The Citizen, 1994-06-22, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1994.
From the Minister^} Study,
Pastor wonders,‘Has the singing stopped?’
By Pastor Tom Warner
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
In times gone past, a caged
canary was kept in a mine. Its
purpose was to alert the miners of a
buildup of toxic gases that would
bring death. It was not that the
canary would sing more beauti
fully, rather that the canary would
die due to the toxic gases. The
miners were to realize that the
singing had stopped and know that
personal death was just a few
breaths away, unless fresh air was
introduced to the mine.
Unfortunately, due to the noise of
the mine at times, the quietness
went unnoticed and death came to
many miners.
To survive spiritually we too
need fresh air. It seems to me that
the singing has stopped in our
society.
At times, God's Holy Spirit is
symbolized by wind in the Bible. It
says, "The wind blows where it
wishes and you hear the sound of it,
but cannot tell where it comes from
or where it goes. So is everyone
bom of the Spirit."
The effects of the wind are
visible. A breeze refreshes us when
overheated. A wild wind destroys
us if we arc unaware of its coming.
The Spirit of the living God
needs to, and seeks to be, felt in our
society. The singing has all but
stopped. But when we are filled
with the Spirit of God, the Bible
says we will sing.
I sometimes wonder what God
thinks of a society that riots due to
losing or winning a game of
hockey, yet will barely lift a finger
to help the poor in that society?
I wonder what God thinks of how
confused the churches are today
that stand on every side of moral
issues, such as homosexuality?
I wonder what God thinks of a
people who have believed a
Freudian theory for over a century
that says the sexual abuse of a child
was childish fantasies and therefore
the child is responsible for the
sexual abuse?
There is another wind spoken of
in the Bible and is very strong in
our society. It is the wind of deceit
and lies that are tossing us about.
Confusion and chaos are not of
God. But the rule of God's peace is
needed in our society's soul that no
longer sings.
I have to ask the question if the
singing has stopped, what has died?
Yet even more urgent; now that the
singing is gone, when will we stop
being so busy with the nqise of life
and realize we arc just a few short
breaths away from death as a
society? Some suggest it has
already died. Death brings no sense
of hope. When there is no hope, we
die.
How can this evil and wasteful
cycle of life be broken and made
new? "If anyone is in Christ, that
person is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold all things
have become new."
Our society needs a wholesale
and retail renewal and revival - a
spiritual awakening, for where the
Spirit is, there is freedom. And the
singing will only come back to our
society and in fact our world, when
we are a new creature in Christ
Jesus - the Lord of all.
We do not know how all this
works, as it is from God's Holy
Spirit. But we will know when He
does work.
Remember the wind. You will
see and feel when He blows.
Remember the canary, you'll hear
the singing!
you are ‘Welcome at
the
BLYTH CHURCH OF GOD
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults
11 -12:15 - Morning Worship
Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
June 26 - Pentecost 5
Morning Prayer - BCP
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
Rector, The Rev. E. Paul Acton, 887-9273
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
Mennonites hear special music
On Sunday, June 19, Rob
Demaray was worship leader,
Manivan Larprom was pianist with
Nancy Elliot-Greenwood as song
leader. Phailop and Manivan
Larprom provided special music for
the service. Pastor Tom Warner
preached on father-child relation
ships, referring often to the Father
God-Jesus relationship.
Pastor Warner said, the heart
break of the Heavenly Father is like
that of earthly fathers whose
children cry out for help and the
father is helpless. Jesus could have
asked God to rescue him from the
cross but chose to do God's will. As
a boy of 12, Jesus stayed behind at
the temple for five days to learn
more about his real father. (Joseph
was his stepfather.) Jesus spent
several years fulfilling his duty to
his earthly family.
As the eldest son, he helped his
widowed mother raise his siblings
until he was about 30 years of age.
Then was the time for him to begin
his Heavenly Father's business in
earnest.
Children need to be encouraged
when they do the right thing, as
God said of Jesus, "Here is my son,
in whom I am well pleased."
Jesus and his Heavenly Father
had a love and trust relationship.
Last week, June 10, the Junior
Youth enjoyed an evening at the
Lichty home. The Senior Youth are
looking forward to an End-of-
School party on Saturday, June 25.
New minister arrives Aug. 7
Greeters at Blyth United Church,
Sunday, were Herb and Bonnie
Shannon. Ushers were Fred and
Debbie Hakkers and Randy and
Loma Fraser.
The service was opened by
singing Holy, Holy Holy.
