The Citizen, 1996-11-27, Page 18HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
YOUTH PASTOR - JEREMY SHUART 523-9788
Sunday
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
10 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11 a.m. - Morning Service
8 p.m. - Evening Service
7:30 p.m. - Addictions Support Group
7:30 p.m. - Prayer & Bible Study
7:30 p.m. - Youth
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister
Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
Church School/Nursery
9:30 a.m. Ethel Morning Worship
Church School
The advent of our God with eager prayers we greet
I
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
'111(7 trwil
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
invites you to join us in
Worship each Sunday
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:45 a.m. Christian Education
(for all ages)
Everyone Welcome! Advent
high responsibility on parents and
leaders to set the godly example
that youth deserve so that
Generation X can realize its
purpose, a purpose far from
hopelessness and despair.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
You are welcome this Sunday
DECEMBER 1 - ADVENT 1
HOLY EUCHARIST
Rev. Nancy Beale
Trinity, Blyth
St. John's,
9:30 a.m. Brussels
Wheelchair Accessible 11:15 a.m.
you're invited to worship with us this Sunday
10 a.m. - Sunday Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service
Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest will lead both services
For. it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that
no one can boast.
- Ephesians 2:8
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1996
From the Minister's Study
Gen X should be called Generation Excellent
By Jeremy Shuart
Associate Pastor
The Missionary Church, Auburn
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the teacher. "Utterly meaning-
less! Everything is meaningless."
"What does man gain from all his
labour at which he toils under the
sun? Generations come and
generations go, but the earth
remains forever." (Ecclesiastes 1:
2-4, N.I.V.)
The 60s and 70s all had their
rally cry. Whether it be for peace,
love, or freedom, there was some
common bond that the teens of that
generation could grab on to and
stand up for. Sadly, there is nothing
in society that gives meaning to the
youth of today.
Consider for a moment some
typical concerns of a 17-year-old
living in Canada in the 90s.
First, there is a general hypocrisy
syndrome that beats at the heart of
every teen searching to find his or
her own identity. What I mean by
hypocrisy syndrome is that the
'walk ain't matching the talk.'
Youth are supposed to aim high,
strive for excellence, and create a
meaningful relationship with those
around them, in hopes of finding
fulfillment, a good job, and
financial success.
However, the adult society as a
whole, has shown next to nothing
but disregard for a generation of
young adults who quite possibly,
have more expectations on them as
individuals than most working
class people of the 50s. Not only
has the economy been ruined for
this generation, but the role models
in society have failed to fix the
problem. Divorce rates are high,
abuse and crime run rampant,
already having directly involved a
majority of high school and
college-aged people, and the media
glorifies sex, drugs, and alcohol as
a healthy escape as opposed to
being a rebellious action.
Rev. Stephen Huntley conducted
the service at Blyth United Church
Nov. 24. Director of music,
Michael Duthie was organist.
Greeters were Bonnie and Herb
Shannon. Ushers were Evelyn,
Mark and Tim Caldwell and
Marion Young.
Rev. Huntley, Gayle Poore and
Rick Howson conducted a sing-
song prior to the hour of service.
Sunday school children
participated with the opening.
Prayer of Approach was given by
Heather Elliott. Prayer of
Confession, led by Michelle Cook
was repeated in unison. The
Sunday school presentation of song
/ want to work like Jesus was
performed by Grades 4, 5 and 6. A
skit on "Faith" by Grades 7, 8 and 9
followed.
Children's hymn was I Just
Wanna Be a Sheep. Junior Sunday
School sang Clap Your Hands.
Baptismal hymn, A Little Child
The Saviour Came was sung.
Alexander Warren Jeffrey Peters,
son of Jeff and Janice Peters, was
baptized.
Psalm 100 "Make a Joyful Noise
To The Lord and Gloria Petri
followed. Old Testament Lesson:
Ezekial 34: 11-16, 20-24 was read
by Lloyd Sippel. Gospel reading
was Matthew 25: 31-46.
Rev. Huntley's sermon was based
on "Surprise". The church year is at
its end. Next Sunday begins a new
year with the start of Advent and
the beginning of a new Gospel, the
Does it sound like I'm coming
down hard on parents, and society
ineneral? I am.
run a member of the direction-
less, and lost Generation X. I am 21
and in my first pastorate, which has
its main focal point on youth
ministry. I have overcome many
obstacles to be where I am, and
were it not for the grace of God, I
too, would have been caught in the
vacuum-like facade of Generation
X.
