The Citizen, 1994-09-21, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1994.
From the Minister’s Study
Pastor asks, ‘Where does God’s love go?’
By Randy Banks
Walton-Bluevale Pastoral Charge
Recently, while contending
against the vicissitudes of life, I
learned of the crash of US AIR
Flight 427 near Pittsburgh which
killed every man, woman, and child
on board. Although thousands of
innocent people are dying each day
as a result of war, poverty, famine,
and natural disaster, most of this
happens to nameless people in far
away places.
On the other hand, any one of us
could be a passenger on an airplane
from say, Edmonton to Toronto or
Montreal to Regina when a faulty
engine thruster could suddenly and
unexpectedly reverse causing the
aircraft to spin out of control and,
in a moment, snuffing out our
mortal existence to which we cling
so dearly and yet, paradoxically,
take for granted.
Every day we entrust our frail
flesh to the workings of human
technology which we know is
never entirely foolproof. The 131
passengers and crew of Flight 427
were probably no less confident
that they would reach their
destinations safely as any other air
travellers on any given day on any
given route.
As they prepared for landing,
these were people from various
walks and circumstances of life.
We can expect that some were very
content with life as it was while,
undoubtedly, others were depressed
and discouraged about the hand life
had been dealing them recently.
Someone may have been
preparing for reunion with a friend
or family member not seen in a
long time. Some seats were
occupied by children or infants in
their mother's arms whose whole
lives were ahead of them.
One minute these people were
alive with their thoughts, fears,
hopes, dreams and challenges.
Within a few short, horrifying,
panic-filled seconds, the book of
life was to be slammed shut on all
of them.
As a minister of the Christian
faith who preaches that beyond
crucifixion is resurrection and that
beyond death is the promise of
newness of life in the presence of
God, I nevertheless find myself
questioning: "Where does the love
of God go at times such as these?
Why this particular flight of the
thousands that take off and land
without incident day after day?
Why these people?"
I never find any comfort in the
answer that their number was up
and it was God's will that this plane
crashed. The crash, for me, was one
of those purely random human
tragedies that occur around the
world every day. It is, after all,
human beings that design and
construct and fly aircraft and
everyone aboard is subject to the
same laws of the universe. Human
bodies are not designed to survive
such horrendous accidents.
It seems that every once in a
while we are given a solemn
reminder of the precariousness of
human existence. The psalmist
describes us as "flowers of the
field." The wind passes over it and
it is gone." (Psalm 103).
The writer of the New Testament
book of James advises us to never
take life for granted: "Come on you
who say, 'Today or tomorrow we
shall go to such and such a place
and spend a year there doing
business or making money...'You
do not know what tomorrow will
bring. For you are a mist that
appears for a little while and then
vanishes" (James 4.13-15).
Jesus tells a parable with a
similar message (Luke 12. 13-21).
There is a rich fool whose harvest
is so abundant that he decides to
tear down his bam and build larger
ones in which to store his bounty.
He then expects rest, relaxation,
and fun.
"You fool," says God. "This very
night your life is being demanded *
of you. And the things you have
prepared, whose will they be?"
Life is a very wondrous gift that
God has given us. It comes with no
guarantees about quantity or
quality. Life is always presenting
us with the challenge of setting
priorities: Which God will we
worship? Will we value
materialism above spirituality?
Will we live only for ourselves or
will we take some thought about
others?
The Christian faith informs us
that the steadfast love of God is
everlasting, that darkness does not
overcome the light, and that death
has no power over life.
All the same tragedies such as
this airplane crash will continue to
happen and shake us up and cause
us to ask these ultimate questions
or life and death. As long as we
live, we will wonder whether our
own lives will be snatched away
accidentally or by natural causes of
disease and aging.
The psalmist prays to God to
"teach us to count our days so that
we may gain a wise heart"
(Ps. 90.12). That great spiritual
writer is encouraging us to live
each day that is granted to us
joyfully, responsibly, and thank
fully. He invites us in yet another
psalm: "This is the day that the
Lord has made; let us rejoice and
be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24).
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
September 25 - Pentecost 18
Morning Prayer - BCP
Trinity, Blyth St. John’s, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
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
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
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
A BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH-523-9233
Sunday 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Rev. Adrian 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.
All Visitors Wetc-orne ‘WfieeCcfiair accessible
Paul Siemon, leads worship
Paul Siemon was worship leader
at Brussels Mcnnonite Fellowship
on Sunday, Sept. 18. Lucy Hesse
and Nancy Elliot-Greenwood led
the congregational singing. Ursi
Eigenheer and Maaike Wiegersma
ministered by means of a duet for
the offertory. Pat Pietrek was in
charge of the children's singing.
Pastor Tom Warner preached
from 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20.
Members of society now tend to be
lovers of pleasure instead of lovers
of God, he said. Materialism
opposes piety. Jesus has paid for
our lives and God has put some
restrictions on how we live our
lives. We were created in the image
of God and he is interested in, and
has concern for our physical
bodies. Jesus rose from the dead
physically. We too, will be
physically resurrected when Jesus
comes again, Pastor Warner said.
Wednesday, Sept. 21 will be
family night. Youth and young
adults will have Bible study at
Demarays. There will be songs,
stories and activities for the
children at the church. There will
also be a prayer evening for the
adults at the church.
Church plans silent auction
The board of stewards and the
elders of Brussels United Church
are holding their first silent auction
on Oct. 1, as a major fundraiser
towards the purchase of a furnace.
Approximately 200 items and
services have been donated by
church members, adherents and
businesses to the auction.
Articles such as crafts and knitted
items, as well as a list of other arti
cles, may be viewed in the church
parlour on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Lists will also be available at
Cardiff and Mulvey Real Estate
and Insurance office in Brussels.
Beginning Sept. 26 and running
until Sept. 30, interested parties
may phone to place a bid on specif
ic items or inquire where the bid
stands. Bids will be accepted in $1
increments.
On Saturday, Oct. 1, from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m., everyone involved
in the auction is invited to the
church basement for coffee and a
last opportunity to place an offer.
All successful bidders will be
notified by Oct. 2, with accounts to
be settled by Oct. 15.
Purchasers will be required to
make arrangements for delivery of
the good or service.
Payment envelopes should be
marked "Silent Auction" with the
item number, donator's name and
purchaser's name. Cheques may
be made out to Brussels United
Church or may be brought to the
church office.
To place a bid, call 887-6259
between the hours of 7 and 9 p.m.
during the week of Sept. 26.
Further information may be
obtained from George Cousins at
887-9301 or Mary Jean Bell at 887-
9146.
FLORENCE MAUDE
COULTES
Florence Maude Coultes passed
away at Huronlea, Brussels, on
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 1994. She was
the daughter of the late John and
Alice (Harrison) Scott.
Rev. Rae Grant officiated at a
funeral service held on Friday,
Sept. 16, at the Wingham United
Church where Mrs. Coultes was a
member. Serving as pallbearers
were Tom Black, Eldon Cook,
Ralph Davison, Ian Scott, Murray
Scott, and Collin Campbell.
Andrew, Chris, Matthew and
Travis Campbell were flower
bearers.
Mrs. Coultes was bom and raised
on the sixth line of East
Wawanosh. In 1935 she married
Albert E. Coultes and they farmed
on the sixth concession until his
death in 1977. She was the mother
of two sons and a daughter,
Clifford, of RR 1, Belgrave,
Donald of Brandon, Manitoba, and
Linda and Bruce Campbell of RR
1, Belgrave. She is also survived by
seven grandchildren: Andrew,
Chris, Collin, Matthew, and Travis
Campbell, of RR 1, Belgrave, Scott
Coultes of Wawanesa, Manitoba
and Donna Cleveland of Ninette,
Manitoba, two great-grandchildren
and three sislers-in-law, Mrs. Dora
Scott of Barrie, Mrs. Alice Scott of
RR 1, Belgrave and Mary (Coultes)
Jarvis of Braemar, Wingham.
Mrs. Coultes were predeceased
by four brothers, Peter, Waller,
Charles and Borden Scott and one
granddaughter, Iris Campbell.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Tim Purvis, Interim Moderator
11:00 a.m.- Morning Service
- Sunday School
- Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
9:30 a.m.
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313
•
11:00 a.m.- Betty Graber who attended the recent
United Church General Council as a
delegate will speak about her
experiences.
- Church School/Nursery
- Viewing of Silent Auction items, lower
hall, 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. and
12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
9:30 a.m.- Ethel United Church*Stand Up and Bless the Lord
Everyone Welcome
(Brussels 9vlennonite
• we like to hear the good news of Jesus
• we like fun times as a family
* we like fellowship meals
* we like meeting new people
We would like YOU to give us a try!
Sunday, Sept. 25 - 9:15 a.m. Singing Tune-up Time
9:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE
10:30 a.m. Sunday School For All Ages
Pastor Tom Warner
887-6388 WELCOME Elder Elwin Garland
887-9017