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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-10-12, Page 15Blyth United Church Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, October 15 Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery 11:00 a.m. Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley rite 21./deoate Office: 519-523-4224 Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA Zeeecomeo vou to come awd wordrift wed act SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 519-887-9273 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 11:00 am 152nd Anniversary Service Guest: The Reverend James K. Stewart Special Music Sunday School 9:30 am Sunday Belgrave Service 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Harvest Barbecue Supper at Melville Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831 - FOR ALL AGES SUNDAY - 9:45 to 10:45 am WORSHIP SERVICE AT 11:00 am Phone 519-440-8379 308 Blyth Rd. E. - Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590 catilloulity Church 101 Looking for a Great Of et.. Sunday School Experience? THIS IS IT! 11Votter fir ialian Telleatip October 15: Mark 7: 1-23 . "Coming Clean - Below the Surface" E‘angelical ary Church 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at Blyth Public School, corner of King & Mill Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Small Group Fridays 7:00 pm - Youth Group Saturday 9-3 at Huron Chapel: ABC Woman's Fall Renewal Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwatenorg) t t t t t t t t t 6.1 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH SINGASONciOF Auburn - 519-526-1131 _ aise PASTOR DAVE WOOD 40 & PASTOR DON PLANT JR. Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Friday 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School 10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service 7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service 7:30 p.m. - Youth Bible Study 6:30 p.m. - Olympians (JH to Grade 6) 7:00 p.m. - Adult Bible Study 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Drop-in Youth Centre BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Sandra Cable, Worship Leader Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wlghtman.ca Sunday, October 15 Ethel United Church Worship Service & Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Brussels United Church Worship Service & Sunday School ' 11:00 a.m. Rev. Steven Cox will be preaching on October 15. Communion & Baptism (Parents wishing their child to be baptized please call the church or Sandra at 519-887-8267 immediately.) Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship -aaloto‘ Pt Sunday, Cagle* 15 9:30 am Integrated Worship and Sunday School at 33 sets, Mennonite J.eliowanip, Pastor Brent Kipfer 519-887-6388 Everyone Welcome THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2006. PAGE 15. From the Minister's Study Psalmist thankful for forgiveness of sin 0 0 0 0 By Pastor John Kuperus Blyth Christian Reformed Church When you think of Thanksgiving, what do you think of? Most of us are thankful for the material blessings. We are thankful for our food and drink. We are thankful for our families and friends. We are thankful for work and being rewarded for what we do. The psalmist is thankful for the forgiveriess of sins (Psalm 103:3), which he calls a benefit. Why would God give us all the benefit of forgiveness of sins? Verse 1.3 says, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." One of the beauties of parents is they offer unconditional love for their infants. The infant lies in a bassinet utterly helpless. Yet mom finds time to nurse the infant and pours her life into the child. The father spends time rocking the baby and loses sleep without complaint. A parent shows compassion when their child gets injured and tends to their wounds. This picture is the picture the psalmist gives us of God. To give us a picture of God's love for us and his compassion, I like to share with you a story from a booklet entitled, He Did This Just For You, by Max Lucado. A butcher from Minnesota named Joe celebrated Christmas at his mom's. His daughter Madeline was five and he lost his wife when she gave birth to her. Every Christmas Eve he used to dance with his wife. After she died he continued to dance with his daughter. Madeline soon was old enough to drive and she decided she could take care of herself. She felt she did not need her father. Joe did not see this coming. He did not know how to handle her pierced nose and tight shirts. He did not understand the late nights or the poor grades. He did not know when he ought to speak or when to be quiet. She on the other hand had it all figured out. She knew when to speak to her father - never. She knew when to be quiet - always. This was not the way she was with the tattooed, lanky kid from down the street. She spent a lot of time there. Her dad did not like his influence on his daughter. Christmas Eve came and he would not allow her to spend Christmas Eve with that kid. She was to be at grandma's. Madeline was physically there and did not say a word. She played with her food and said nothing. Grandma tried to talk to Joe, but he was in no mood to talk. He was partly angry and part of him was brokenhearted. Part of him would give anything to know how to talk to this girl who once sat on his lap. The relatives came and entered into the awkward silence. Madeline was on the one side, while her dad was on the other. The relatives asked for the music and as • the tradition went Joe asked his daughter if she would dance. She turned in a huff and walked out the door in view of all the relatives. She left her father all alone in the doorway. Madeline came home that night and Joe did not confront her. He tried so hard to connect with his daughter. He made her favourite dinners, which she did not want to eat. He bought her a new dress, which she did not thank him for. One spring day he left work early to be at home when she came home from school and she never came home. A friend saw her at the bus station with her boyfriend heading to Chicago. No one knew what happened to her from there. Friends, this is what we did to God. Isaiah 53:6 says, "Each of us has gone his own way." Romans 5:10 says "We were God's enemies." This sounds harsh, because an enemy is a hostile adversary. An enemy offends out of intent. Have you ever offended God knowing he would not like it? Have you ever hurt part of his creation? We are all Madeline. We are all in a position of needing forgiveness. We are all sinners. The psalmist 'draws our attention to a benefit of God, forgiveness. God is compassionate as a father. Psalm 103;11 says, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is love for those who fear him." God is only compassionate, but loves us. God is deeply interested in his children. The boyfriend with tattoos had a cousin who worked in a convenience store in Houston and for a few bucks a month, the runaways could stay with him. They had to be out during the day. The plan was that he would get a job as a mechanic and she would work at a department store. He knew nothing about cars and she did not know anything about getting a job. After a few weeks the cousin changed his mind about their staying with him. The boyfriend announced he wanted to break up. She had no place to sleep or hand to hold. A woman at the park told her of a homeless shelter by the bridge. For a few bucks she could have a cot and a bowl of soup. She used her backpack as a pillow and her jacket as a blanket. It was hard to sleep there. She thought of her dad and him kissing her goodnight and her eyes began to water. She pushed the memory away and made a decision not to think of home. The girl on the cot next to her gave her some tips. She could find work at a club, dancing on tables. They needed another girl. She gave her the address. That was not what Madeline wanted so she spent the rest of the week looking for work. At the end of the week the only thing in her pocket was the address of the dance place. So that is where she found employment. She knew how to dance, her poppa had' taught her. The cousin delivered a box of letters and said her ex must have ratted on her. She could not open the envelopes. The cousin brought more the next week. She did not open any. She kept them in boxes at the club. Madeline was numb to her emotions. Thoughts of home and shame were pushed away. The letters continued to come through the cousin. He asked her to give her dad her address, but she refused. She Continued on page 18 SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm