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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-05-20, Page 12.46 St. Michael's ir Roman Catholic Church 254 Drummond St. E., Blyth Saturday Night Mass at 7:00 pm Father John Johnson, Pastor 357-2435 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Weectustee• *ace ta ectme curd 6001r440, atea cut MAY 23 71." OF EASTER Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273 • Cornerstone Bible Fellowship Ethel Sunday: 9:45-10:30 11:00 - 12:00 Tuesday: 7:30 pm Wednesday: 7:00 - 9:00 pm Thursday: 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Communion - Family Bible Hour and Sunday School - Prayer & Bible Study - Youth (ages 12 & up) - Kids' Club April 22 to May 27 - Ages 4-12 John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father, but through Me " Call Pastor Andrew at 887-6123 ielvitCsallIMUnity Church 0 f °Oa "The Church is not a Sunday 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service Several mid-week events Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. Pastor Les Cook 523-4590 Asinieks, e c Building, 1, It is People Touching t- z People" - Prayer Meeting MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Sunday Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 Celebrating 150 years of Christian Witness and Service! HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH s SNG A SON Of v , Auburn Auburn - 526-1131 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941 Sunday 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Monday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. 7:0Q p.m. Family Bible Hour Morning Worship Service Evening Worship Service Sports Night Crusaders - JK to Grade 6 Youth Adult Bible Study Don't miss our Anniversary Service on Sunday, June 6 featuring the Huron Chapel Choir at 10:30 a.m. and Middle Cross at 7:30 p.m. service. Oksive thanks to the or e is goodi You are invited to worship with us at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship 9:30 am Speaking this Sunday - Andrew Garland Coffee Break - 10:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Pastor Brent Kipfer 887-6388 X.X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X.XX X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X x X X X XX BLYTH UNITED CHURCH Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, May 23 Life 101:Community ..4e€ Wiel-cooce Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman Office: 523-4224 Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith. We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through responding to the needs and gifts of each other. P€ea4e i-ab.,t ea 0 ,t, utenduft- Sunday, May 23 Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Pastor John Kuperus Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca May 23 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Worship Service & Sunday School Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. Worship Service & Sunday School Christ-centred, Bible-believing, Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared 19:39 a.m. - Contemporary Worship Sunday School during Sermon at 13lyth Public School, corner of King & Mill Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848 www.tcc.on.cat-dowfam PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004. From the Minister's Study The goal of sharing the good news by Pastor Ernest Dow Living Water Christian Fellowship' (EMC), Blyth . Everyone has goals in lite. For hockey teams, those goals are very precisely defined by a steel frame and net. But NHL teams are not the only ones making news. The April 8 edition of The Citizen related how Blyth's own Justin Peters scored an OHL goal in a quarter-final series on March 30. What makes this unique is that Justin himself is a goalie. With three minutes left in the third period, the opposing team pulled their goalie to give their team an extra player on offence. When they dumped the puck into Justin's end, he caught it and shot it down the ice, scoring an empty-net goal which won the game 5-2. That makes him the first goalie to score in an OHL playoff game since 1993. What a dream come true! When Jesus was resurrected and after 40 days taken to heaven, He left His followers with one clear goal: to make disciples, what's called "the Great Commission". (Matthew 28:19t) That requires evangelism, sharing our faith; yet many church- goers are uncomfortable with that, and develop other goals instead. The Enemy is only too happy to keep us busy by firing pucks of temptation, stress, and misguided desires down the ice at us. We feel we're doing well if we just manage to fend off his slapshots and keep our own net clear. But we tend to forget the Chief Coach has given us the objective of scoring in that other net way down the ice. Evangelism puts us on the offensive against Satan. and it's exhilarating to "score" by introducing another person to God through Christ. Goalie Peters is reported to have said after his successful long shot, "It was a whole body rush, I started shaking a little bit...I didn't believe it at first." Some mothers have said that there's no experience to compare with childbirth, it's the most profound experience one can have. Likewise, it's a "rush" to have the privilege of being a midwife in religious re-birth. Yet mention `evangelism' and many Christian's knuckles turn white with fright, we want to turn and run. What can we learn from Peter and the other apostles who pioneered soul- winning? In Acts 5 we see Peter taking a "long shot" and daring to go for the goal. In order to share the good news [Gk. "evangelize"], the first hurdle to overcome is fear of man. The youngest child who is picked upon or made to feel ashamed in the slightest way develops a natural dread of bullies. Jesus urges us to overcome this. He said in Luke 12(4- 5),. 'tell you...do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." God is the One we should revere most, rather than being terrified by other people, or afraid of what someone might think of us for sharing our faith. In His defence to the Sanhedrin, we hear Peter emphasizing God's sovereignty. He says (5:30ft), "The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead...God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince..." God's "right hand" is an expression for the position of highest authority. The Greek word for "prince" means chief leader, the one who takes the lead, pioneer. Author - hence authority. Much as the Jewish rulers might like to think they were the "movers and shakers", Peter was very clear that the Galilean they'd killed was now the One "who's Boss". As evidenced by all the miracles happening around them. Peter announces (5:31) that God exalted Jesus not only as Prince (for authority), but as Saviour (for redemption) — "that He might give repentance and lOrgiveriess of sins to You don't need to be trapped in your shame. Yes, you have done things wrong, we all have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Rom.3:23). But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ (Rom.6:23). The Lord was offering even those who'd tortured and killed Him a complete amnesty, total forgiveness and acceptance. The slate would be wiped clean if they only repented, had a change of heart and received Him. Peter's bluntness about their blunder leads, however, not . to repentance but to murderous rage. His accusers are "cut to the heart" with anger. Gamaliel narrowly convinces the Sanhedrin not to commit another judicial blunder, and in this way, the apostles' lives are spared. Yet they must undergo a painful beating - not as deadly as a Roman flogging, but still very painful. Yet their response to • this punishment becomes a live demonstration for their accusers of the freedom from shame Jesus has given them. The apostles leave designed to bring suffering and "rejoicing because they had been humiliation instead brought joy. counted worthy of suffering disgrace Peter later wrote to the church, for the Name." (5:41) What was Continued on page 15