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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2000-09-20, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2000. PAGE 15. From the Minister’s Study Is the antique church relic or relevant? By Rev. Ernest Dow Blyth United Chureh The Threshers’ Reunion featured rows and rows of antique tractors and equipment. There's a danger of churches becoming just as old and impressive, but outdated. How can we, with God’s help, prevent the church from turning into an antique: something to be admired or regarded as a curiosity, a quaint but outdated relic from bygone days? God’s word suggests two emphases that can help us not turn into an exhibit for a museum: grace, not legalistic self-righteousness; and power for transformed living, instead of rigid ritual. Christ beckons his followers to major in grace not legalistic self- righteousness. Grace is what sets Christianity apart from other reli gions. A friend in another region request ed permission to use a church build ing for a community service group meeting. Some days later, she found certain members of the church had asked the rector to reprimand her because seven chairs were not put away following the meeting! How picky - they should have been glad their building was getting some use! Our friend’s conclusion is that the members want their building to become an “empty white tomb’’. The narrow-mindedness of such critics does not glorify God. For too Sexuality, Greeting at Blyth United Church on Sept. 17 was Diane Ferguson. Joanne MacDonald, Pat Brigham, Jim and Thelma Wilson were ushers. Organist was Lynda Lentz. Lori Brooks looked after the nursery. The Way Band provided music for the Contemporary Praise. The theme of the sermon was “Sexuality: What Goes.” The sermon referred to the General Council of the United Church’s decision to renounce the statement calling homosexuality a sin. Rev. Ernest Dow discussed four different areas. The Marvelous Mystique of God’s Design was first. Rev. Dow talked HPCDSB meets At the Aug. 28 session of the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board, Director of Education Gaetan Blanchette announced that 65 per cent of the Fantasy Lottery tickets had been sold by Aug. 26. Teaching assignments were increased for Wendy Rau, Deb McCarthy, Sherri Dale and Helen Thomson while Brian Marcy, Helen Van Bakel, Jayne Walsh, Sandie Ennett, Kristen Schefter, Nijole Tinits and Mary Jane Tuer received reduced assignments. Tanya Jeffery and Joanne Goetz were given leaves of absence from Sept. I to Aug. 31. John Esposito and Jim Roth were appointed co-department heads for a three-year term. Joe Sinko, Annette Robinson, Ron Boel, Daniel Harrigan and Shirley Purdy were hired as teachers and Mary Ann Craner and Kathy Rutledge as educational assistants. The contract for the addition to St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School was awarded to Southside Construction Ltd in the amount of $1,607,165 including GST. The official opening of Holy Name of Mary School, St. Marys, will take place Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. many people, the word “church” does not have warm fuzzy associa tions because they have slipped and been judged or condemned for it, sometimes by churchgoers who themselves are obviously imperfect in some respect, at least in compas sion. Jesus called Levi to become a fol lower, a disciple. But Levi was a despised tax collector, a slimy job with doubtful morals that required the collector to collaborate, in fact become an agent of, the hated Romans who occupied Palestine. Bad enough that Jesus called Levi: soon he was actually eating in Levi’s house with lots of Levi’s friends. A very motley crew from the Pharisees’ point of view: other tax collectors and so-called “sinners’” - those who had been officially excommunicated from the syna gogue. In eastern custom, to dine with someone signified acceptance, asso ciation, identifying yourself to be in solidarity with that party. The Pharisees took great pains to not have contact with persons of ques tionable character, and here Jesus was welcoming them! He responded to their criticism by saying he did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. After all it’s the sick who need health and a doc tor. Christians are called to show forth grace, not legalistic self-righteous ness and judgmentalism. What attracted Levi and friends so much was that Jesus showed grace and lov ing acceptance toward those v/ho’d failed to live perfect lives. A second factor that will save the church from rusty reiicry is POWER FOR TRANSFORMED LIVING, not rigid same-old static ritual. At pioneer and hobby shows, just hav ing a tractor parked there used to be enough. Now, though, the “in” thing is to have some equipment attached to your tractor, especially if it’s doing something. For instance, a Baker fan, a thresh ing machine actually threshing, split ting shingles, or even just a cultiva tor attached to the hitch ... the big draw is to have something happen ing, the power being utilized to actu ally do work. Is anything happening at church, or do we just come and go through the same motions Sunday by Sunday? Jesus did not leave Levi sit ting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he commanded; and Levi got up and followed. He left behind his unethical trade. The Pharisees prided themselves on their regular routine of fasting twice a week, and couldn’t under stand why Jesus and his disciples were feasting with Levi on what was probably a fast-day. Christ countered that a new piece of cloth pulls away from the old when it shrinks, and new wine bursts stiff old wineskins. You have to put new wine in new skins, or it’ll be ruined. Jesus is implying that God's power at work in the lives of people like Levi is dynamic, stretching, transforming, you can’t hem it in by stuffy old tra ditions that have lost their meaning. It was fitting to feast that happy day rather than fast. In Christian faith, we hear the Lord speak to us, then live it out with his powerful help. The Spirit gives life, Paul says, bringing righteous ness and freedom that the Law alone couldn’t. “And we, who with unveiled faces all retlect the Lord's glory, are being transformed intohis likeness with ever-increasing glory...” (2 Cor.3:18) Jesus promises to give us power for changed living, changes that will astound others as we come more and more to reflect the Lord’s own good ness, truth, and love. The church will never become an antique as long as we allow Christ’s grace and power to transform and heal lives in amazing ways. United sermon topic about how “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” In a Wrench in the Works, Rev. Dow talked about how “God gave them up to degrading passions.” Myths about homosexuality that Rev. Dow discussed were that “homosexuality is genetically or bio logically based, that society has accepted homosexual marriage, that homosexuals constitute at least 10 per cent of the population, it is a nor mal lifestyle, it is the “sin of sins”. In responding to Christ’s grace and truth, some points that Rev. Dow talked about were “to ask the Lord to open a door of communication and to instill hope for change.” The closing hymn was Who is on the Lord's Side? BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Supply Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca September* 24 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. All are welcome to come and worship with us Brussels Mennonite Fellowship invites you to f Worship with us this Sunday >] 9:30 a.m. - Worship Service ►] 10:45 a.m. - Christian Education Do you want to find true joy? Jesus is your answer. Elder: Elwin Garland 887-9017 [< Tbu are ‘Welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School - for ages 3 to adult 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Bible Studies - Wednesday morning 10 a.m. Wednesday evening 7:30 p.m. Plan to join us, Sunday, Oct. 22, 6:30 p.m. for the dedication of our new church building. Phone 523-4590 308 Blyth Rd., Blyth 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 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH Auburn - 526-7555 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017 Sunday 9:30 a.m. Wednesday 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Friday 7:30 p.m. - Family Bible Hour - Morning Worship Service - Evening Worship Service - Prayer & Bible Study ■ Youth THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Ifca ane utelaune this Sunday SEPTEMBER 24 - PENTECOST 15 MORNING PRAYER Trinity, Blyth St. John's, 9:30 a.m. Brussels Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m. Rev. Nancy Beale - Rector - 887-9273 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 frltaAe join {,&* uimhip tfiis Sunday Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service ~ 7:30 p.m. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH A T Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible 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