Let's not kid ourselves, it's a
tough world that teens have to face
and live in, but does it have to be
meaningless? Do the realistic hopes
of an average teen amount to a
semi-lasting marriage with many
problems, a "Mc-job," and the
assurance that as long as one has a
tonne of fun on the weekend the
rest of life will go down as easily as
a jar of molasses? NO!!!
King Solomon was a wise, and
rich king reigning over Israel for 40
years (970 - 930 B.C.). If this man,
also the author of Ecclesiastes, saw
things as meaningless, then how
much more so should this
generation of young adults? After
considering the pursuit of pleasure,
wealth, and advancement among
other things, he still concludes that
all these things are meaningless. So
then, where is the purpose to be
found in the 90s, but more
specifically where is the hope and
purpose for what many have
labelled Generation X.
Generation X should be called
Generation Excellent. They have
talents and resources that are often
untapped, and unnoticed. I suspect
that more dollars go into the music
and movie industries in order to
'wow' and impress the youth of this
generation than into any other
information medium of any kind.
These industries think that the
youth are important, and offer them
a lifestyle of nothing but thrills.
Somehow their potential and zest
Gospel of Mark. Chapter 25 is the
end of Mathew's Gospel, about a
shepherd who is busy separating
his sheep and his goats. The story
is a depiction of the last judgement
when God, the Saviour, who is also
God, the Judge, will determine fate.
"Keep in mind," Rev. Huntley said,
"the God who judges us is also the
God who saves us." The end of
The Huron-Perth Roman
Catholic Separate School Board
announced that the following
students received the 1996 Student
Award from the Catholic Education
Foundation of Ontario (CEFO):
Susan Dunn, St. Michael Catholic
Secondary School, Stratford,
Ontario; Nicole Munro, St. Anne's
Catholic Secondary School,
Clinton, Ontario.
The students were recognized on
Oct. 26 at the Fr. Fogarty Awards
Dinner, an event that drew 490
guests including 101 students from
for life has been turned into an
angry ranting recognized in much
of the most popular music on the
market.
But if all this anger and
confusion are the battle cry of this
generation, where is it getting
them? The answer is simple,
nowhere. Kurt Cobain, lead singer
of Nirvana, was once labelled the
voice of Generation X. After
achieving success he ended his own
life with a bullet. Perhaps he
understood life as meaningless and
lacked the purpose that so many
youth desperately need.
Solomon stated, "Now all has
been heard; here is the conclusion
of the matter Fear God and keep
his commandments, for this is the
whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes
12:13, N.I.V.)
As a Christian, I lack no purpose,
no action is devoid of meaning.
Youth do not need to look to
videos, music or movies to try and
glean some idea of purpose in this
life. Generation X no longer needs
to turn to momentary thrills;
disjointed and barren of reason.
Many youths are screaming out
from addictions, abuse, and chains
of hopelessness. They crave a
purpose to stand for and an
adventure to go on. Christianity is
one such adventure, filled with
excitement, joy, and a truly unique
sense of purpose. Most people
desire that youth would clean up
their act, but why should they if
parents and role models don't?
It is the desire of the church to
give teens more than excitement or
hype, but to give them a purpose in
Jesus Christ in order to live a full
life.
Jesus said "I have come that they
may have life, and have it to the
full." (John 10:10, N.I.V.).
With God there is more to life
than hopelessness. He has a
specific purpose for each human
walking this earth. God places a
Matthew is a story of judgement.
The Servant King was sung
followed by Pastoral Prayer and
The Lord's Prayer.
Closing hymn was The Lord Is
My Shepherd.
Prayers are with William Knox in
Clinton Hospital and Jim Mason in
London Victoria Hospital.
schools across Ontario. It is the
only event of its type. and celebrates
fine work achieved in Catholic
schools.
The CEFO provides encourage-
ment and support for Catholic
Education in the province of
Ontario. Its student award program
recognizes outstanding achieve-
ment in school life. CEFO also
provides support for the Institute of
Catholic Education and has
commissioned the writing of the
history of Catholic Education in
Ontario.
Surprise, UC sermon topic
Students receive awards
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