The Citizen, 1995-11-22, Page 20Tasty repast
Fran Bremner, left and her sister Nora Stephenson, both
of Brussels enjoy some of the tasty luncheon served at
the St. John's Anglican Church craft and bake sale on
Saturday.
Mennonites discuss fear
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
Church Office 887-6259
11:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship
Jesus, be our shepherd still, though the settings alter
Everyone Welcome
Manse 887-9313
Morning Worship
"Winners & Losers"
Church School - Nursery
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
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 welcome this Sunday
November 26 - The Reign of Christ
MORNING PRAYER - BCP
Rev. Nancy Beale
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
it\
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.
Aff 'Visitors Welcome 'Wheelchair accessible
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1995.
From the Minister's Study
Words can be powerful weapons
By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Blyth Christian Reformed Church
One of the most powerful tools in
the world is the tongue. At times,
this tool is used as a weapon. Many
a battle has been won or lost due to
the use of that weapon. That is
particularly true of ballot box
battles.
The recent Quebec referendum
campaign gave us some good
examples of the various uses of the
tongue. Powerful speakers used it
to stir the masses and generate
great support for the positions they
promoted or defended. But those
same speakers also let words slip
out that hurt their cause.
That was true of Bouchard, who
at one point greatly offended many
Quebec women when he talked
about the reproductive roles of
French Canadian women.
It was even more obvious when
Parizeau laid the blame for the
narrow defeat of the "Yes"
campaign squarely on the shoulders
of ethnic minorities in Quebec.
That careless use of the tongue
probably gave Parizeau no other
choice but to resign as leader of his
It was the 24th Sunday after
Pentecost at Blyth United Church,
Nov. 19.
Rev. Ian Diamond, exchange
pastor from Australia, was minister.
Greeters were Cliff and Bev Snell
while ushers were the Caldwells,
Leslie, Evelyn, Kristy and Stephen.
Phyllis Boak, director of music was
organist.
Rev. Diamond opened with Call
to Worship, announcements and
On Sunday, Nov. 12 Thelma
Steinman gave the message at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship on
the topic "Overcoming the Fear of
Sickness and Death".
On Sunday, Nov. 19, Paul
Greenwood spoke on "Overcoming
the Fear of Threats to Our Child-
ren". He referred to the anguish
experienced by Mary and Joseph
when Jesus was lost, but after much
searching was found in the temple.
He pointed out that everyone has
fears concerning their children.
party.
But the misuse of the tongue was
even more evident in the
slanderous use of it. Opponents
called each other ''liars," and
"deceivers," and even "traitors."
The way opponents were described
in that campaign was often nothing
short of malicious. That might have
swayed some votes, and that kind
of language may be politically
acceptable, but it doesn't make for
peace.
We know what happened in
Israel, where slogans and graffiti
called Prime Minister Rabin a
traitor. It was that kind of rhetcric
that led to his assassination. And
similar verbal assaults on our own
Prime Minister could have led to
the same result when an intruder
with a knife entered his residence.
God's Word has some strong
commentary on the misuse of the
tongue. In Proverbs 13:3 it says:
"He who guards his lips guards his
soul, but he who speaks rashly will
come to ruin." And in Proverbs
21:23, it says that "he who guards
his mouth and his tongue keeps
himself from calamity."
words of welcome were followed
by the Service of the Word.
The theme conversation with the
children was about Christmas lights
and all the happiness which
surrounds Jesus' birthday. Rev.
Diamond led them in singing God
Loves Every Kid.
The New Testament Lesson was
from Thessalonians 3: 8-13. The
Gospel Lesson was from Luke 21:
5-19, read by the minister.
Fears are real, but all fears are
not unhealthy, he said. Unhealthy
fears restrict lives and cause
dysfunction. Risks are relative, and
people need to put risks into
perspective to channel their fears.
Teens see fears as a lack of trust,
but parents need to be honest with
children concerning those fears.
Phailop Larprom was worship
leader. LLey Hesse and Nancy
Elliot-Greehwood led the
congregational singing.
Carl Siemon will bring the
message next week.
And it isn't only the Old
Testament that speaks on the
subject either. In James 1:26 we
read: "If anyone considers himself
religious and yet does not keep a
tight rein on his tongue, he
deceives himself and his religion is
worthless." and in 1 Peter 3:10 it
says: "Whoever would love life and
see good days must keep his tongue
from evil and his lips from
deceitful speech."
These passages do not only apply
to our social relationships. They
apply equally much to the world of
politics, business, labour relations
and romance.
The Biblical writer James
challenges us to a more noble use
of the tongue in this way: "With the
tongue we praise our Lord and
Father, and with it we curse men,
who have been made in God's
likeness. Out of the same mouth
come praise and cursing. My
brothers, this should not be. Can
both fresh water and salt water flow
from the same spring?" (James 3:9-
11).
The more the tongue is devoted
to noble use, the more blessed we
shall be. Proverbs 12:18 reminds us
The choir rendered an anthem
entitled, In My Heart There Rings a
Melody.
Rev. Diamond's sermon was
entitled "Reading the Signs of the
Times".
He said, "In a few weeks we will
begin the Advent season. The
decorations are up already as
Christmas is coming. Advent is
often celebrated as a time of
preparation and watching. Today,
however, we- are urged to see that
preparing and watching is
accomplished by doing the
business of God. We live in the end
times, the times when the Kingdom
of God is known in Christ."
"We cannot forget that Christ has
already returned in spirit. The'signs
are around to remind us of the
pressing need for faithful witness.
In the midst of the terrible things
that produce so much suffering, we
can say that Christ is alive, his
Kingdom has come and in strength
we can move on in hope."
Following the sermon a hymn
was sung.
Immediately following the
service, a delicious fellowship
luncheon was held, co-ordinated by
Linda Wilson.
The Community Christmas
Variety Show will be a musical
event that shouldn't be missed. It
will feature church choir, the young
singers of Mitchell, bell ringers, a
women's barbershop quartet and
chorus harpist and a mass chorus of
barbershop singers from all over
southwestern Ontario. This will be
held at Northside United Church in
Seaforth on Sunday, Nov. 26 at
2:30 p.m.
Admission is $4 per person or
$10 per family. The proceeds will
go to the Huron County Christmas
Bureau.
• On average, Canadian children
and youth (up to age 19) spend 20 -
26 hours per week watching TV. It
appears that this average of daily
and weekly TV viewing has
remained fairly constant over the
past two decades. What is not
included in the total is the time
spent playing video games on TV
and watching rented movies.
that "the tongue of the wise brings
healing." That's a marvellous use of
the tongue.
An even greater use of the tongue
will be evident on the day that
"every tongue (will) confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father." (Philippians 2:11).
; The psalmist was committed to
that use when he wrote: "I will
extol the Lord at all times; his
praise will always be on my lips."
(Psalm 34:1).
And the writer of the book of
Hebrews, in his closing words,
wrote: "Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God the
sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips
that confess his name." (Hebrews
13:15).
When people make every effort
to employ the tongue in noble use,
they shall be most effective in
guarding their tongues from the
kind of destrudtive use of which we
are seeing far too much. Tongues
should not be used as weapons
causing division and pain, but as
instruments of peace, bringing
comfort and hope.
Snells greet at Blyth United