The Citizen, 1995-04-05, Page 15BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259
Manse 887-9313
Palm Sunday
9:30 a.m. Congregational Pancake Breakfast
Lower Hall
Palm Sunday Worship
11:00 a.m. Communion Service
Church School - Nursery
-------------
9:30 a.m. Ethel Palm Sunday Worship
Communion Service
Church School
"Ride on, ride on in majesty"
We invite you to join us
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Tim Purvis, Interim Moderator
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
Myth United Church
Sunday, April 9 - Palm Sunday
Family Service - Passion Play 11:00 a.m.
Friday, April 14
Good Friday Service 10 a.m.
Sunday, April 16
Easter Sunday Sunrise Service - 6:30 am.
at Howson's Elevators
(weather permitting or at the church)
Communion Service at 11:00 am.
Beginning June 4 Summer Services begin at 10:00 a.m.
Rev. Stephen Huntley
PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1995.
From the Minister's Study
Pastor recalls Jesus triumphal entry
By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Blyth Christian Reformed Church
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. It
is not a major religious holiday, but
it isn't an insignificant day either
for the Christian Church. It is the
day on which we remember Jesus'
triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The people hailed his coming,
even though some of these same
people might have cried within that
very week: "Crucify him." That
contrast between the high
enthusiasm of Palm Sunday and the
heartless rejection of Jesus on
Good Friday has to raise some
questions in our minds.
What did they expect when Jesus
mounted that donkey to ride into
Jerusalem? It had to mean
something special, they knew, or
else he would not have come in
this rather unusual manner. It
quickly roused their imagination.
And when some of them began to
spread their cloaks on the road
where Jesus had to travel, which
was the equivalent of putting out
the red carpet for him, the masses
got caught up in the euphoria.
They knew enough about Jesus to
know that he wasn't your average
citizen. His message and his
miracles had been heard and
witnessed by many.
Maybe this Jesus was the one of
whom the prophets had spoken, the
one who would come to deliver
Israel from foreign oppressors and
restore its glory again to what it
was in the days of king David. So
they began to welcome him as their
promised deliverer, and they
praised God for his coming.
That all sounds pretty good until
you realize that they saw Jesus
It was the Fifth Sunday of Lent at
Blyth United Church, April 2, with
the seasonal colour being violet.
Greeters were Hary and Deanna
Snell. Ushering the worshippers
were the Sanderson family - Elmer,
Maria, Jonathon and Anthony.
Linda Meier was in charge of the
junior congregation and Marlene
Toll in charge of the nursery.
Rev. Stephen Huntley opened the
service with Call to Worship,
Prayer of Approach and Words of
Welcome. This was followed by
the singing of 0 Worship The King
then Prayer of Confession.
For the children's time, Rev.
Huntley had them name things that
cost a lot of money. Among the
things they suggested were com-
puter, house, garage, automobile,
stereo, TV and a diamond ring.
On Sunday, April 2 the Auburn
Missionary Church congregation
was thrilled to hear Virginia
Stright, Lorraine Carne and Pastor
Came sing It Is Finished.
Pastor Carne's message "Life
After Death" had scripture from I
Corinthians 15: 12- 26, 42 - 57.
Teenagers do not think of dying but
all of us at any age should be sure
where we are going, he said. People
flee from God instead of fleeing to
God.
Pastor Carrie said, it is not natural
to seek God, but the Bible talks
about a new birth. John 3 tells of
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a
very teamed man coining to Jesus
to inquire of the way of salvation.
Jesus' reply was in John 3:3 -
"Except a man be born again he
cannot see the kingdom of God."
Pastor Came said, people cannot
be saved by being members of a
primarily as a political figure. They
looked to him to head up an earthly
kingdom, to make them great again
among the nations of the world.
They wedded Jesus to their own
political views.
That has been done throughout
history. Liberation theology in
South America has done that kind
of thing. Instead of presenting Jesus
as the one who saves people from
sin and all its consequences, and as
the one who would straighten out
our broken relationship with God,
they used Jesus to justify their own,
often violent revolution. They
reduced him to one who is
primarily a political saviour. Many
people have failed to understand
Jesus when he said that his
kingdom was not of this world.
When you have the wrong
expectations of Jesus, you also
come up with the wrong response
to him. And in the end, you will be
totally disappointed. 0, Jesus is
indeed interested in the wrongs of
this world. He indeed has
something to say about that. We
can learn a lot from Jesus when it
comes to morality, justice, taking
care of the environment, looking
after the poor, having compassion
for refugees, etc. etc.
But these things are the spin-offs
of his kingdom, of accepting his
rule over us, of bowling before him
in repentance and faith. These are
the concerns that should naturally
move us when we have been
renewed inwardly by the presence
of Jesus Christ in our hearts.
The original Palm Sunday crowd
was ignorant of why Jesus entered
Jerusalem. On that occasion he
came to offer himself up as a
He had with him a small bottle of
perfume and explained that it
would take two year's wages to pay
for the pure bottle of perfume back
in Biblical times when Mary
poured it over Jesus' feet, preparing
him for his death.
The choir, under the direction of
Phyllis Boak sang, There's Room at
the Cross.
The new Testament Lesson, from
Philippians 3: verses four to 14 was
read by Les Rutledge. The gospel
lesson, read by Rev. Huntley was
from John 12: 1-8.
Rev. Huntley's sermon was
entitled, "A Fragrant Story". He
related the story about Jesus of
Nazareth, moving the stone, raising
Lazareth from the dead, making
people believe in Him because He
was different. The elders didn't
liked Jesus though because He was
church. They can be baptized and
yet not have Jesus as a personal
Saviour.
When they have accepted Christ
Elwin Garland was worship lead-
er for the Sunday service, April 2 at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.
Anne Hemingway was song leader
and Kathy Procter was pianist.
Darlene Hemingway played the
piano for the offertory.
Communion was served during
the service. The scripture lesson
was I Corinthians 11: 23-32.
On Friday evening, the Grade 5/6
Sunday School class went bowling
at Molcsworth for their monthly
sacrifice for the sin of the world, to
make peace for us with God, and
thereby to open the door to renewal
for this world. But it was only later
that his followers began to
understand this.
Can we call this a "triumphal
entry" then? When you march
towards your own execution,
sackcloth and ashes would seem to
be more appropriate. Yet, Jesus
chose to enter Jerusalem in this
triumphal manner. Because he was
Israel's king, coming to his city to
save it. But in a very different way
from what they had in mind. So
they did not understand why Jesus
did not mobilize the people and turf
our the enemies.
What Jesus came to do was to
fulfill the promises of God that he
would save his people from
everlasting shame. He was
determined to bring the needed
sacrifice for that. And when he was
raised from the dead as proof of his
victory over the powers of
darkness, he would begin to draw
all people to himself and invite
them to look for renewal in his
kingdom, under his reign.
This is not a renewal that comes
through wordly agencies. Nor is
this a self-help project for the
human race with Jesus merely
being our cheerleader. This is a
renewal that has its beginning in
the heart of a believer, and which
will see its completion when the
Lord Jesus will return again one
day in glory to claim his rightful
throne over the whole earth.
That's what Palm Sunday is all
about. May it be a blessed
remembrance of God's people
throughout the world.
different and wouldn't fit in to their
neat little world.
Mary used this fragrant,
expensive oil to anoint Jesus' feet
preceding the crucifixion.
When I Survey the Wondrous
Cross was sung, followed by choral
response, "Go Now In Peace.".
Family Sunday is next Sunday,
April 9 (Passion Play is at 11 a.m.).
Sunday, April 16 is the Sunrise
Service at 6:30 a.m. at Howson's
Country Mill. Bring lawn chairs. In
inclement weather, the service will
be held at the church. Come out
and help celebrate this most
important festival of the Christian
faith.
In the hospital are Molly Grant in
Wingham, Grace Easom in Clinton,
Ed McNall in Stratford and Ann
Hollinger in Goderich.
as their personal Saviour, he said,
there is no fear in death for in I
Thess. 4: 16-18 it says "the dead in
Christ shall rise first."
outing.
Wednesday, April 4 will be
family night, with a prayer session
and a study from Romans for the
adults, Bible study for the youth,
and activities for the children.
Next Sunday several families in
the congregation will participate in
a "Guess Who's Coming for
Supper" event.
Thought for the Week: Study the
Bible to be wise; believe it to be
safe; practise it to be holy.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
April 9 - Palm Sunday
The Sunday of the Passion - Morning Prayer
Ms Nancy Beale, Lay Pastor
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15a.m.
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
You are Wekerne 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
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.
Aft Visitors Weithine Wheelchair accessible
Spells greet at Blyth United
Pastor, wife sing at service
E. Garland leads
Mennonite worship