The Citizen, 2012-06-28, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012. By Rev. Gary ClarkBlyth United Church
Have you every felt like an
immigrant in your own country?
Well chances are that if you were
born before 1964 you have felt the
sting of being out of step. There is a
reason and it’s a big one.
Last week I had the pleasure of
attending a conference that dealt
with the changes that are occurring
in society and by association are
challenging the church to change.By the way these societal changes
affect Jews, Muslims, Hindus and all
other faiths. You cannot swim in the
cultural waters of Canada and not
get wet.
One speaker, Phylis Tickle spoke
about how these society shaping
changes are part of a 500-year cycle.
Every 500 years all the Latin-based
cultures go through a re-invention of
themselves. For example, 500 years
ago we had huge changes because ofthe invention of the printing press.
Tickle maintains that it is no
accident that Protestantism came
into its own at this time. The
increase of knowledge (because of
the easy publishing of books)
undermined the authority of the
mother church. It allowed
information about Columbus sailing
westward and not falling off the
edge of the earth to be known.
Another radical notion, proposedby Nicolas Copernicus, was that the
earth wasn’t the centre of the
universe. These discoveries
challenged the authority of the
church which held very different
opinions. So what was or can be the
authority when the church has
lost its’ authority? Martin Luther
declared at that time, “that
scripture and scripture alone is the
authority” and a new world order
was born.
This new world chugs along nicely
for about 350 years and then we start
to see the beginnings of a new era. In
those years or the peri-period, the
established order is chipped away
piece by piece until finally the old
era is surpassed. Tickle points to the
discovery of field theory in
electronics in 1844 by Michael
Faraday as the beginning of the peri-
period which has led to this new era.
This theory allowed Albert Einstein
to make his great discoveries in
1905. And on we as a culture went to
the technological society that we
now know. In this new era all
authority whether scripture based; or
political; or ethical; or economic is
being challenged. People no longer
trust truth that comes from outside
themselves. So experience, say of
the Holy, becomes necessary if
someone is to believe in God. So it
is not enough for the church to
simply tell people to believe.
This has ramifications for
education and leadership outside the
church as well as within it. Those
under 47 need to feel emotionally
touched by God for God to be real.
Now we who are over 50 like that
too but the spoken ‘Word’ is more
important. We also prefer tradition
over change; a choir over a band.And here is where the sense of being
an immigrant arises. In every sector
of society change is occurring that
many of us neither want nor can
stop. It begins to feel like it’s not our
country or church anymore.
Tickle warns that we might as well
get used to it. There is a big
rummage sale going on everywhere
in society and we have to figure out
what things are of real value and
what things we will set by the curb
to be sold off. Jesus actually speaks
of things like this because Jesus
himself lived in the midst of a
societal upheaval like ours. He gave
his disciples wisdom and introduced
them to a God who would help them
find their way even when he was
taken violently away from him. But
don’t take my word for it. Come out
to church and feel what it is like to
find your footing when everything
around you is in upheaval.
Hunters celebrate 60 years
Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m.
CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS
MINISTER
Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div.
All Welcome
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224
JULY 1 ~ Canada Day Service
- Guest speaker: Sandra Cable
JULY 8 ~ “Building a Future” Habitat For Humanity
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743
www.blythcrc.ca
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, JULY 1
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9017
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
July 1: 2 Sam. 6:1-15
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
“The Danger of Casual Religion”
Evangelical Missionary Church
Community VBS July 16-20 -
info/register: tinyurl.com/blythvbs2012
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, July 1
Brussels Legion at 10:30 a.m.
and in various homes at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 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 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
119 John’s Ave., Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
Rev. Mark Royall, Sr. Pastor
10:30 a.m
Morning Worship Service
Register on-line at
www.huronchapel.org
Vacation Bible
School ~
“The Silver Chair”
July 9-13th
JK - Grade 6
From the Minister’s StudyChurch can provide footing during turbulence
James (Jim) W. Hunter and Mary
Elizabeth Hunter celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary last
week.
Mary, daughter of James and
Mary Durham of Brantford, and
Jim, son of Howard and Merle
Hunter of Troy, Ontario were wed
on June 21, 1952 at the Troy United
Church in Troy, Ontario.
Rev. Thomas Smith wed the
couple. In attendance were the
bride’s sister Dorothy Witteveen
who was the maid of honour, the
groom’s sisters Rosie and Vera
Hunter who were bridesmaids, the
best man Roy Durham, ushers
Burwell Durham, Robert Hunter,
and flower girl Sharon Green.
Jim and Mary then went to the
Georgian Bay area for their
honeymoon before settling on a
small farm near Troy.
Jim was a farmer and Mary was a
store clerk. Both have since retired.
The couple has four children;
Gwen Maclean, Joyce VanCamp,
Dan Hunter and Glen Hunter, as
well as five grandchildren; Marilyn
Maclean, Christopher Casemore,
Chanda Casemore, Katherine
Vancamp Longson and Timothy
VanCamp.
Mary is active in the Women’s
Institute and church while Jim is an
avid card player.
The celebration was held at the
couple’s home in Belgrave.
Their family was gathered for the
occasion from British Columbia,
Alberta and the Troy and Brantford
areas.
The couple feels that they had a
great turnout of friends and
neighbours and that they had a
wonderful party to remember for the
rest of their lives.
Congratulations
Jim and Mary Hunter celebrated their 60th wedding
anniversary, a feat seldom seen anymore, on June 24 at
their home in Belgrave. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Brussels United Church
is closed for holidays in July.