HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe 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