bring the food for our table, at what cost to the envi ronment, creating what level of dependency and vulnerability on outside sources? God wants us not to be deluded, or seeking false gods. Next, after turning to the Lord, we can trust Him. Peter said, “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him...” (16) Faith is a matter of commitment, priorities, values, what’s important to you. We can ask, “To what am I prepared to give my time, my resources, my life?” “Can I get by without that new vehicle, that extra acreage?” (For the consumer) “Can I afford to pay more for food?” Else we may be relying on farm families to make sacrifices to sup port our standard of living. Faith is essential in any relation ship; especially in our relationship with God. One farmer has comment ed, “It requires faith in God to put the crop in.” Weather can be so spot ty, one cropper has a failure while a few miles away they receive just the rain that’s needed. It does take trust in the Almighty to plow thousands of dollars’ worth of inputs into the ground, and believe God will make something of your efforts. It takes commitment to stay farming one more year when you’ve had a loss, or you know you could stick the money in the bank and earn more but care about your family’s lifestyle and feel called to produce food for the world. Finally, the path from distress to blessing requires us to be able to rec ognize the real blessing when it comes. What kind of blessing are we expecting? Is it based on material goods, having as much as the neigh bours? Real blessing, by God’s definition, is spiritual, not material. Peter spoke of “times of refreshing [that would] come from the Lord...that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you...” Blessing is about intangibles: the smell of a fresh-mown field; a splash of warm milk straight from the cow; helping in the birth of a new calf, even if it is 4 a.m.; a harvest safely stored in the granary or mowed in the barn, being your own boss, working together as a family to put out a grass fire; kids that are used to working, and have had the responsibility of caring for a 4-H calf that won the rib bon. There are spiritual values behind these intangibles. Christ is coming. All the toys in 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 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA IJeu aw luel&une tfiu> Sunday JUNE 11 - DAY OF PENTECOST HOLY EUCHARIST Trinity, Blyth St. John's, 9:30 a.m. Brussels Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m. Rev. Nancy Beale - Rector - 887-9273 Blyth United Church June 11 - Guests - Joyful Praise Team at 11 a.m. Way Service - Blyth Public School at 7 p.m. Come Worship The Lord With Us Sundays - 11:00 a.m. Worship Service & Sunday School Minister ~ Rev. Ernest Dow ALL ARE WELCOME 523-4224 including farmers the world won’t count for a hill of beans on that day; what’s most important then is whether we know Him already, whether we’ve loved, and what we’ve made of whatever gifts He’s entrusted to us. We are heirs of the Covenant, adopted by faith into the rights of a heavenly Father’s bequest. 'The Psalmist put it this way (7,8): “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” Blessing doesn’t mean our materi al goods abound - even for a farmer. Our hearts are freed to receive God’s blessing when we put Him first, whatever our vocation, consciously serving Him and others in good times and bad. One farmer said his concern was “trying to remain aware of God’s presence and leading in a hectic pace of life”. That’s where we gain true peace and security, seeking God’s fellow ship. Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Christian Education Everyone Welcome Pastor Ben Wiebe 887-6388 "...but I have called you friends." John 15:15 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Supply Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca June 11 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. All are welcome to come and worship with us 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 7:30 p.m.• Evening Service Wednesday 7:30 p.m.■ Family Night Friday 7:30 p.m.• Youth MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 /am ua £a< Ma Sunday, Morning Worship Service ~ 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose. ” Romans 8:28 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible 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. 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 For more information call 887-6665