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The Citizen, 1996-05-29, Page 11MELVILLE 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're invited to join us for worship this Sunday Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. Rev. Verhoog from Exeter will lead both services the times of refreshing shalt come from the presence of the Lord -Acts 3:19 BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible privileged to see did not happen by chance, the wonderful people we see did not happen by chance either. They were nurtured by loving parents, friends, thoughtful minds and, above all, by a loving Creator who knows and cares for all who are in His garden. You are Welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF,GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults 11:00 a.m. - 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 2 - TRINITY SUNDAY HOLY EUCHARIST Rev. Nancy Beale Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels 9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY • CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 SPIRITUAL REFRESHMENT MEETINGS SUNDAY, JUNE 2 - 9 Sundays - 10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour -11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. - Rev. John Bennett & Tim Harden, singing Monday to Friday - Services at 7:30 p.m. ETHEL UNITED CHURCH Rev. Cameron McMillan Church Office 887-6259 Manse 887-9313 11:00 a.m. 119th Anniversary Service Dr. Jim Guest, London Guest Speaker Lunch to follow service 11:00 a.m. Brussels' Service cancelled The congregation is invited to attend the Ethel Anniversary Service The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ The Lord "Welcome to Ethel United" Special birthday Members of Blyth United Church brought a very special birthday gift to former choir member Irvine Wallace, who celebrated his 95th at Huronview. The choir sang several songs at the event on Sunday. UC celebrates Pentecost THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1996 PAGE 11. From the Minister's Study Religion has many 'instant gardeners' By Rev. Cathrine Campbell Melville Presbyterian Church Brussels How does your garden grow? With a successful garden there is the planning, the planting, the weeding, the mulching - the list goes on. The reality is that while gardening is work the rewards more than compensate. I count myself amongst the hopeful gardeners - every year I am sure that all my plantings will be successful and all my weeds will self-destruct. Every year, my hopes are not completely realized, but, I do learn something new and the camaraderie amongst gardeners is a bonus in our increasingly urbanized society. It is not for nothing that gardening is the fastest growing hobby in this country. There is one type of gardener who gets a fair amount of press these days. He or she is called the "instant gardener". They go to the garden centre or call up someone and they produce the instant garden - no fuss - no muss - no bother. You literally can order your flowers by the metre or yard and the material the seeds come in can be cut to fit any shape. Once "planted" the owners want a garden that needs the bare minimum of maintenance. For many people these days it It was Pentecost Sunday with the seasonal colour red at Blyth United church May 26. Emily Phillips led the service, filling in for Rev. Huntley, who was at conference. Her theme for the service was on Praising God. Following the opening hymn, Morning Has Broken. Mrs. Phillip's message to the children was explaining what Praise meant, then having them shout "Ye God!", telling them to praise Him for all the beautiful flowers, birds and sunshine. The Choral Kids, under the direction of Susan Howson and Gayle Poore had a special presenta- tion called, "The Amazing Praise and Worship Quiz." During the quiz they sang intermittently, I Will Sing, Clap Your Hands, Rejoice in the Lord, God is Great and God Be the Glory. Mrs. Howson had words of appreciation for the Choral Kids for seems that it is the same with their inner and outer spiritual life. They want instant answers, no pain solutions, and no bother spiritual guidance. They want a good result but they don't want to be bothered in any way or have to do any work. Before you think that the truly spiritually blessed are only those who have suffered a-ad laboured long and hard let me assure you that that is not the case. The spiritually blessed are the ordinary folk, like you and me, who have lived lives of joy and sorrow but always found - or made - time to pause, to think on what is truly important and to give thanks to a God they have come to know as a guide, a listener and a help in good times and bad and to come together with others to share these experiences and give thanks to God. I heard a meditation recently by Thelma Cardiff in which she reminds us of the basic premise that all gardeners need — to have a successful harvest you first must plant seed. In Matthew 13: 1-23 Jesus tells us about the Sower and the seed. All the seeds were good ones, but some fell on the path and were quickly eaten by the birds; others fell on rocky, shallow soil, they aid grow quickly and just as quickly were burned by the sun; others fell faithful attendance and hard work since February in putting this together. The beautiful flowers decorating Auburn Missionary Church pastor Carne sang a solo, He Sought Me. Pastor Came's message, "Pente- cost - Power Personified" had scripture from Acts 1: 4 and Acts 2: 1-13. Sometimes our cars look beautiful, but they have no power to go," he said. "Churches can have all kinds of programs and every- thing in place but they have no power." The church is not doing what it was created to do, he said. A church which hasn't the power of the Holy Spirit has continual fault among the thorns and were choked by stronger growth and still others fell on good soil, where the seed grew, and produced an abundant crop. Seeds and soil, think about them and realize that we are both. "Every day you have a handful of seeds to plant - each day you reap some harvest from seed already shown," for example: "The seed of friendship is one we start planting early in life and which we stop planting only when we leave this world. Friendship is a seed we should gladly bestow on all who need it. A school boy was asked for the definition of a friend - he replied, 'A friend is a guy who knows you real well but he still likes you'." In our daily lives we have the choice to cultivate and to grow or to be carel-,,ss and to wither and always the choice is ours. Think about it and decide. What will happen in our planting or in the planting of seed in us? Will we react as the stony ground, or the thorny ground or as the good soil and become free from the pestilence of indifference, greed, shallowness and ignorance? Thelma's meditation concludes with "Look well to the seeds you have and plant them with care, for as you plant so will the harvest be". The beautiful gardens we are the sanctuary were in memory of Jim Hubbard, whose funeral was last Thursday. Heartfelt condolences are extended to the Hubbard family. finding in its midst. Many people drive all over the country to see power manifested but they don't want the person of power which is the Holy Spirit. That person, the Holy Spirit becomes master as indicated in Romans 6. John Baumbach is home from the hospital and is progressing exceedingly well. Rev. John Bennett from Oakville, who is with Faith Mission, will be holding special crusade services at Auburn Missionary Church from June 2 to June 9. Tim Harden is guest soloist next Sunday, June 2. Pastor sings at service