Loading...
The Citizen, 2017-03-30, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017. From the Minister's Study Make your life's mission to follow God: Royall By Pastor Mark Huron Chapel Evangelical Missionary Church, Auburn Jesus tells us, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me," Matthew 16:24. The most powerful and effective position we can take up in life is this one, "God leads - I follow". Really. If we just lived our lives knowing and seeking where God is leading us and following Him there, we would know life to its fullness. No one wants us to live a more fulfilling life than God. He created us. We are His. He is our perfect loving Father and we are His children. He wants the best and most for you and He will lead you to it, but you have to follow. But following is not something people often like to strive for. I was reading of an author who wanted to write a paper on `followership'. He went to his big box bookstore and discovered there was over 125 books on the shelves ready to buy on leadership but not one on how to be a great follower. It seems no one is interested in being a follower. A story is told of a young man filling out his college application. One of the questions on the form read, "Are you a leader or a follower?" He checked off, "follower". A few weeks later the dean of the college phoned him and said, "I don't normally call students to congratulate them on their acceptance to our college, but in your case, we are particularly glad to have you. We've accepted 500 students for the coming year — 499 of whom identified themselves as leaders." Jesus didn't call people saying, "Go and lead Me." Rather, Jesus would walk up to a fishermen working on the nets or a tax collector at his booth and say, "Follow Me". He said to the rich young ruler who knew something was missing in his life, "One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me," Mark 10:21 I have told my wife I want my gravestone to say, "Mark William Royall, A Follower Of Jesus Christ." I want to live my life in such a way that this would best describe who I UCW hosts World Day of Prayer Continued from page 9 the guest speaker, Lil Hill of Clinton, the ladies became more familiar with the Philippines. The Philippines is actually an archipelago consisting of 7,107 islands. The three largest and main islands are Luzon, where Lil was raised, Visayas and Mindanao, represented by the three stars on the country's flag. The islands have been inhabited for 67,000 years and controlled for periods by Spain, and the United States until becoming an independent nation in the years following World War II. The country was occupied during that war by the Japanese. There are more than 120 dialects/languages in the Philippines. The government has decreed Filipino the official language with English being universal. Lil commented that because of the many languages, when she meets another Filipino they communicate using the Filipino national language. Christianity is the major religion of the country and it was evident in her talk that Lil credits God for the good things in her life. The country's government facilitates its peoples to migrate to other countries to find work. Many of the women are vulnerable to exploitation, violence and discrimination when they work out of their country. They leave in search of a better life. Lil became a nanny in Singapore at the age of 26. She thanks God that that experience was a good one. However, she left behind four siblings, a mother and a son. Through an international agency Lil and Ian Hill met and corresponded for many months. Twenty years ago Lil came to Canada and married Ian. Lil credits t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t 1V- CMirithaa Tell¢w ip Apr.2, 5th in Lent: Rom. 12:1-8 Daring Faith #5: "Daring to Commit" Evangelical Missionary Church Small Group (1). Mon. 8:00 pm at J&R Uyl's,180 Noah, Blyth Small Group (2) • Tues. 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham Coffee Break Women's Bible Study • Wed. 10 am at Blyth CRC Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater.or) God with her courage to come to Canada and start a new life. Ian passed away in 2015. In 2016, Lil and her daughter visited the Philippines. Lil met her grandson for the first time on that visit. From Lil's most interesting talk and the video it became obvious that life in the Philippines is difficult. Twenty per cent of the population controls 80 per cent of the country's wealth and the poor are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. The women are subordinate in the home, church and society. The poor earn their living working on the sugar plantations or participating in `dagyaw' around the rice fields. In this system workers from the villages go from field to field helping plant the rice. Each field has to be planted in a day. They are not paid for this work but share in the harvest. This system of agriculture in the Philippines was referred to in Matthew 20: 1-16 and read and explained by Keri Whyte, God's economic justice. President Helen Lobb held a short business meeting following the prayer service. was. Being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ is the optimum summary and achievement of my life. Yes, the church has given me a title to put in front of my name and schools have given me degrees I can put after my name. I am a loving husband to my wife and to my children a loving father. I also want to be known as a good friend and neighbour in my community. I care about my family, my community and my career but the one description that would be most meaningful and sum up who I sought to be above all things is this, "a follower of Jesus Christ". It has been the following of Jesus that has enriched my family, my community and the church. It is in the following of Jesus where I have discovered hope and adventure and purpose for life. Since this is my goal, I wake up every morning asking, what is God calling me to be and do in my marriage and family? What is God calling me to be and do in career and workplace? What is God calling me to be and do in my community? I want to know where is God leading because I know when I follow Him this is where the miraculous and wonder is going to happen. Many of us may say we believe in God. We say we believe He exists but how many of us can honestly say to ourselves, "I believe in God and I make it my life's mission to follow Him?" The most powerful and effective position we can take up in life is this one, "God leads - I follow". BRUSSELS United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am April 2, Springtime Songfest 7:30 pm featuring Brussels Church Choirs sponsored by Brussels Ministerial Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. -- 226-963-1175 ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS B LYTH Trinity (. 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! Eiva.2e€4, eoorroc2forrtv &Wee eitaftee You're 'invited to come worsh p with us Sunday, April 2 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. You're e9nvited Jo loin CUs Jn Wars/ ip SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am - Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH v, r•* `` 1 . Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Ll & Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, APRIL 2 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-6687 6. ;.A Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, April 2 Lent 5 • AV _ "It wasn't me" - Peter • MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. 6, OFFICE: 519-523-4224 was. Being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ is the optimum summary and achievement of my life. Yes, the church has given me a title to put in front of my name and schools have given me degrees I can put after my name. I am a loving husband to my wife and to my children a loving father. I also want to be known as a good friend and neighbour in my community. I care about my family, my community and my career but the one description that would be most meaningful and sum up who I sought to be above all things is this, "a follower of Jesus Christ". It has been the following of Jesus that has enriched my family, my community and the church. It is in the following of Jesus where I have discovered hope and adventure and purpose for life. Since this is my goal, I wake up every morning asking, what is God calling me to be and do in my marriage and family? What is God calling me to be and do in career and workplace? What is God calling me to be and do in my community? I want to know where is God leading because I know when I follow Him this is where the miraculous and wonder is going to happen. Many of us may say we believe in God. We say we believe He exists but how many of us can honestly say to ourselves, "I believe in God and I make it my life's mission to follow Him?" The most powerful and effective position we can take up in life is this one, "God leads - I follow". BRUSSELS United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am April 2, Springtime Songfest 7:30 pm featuring Brussels Church Choirs sponsored by Brussels Ministerial Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. -- 226-963-1175 ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS B LYTH Trinity (. 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! Eiva.2e€4, eoorroc2forrtv &Wee eitaftee You're 'invited to come worsh p with us Sunday, April 2 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.