The Citizen, 1995-11-08, Page 20BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259
11:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship
There's a wideness in God's mercy
like the wideness of the sea
All Welcome
Manse 887-9313
Morning Worship
Church School - Nursery
7ou 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
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are wet-come this Sunday
November 12 - Pentecost 23
MORNING PRAYER - BCP
Rev. Nancy Beale
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Cathrine Campbell
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
887-9831 Wheelchair Accessible
You are invited to an
OPEN HOUSE
at
CLINTON AND DISTRICT
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
on
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1995
at 8 p.m.
Find out about Christian Education at
Clinton and District Christian School.
You will see a short film on Christian education,
have a tour of the facilities, meet some of the staff,
and see the curriculum being used.
Refreshments will be served.
Everyone welcome!
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1995.
Wistful thinking
The clothespin model catches the eye of Lucas Durnin of Auburn during the St. Augustine
Roman Catholic Church's annual Christmas Bazaar. The snowy weather on Saturday could
have improved sales making the festive season seem just a little closer.
From the Minister's Study
Pastor says goodbye
By Rev. Steve Webb
Knox Cranbrook
We have been going through
some interesting times around our
home and within the congregations.
Things are happening for the last
time and for the first. Emotions are
mixed, full of sorrow and joy, the
children are excited and apprehen-
sive, their parents, the same.
It's sort of like Joshua. (I owe this
analogy to Cathrine). It's sort of
like anyone of you who have had to
change and move on in life and in
service to God. Everything was
fine, you are comfortable in what
you are doing, who you are with,
then God calls you to change.
The prospect of change, of
something new is very exciting.
Everything is full of promise, a
new home, a new community, a
new church and congregation. A
first communion, a first baptism, a
first cup of coffee, a first
handshake and names you try hard
to remember.
Children going to a new school,
all the new personalities to learn
and experience. Where do you get
your hair cut, the doctor, the
'dentist?
Yet it is also very hard. The last
Rev. Wayne Domm was guest
speaker at Auburn Missionary
Church on Sunday, Nov. 5.
Every family has problems, he
said and often they are wondering
if there will be victory but nothing
comes by chance. "God is
interested in your situation. What
has been causing you to be
anxious? Why have you
headaches? Why in tears?" he
asked. God has not given the spirit
of fear but of power, love and a
Linda Campbell brought the
message to Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship on Sunday, Nov. 5. The
general theme of "Facing Down
Our Fears" was continued with this
week's focus on "Facing an
Unhealthy Fear of God".
Perceptions of God are developed
in various ways and some of these
perceptions are erroneous, she said.
Some think God is like our earthly
fathers, who being human, not
divine, may carry flaws such as
communion, the last baptism, the
last cup of coffee. How do you say
goodbye to people who have come
to mean so much, people with
whom you have shared joys and
sorrows, people you have come to
love? How do you let people know
that you pray the very best for
them? How do you share your
belief that God will care for them
as they too go through a time of
transition and change?
A threshold Cathrine called it. A
point in time when everything
seems to change and yet amazingly
enough it is also the time when the
most precious things, the most
important things remain constant.
Like Joshua, like myself and like
yourself, this is true.
Joshua became leader of the
Israelites after the death of Moses.
He wasn't the sort of second in
command anymore, he was it. No
longer could he defer to Moses, no
longer ipuld he wait for someone
else to offer the direction given by
God, he was the one who would
have to do it. Yet, that was the
constancy in his life, the guidance
of God.
It is the same for us. God
continues to lead and to guide. God
sound mind, he said.
In Roman times the defeated
army was chained to the golden
chariot of the returning Roman
general. "Are we chained to the
chariot of Jesus Christ?" Rev.
Domm asked. "If you are a friend
of Jesus you won't be a friend of
the world. The Lord is closer when
we are hard pressed than when we
think everything is just fine. We
learn more through sorrow than
through laughter. Don't forget what
being abusive, absent, overly-
judgmental or critical. People may
have developed perceptions from
childhood memories of sermons
based on hell and damnation, or
Satan may have given warped ideas
in numerous ways.
A healthy fear of God is based on
respect, Cartipbell said. Noah,
Abraham, atid Cornelius, to
mention a few were God-fearing
but were not really afraid of God.
They respected him enough to obey
continues to care for and love us.
God continues to make the
presence of the Holy Spirit felt by
each of us that is willing to accept
it.
I know I need that guidance and
that presence. I know I have
experienced a great deal of it just
lately in the challenge of God as we
are called from one pastoral charge
to another.
This whole process of accepting
a new call was very difficult, more
so than I thought it would be. Just
as hard as it is for many of you as
you face change in your lives. Yet
together we share in the assurance
that if we live according to the will
of God we will indeed be blessed
with the presence of the living
Christ.
This is my encouragement, that
in all the events surrounding this
time of change, we can rely on the
constancy of the guidance of God
through the life of Jesus Christ in
us and those around us.
Now the time has come for me
say goodbye to you from the
Minister's Study. May God bless
you today, tomorrow and everyday
with the presence of the Holy
Spirit.
you learned in the light when in the
dark and don't forget what you
learned in the dark when in the
light. Share the Word of God with
someone and don't lose sight of the
Lord Jesus." The congregation
enjoyed the music of a saxophone
trio, consisting of Doran Rolston,
Will Jardine and Doug Rennick.
They played He Washed My eyes
with Tears and Just a Closer Walk
with Thee. Doran Rolston also sang
a beautiful solo On an Old Rugged
Cross Love's Story was told.
him. God's patience and protection
doesn't fit the image of a God
whom people need to fear. As long
as they accept the gift of grace and
salvation, they can build a
meaningful relationship with God,
and learn to love and respect him
without being afraid, Campbell
said.
Lloyd Koch was worship leader
for the service, with Lucy Hesse
and Anne Hemingway in charge of
Continued on page 23
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.
_V Visitors 'Welcome Wheelchair accessible
Missionaries hear guest pastor
Fear, theme of Mennonite message