Loma Fraser told about the new
minister, Stephen Huntley, and his
wife Katherine. They have one
child, Andrew Stephen Huntley
who is 9 1/2 months old.
Rev. Huntley will begin Aug. 7.
The band made up of Erica
Clark, Kim Ferguson, Courtney
Sauve, Shawn Clark and Kristy
Caldwell played Amazing Grace.
Rev. Jock Tolmay delivered a
sermon entitled, "When Storm and
Giants Come".
To close the service, the band
played Amazing Grace again with
the choir and congregation joining
in followed by Aaronic Blessing.
A lovely bouquet of six long
stemmed red roses was placed by
Mary Ann Howson in loving
memory of her father, Walter
Newcombe.
A beautiful flower arrangement
was placed in loving memory of
David Craig and Charles Johnston
and placed by Don and Marilyn
Craig and family.
Cliff Hoegy is in hospital in
Goderich and Dorothy Daer is in
Clinton. Harold Campbell is home
from hospital.
Pastor talks of fatherhood
the congregation at Auburn
Missionary Church was delighted
to hear John Baumbach sing Take it
To the Lord.
Pastor Carne's message was
"Like Father, Like God", with
scripture from Ephesians 5: 21-33.
An unsubmissive husband is an
unloving husband, he said. Fathers
are creators just like God is creator.
What an awesome responsibility to
bring into existence an everlasting
soul. -
If a parent is a shouter then the
child will be a shouter. Often we
create our own monsters, he said.
The congregation is looking
forward to next Sunday, June 26
when the church will be having its
anniversary. Dr. Tom Dow,
president of Emmanuel Bible
College, Kitchener, will be the
guest speaker. Special music will
be Paula Deitweillcr for the
morning and the Decision Quartette
for the evening.
Gladys Campbell is home from
the hospital and it is hoped she will
continue to improve in health.
There is to be an open house to
celebrate Leslie and Dorothy
Bolton's 50th wedding anniversary,
at the home of their daughter and
son-in-law Elizabeth and Robert
Bowman, 12 Dunlop Dr. on
Saturday, June 25.
HPRCSSB plans new school
The Huron-Perth Roman
Catholic Separate School Board has
made a decision regarding the
future education of secondary stu
dents in their system.
The board agreed at the May 30
meeting to approve the purchase of
the Cooper properly in Clinton for
the site of the new Catholic sec
ondary school.
The property will be bought at a
cost of $370,000 with the structure
designed by C.A. Ventin, architect.
The board will set up an ad hoc
committee to deal with the estab
lishment of the new secondary
school. The trustees will, be: Vin
cent Mclnnes, Grey, Morris, Tum-
berry and Howick Twps., Brussels
Wingham and Blyth; Louise Mar
tin, Ashfield, Colbomc, East and
West Wawanosh and Hullett
Twps., and Clinton and.^trry
Ryan, McKillop and Tuckersmith
Twps., and Seaforth; Michael
Miller, Stanley and Hay Twps.,
Bayfield, Zurich and Hensail;
Bernard Murray, Downic and Blan-
Continued on page 23
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
Sunday 10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11 a.m. - Morning Service
8 p.m. - Evening Service
Wednesday 8 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study
Friday 7:30 p.m. - Youth - Pastor Bob Lewis, 526-7441
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Carolyn McAvoy
- Morning Service
- Sunday School
- Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
11:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BL.YTH-523-9233
Friday Evening 8 p.m. - Installation of New Pastor
Rev. A. Van Geest
Everyone cordially invited to attend
Sunday 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Rev. A. Van Geest
The Church of the "Back to God Hour" and "Faith 20"
Back to God Hour 10:30 a.m. CKNX Sunday
Faith 20 5:30 a.m. Weekdays, Global T.V.
JT/I Visitors ‘Welcome ‘Wfteelcftair accessible
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
"Take Two Aspirin"
A warm welcome to the Oddfellows and
Rebekahs who are worshipping with us
this Sunday.
************
9:30 a.m. - Ethel Morning Worship Service
Church School
O thou my soul, bless God the Lord
EVERYONE WELCOME
You are invited to attend
BRUSSELS
MENNONITE
FELLOWSHIP
Sunday, June 26: Singing Tune-Up Time - 9:15 a.m.
WORSHIP SERVICE - 9:30 a.m.
Sunday School For All Ages -10:30 a.m.
Pastor
Tom Warner
887-6388
Wait on the I>ord: be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wail, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 27: 14
Elder
Linda Campbell
357-1648