The Citizen, 2005-12-01, Page 23From the Minister’s Study
Time of year for patience
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2005. PAGE 23.
By Rev. Cathrine Campbell
Melville Presbyterian Church,
Brussels, Knox, Belgrave
This is the time of year that can try
your patience - line ups, conflicting
demands on all family members, so
much to do - so little time. We are
called to be patient - to wait on
something - and we can, usually, do
it. I will confess, sometimes it is
hard, very hard.
One writer, Adam Harmon, puts it
this way: “Whether we are shopping,
having family over, or just trying to
sneak around and buy presents for
your spouse without them knowing,
it seems like the Advent season is
full of times to be patient. In the
book of James we hear a message of
patience in relation to the coming of
the Lord. Scholars debate over the
exact audience and authorship of the
book of James, but it is important to
mention that the early church
anticipated the coming of the Lord
as being a very recent event, often
expecting it to even happen within
their lifetime. With that in mind,
James’ mention of patience is
expected to assure the people that
God is in control and that in God’s
time the coming of the Lord will
happen”.
And there is this reference in
James Be patient, then, until the
Lord’s comings See how the farmer
waits for the land to yield its
valuable crop and how patient he is
for the autumn and spring rains.
(James 5:7).
Which brings to mind this list:
Top. Ten Things I Have Learned
from Gardening (which I must
attribute to an internet friend - author
unknown)
10. We really do “reap what we
sow”. Good seeds bear good fruit.
9. Without rains and storms there is
no growth - no fruit is produced.
8. When weeding, be careful! We
can’t always tell the difference
between a nasty weed and a
beautiful flower.
7. Deep roots are a good thing.
Without them, we’ll wither and die.
6. Pruning and trimming, as painful
as it seems, actually works to our
advantage.
5. In gardening, as in life, cheating
does not work. Short cuts, slipshod
efforts, and neglect always show
up in the quality of our garden.
4. Like anything worthwhile,
beautiful gardens require attention,
hard work, and commitment.
3. We cannot rush the harvest.
Bearing fruit takes time and
patience. Premature fruit is almost
- always sour.
2. Gardening and growing is a
lifetime experience. We can
experience growth and beauty
until the day we die.
I. Fertilizer is a reality! In fact,
nothing much grows without it.
The great runner, Eric Liddell said
“God made me for a purpose and he
made me fast”. Liddell used that
speed to win an Olympic medal and
to further his career as a missionary.
Patience, with a purpose, as with
Liddell’s talent has rewards, and 1
came across this tantalizing item The
United Nations’ Millennium Project.
The idea is that if we give more
humanitarian money to the
developing world - for the next ten
years - for things like trees to help
put nitrogen back into depleted Soil,
mosquito nets to cover a child’s bed
at night to protect from malaria,
AIDS prevention and medicine,
sanitation engineering and well
drilling to provide for clean water -
if UN member countries fully
funded such projects through the
year 2015 we would see tremendous
things. People could grow enough
food to feed themselves; birth rates
would go down because child
mortality rates would go down.
education levels would go up as
families’ income rose, and our
payback? A more secure world, as
the breeding grounds for terrorism
shrink. And this would cost much
much less than what is spent on arms
today
As Christians we are never called
to be passive, just patient, for God is
doing great things and before the
great harvest that is before us there is
so much to do. We are called to be
long suffering servants of Christ but
not to suffer because of Christ.
When people ask if your God can
save, bring hope, love, peace, joy?
We can answer yes.
We know we do not live in a world
of peace but we know that there are
ways that we can advocate peace in
our own lives and the lives of others.
We do not live in a world where all
are accepted but we can be tolerant
of those around us.
We do not live in a world where
Continued on page 28
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
cpMi to CMte
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
fat uwtaAcft
Sunday, December 4
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
ChUKh Of Ooa
OOV’ANDZ?%
I \itisPe°^rhin8
"The Church is not a
Building,
Sunday 9:45 a.m. - Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Dec. 4: Isaiah 40:1-11
Announce |
God's U/ !.
Coming
Comfort f
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
10:30 a.m.
Blyth Public School
FREE PUBLIC SKATING
Fri., Dec. 9 (PD Day)
3-4 pm at Blyth Arena
Cookies too!
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 523-4848 I,
Phone: 440-8379 ~ 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
Blyth United Church
C°rner °f Dusley & Mill Street
Sunday, December 4
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
Office: 523-4224
The Church sanctuary will be open every Wednesday during Advent
(Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21) from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm for Prayer and
Meditation. The Minister will be available for anyone who would
like spiritual guidance for this time. Come into the quiet of Gotland
away from the busyness of this season.
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SINGASONK^OF Auburn - 526-1131
Tuesday
^^Wednesday
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Family Bible Hour
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
Olympians
Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m./
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday, Slecemftei 4
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, December 4
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
9:15 am Praising God
9:30 am Worship Service
10:45 am Coffee Break
11:00 am Sunday School
Pastor Brent Kipfer
887-6388
67
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Come and enjoy our church choirs
Everyone Welcome!
(sponsored by the Brussels Ministerial)
Sunday, December 11
7:30 p.m.
at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship