Loading...
The Citizen, 1997-02-19, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19,1997 From the Minister's Study, The inheritance of eternal life By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Blyth Christian Reformed Church For the last number of weeks I have been bombarded with information about RRSPs. I read about it in the newspaper. My weekly magazines are filled with it. And I have received a number of mailings from various financial institutions that inform me about the benefits of taking out an RRSP. Yes, it's hard not to notice that this is RRSP season. Until the end of February we can set money aside for our retirement years and reduce our taxes for the 1996 tax year in the process. The enticing thing is to reduce the amount we pay in income tax. And the incentive is to save money to supplement our retirement income. With the threat of declining government pensions, more and more people are trying to set some money aside for those leaner years. And that is good thinking. We ought to give thought to how we will live in the future. We can't simply assume that the future will take care of itself when it comes to our material and physical needs. What is true with respect to our material future is also true with respect to our spiritual future. Our spiritual future will not somehow end out okay, without us taking some steps to assure that. It doesn't take care of itself. We have to prepare for that future. The author of Psalm 16 knew what was the more important thing. He did not bank his future on financial or military success but on his relationship with God. In comparing one with the other, he said to God: "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." Through this intimate relationship with his God, he could also confidently say: "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." (Psalm 16: 5, 6, NIV). The author, King David, invested before all other things in his relationship with his God. Whatever else he sought in life was quite secondary to this relationship. He knew that with God he had a delightful future ahead of him. We would be foolish to ignore the wisdom that David revealed in his psalm. We should give thought to what is really the more important thing in life, and what should therefore occupy more of our time. The future is important. And the quality of life that we hope to have in that future is important. And that goes far beyond the physical and material realities of this earthly life. In this season of Lent we think about the suffering of Jesus Christ. He came from heaven to earth to make a deposit for our future well­ being. That's a deposit we cannot make ourselves. Jesus must make it for us. That deposit was his own life, which he gave up as a sacrifice for the sin of all who believe in him. And by doing that, he earned an inheritance for his people, that will take care of their future. That inheritance is called life, eternal life. It is life in the presence of God. A life will provide us with all we need. It is that inheritance that we must seek to secure. But as will any inheritance, we cannot earn it. An inheritance is ours because of a special relation­ ship we have with someone. And in this case, it all depends on the relationship we have with Jesus Christ. It depends on confessing him as our Saviour and Lord. BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540 11:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship Church School - Nursery ♦♦♦♦♦ Ethel Morning Worship Knox Cranbrook welcomes minister By Janice Becker Citizen Staff It was an easy choice for Lynn Nichol when she decided to apply for the ministry at Cranbrook and Monkton Presbyterian Churches. Not only had she completed a one year internship through the Stratford Huron Presbytery, serving Cranbrook, Monkion, Listowel, Atwood, Brussels, Belgrave and Ethel parishes, but she had also grown to love the people and the area. "After a year here, there was no hesitation to come back," says Nichol. There are similarities to the area in which she grew up, in rural Alberta, but the com grows higher here she laughs. After studying at Augustana College in Camrose, Alberta, she attended seminar at Knox College in Toronto, partially because that is where her then-fiance, Brian had decided to attend. The most difficult decision after graduating was whether the Nichols should apply as a team or individually. Brian is presently working with a congregation in Goderich and is looking for a church in the area. Aside from her background in a rural environment, Nichol says she has an interest in a rural ministry. This interest stems both from a personal preference and the stronger sense of community seen in rural areas, she says. "There is more emphasis on people relating to each other. It is more personal. I feel strongly that the community belongs to the community." "I will be making regular calls to homes in the area and will enjoy getting to know the people, community and the area. I am also available to be called anytime." The couple resides in Monkton with their 14-month-old son, Eric. B. Campbell leads Mennonite worship Bruce Campbell led the congregation in worship at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship on Sunday, Feb. 16. Pastor Glenn Brubacher gave the message based on John 8: 1-11. When the crowd wanted to stone the adulterous woman, Jesus said that one without sin could throw the first rock. He told the woman that He did not condemn her but that she was to sin no more. There were two parts to the message to the woman, Pastor Brubacher said; the pari that tells her Jesus accepts her, and the part that tells her to sin no more. "Sometimes we are also guilty of only hearing one part of a message instead of both the acceptance and the challenge. We also have the tendency to relate the concept of "he without sin may throw the first rock" to other people who are criticizing us. Do we stop and think of the same idea in relation to ourselves when we are being critical of others? We must leam to take a look at our own actions." Anne Hemingway was pianist and Mark Hiller led the singing. Darlene Hemingway and Michelle Lichty provided music for the offertory. The Grade 7-8s had a toboggan party at Travis Campbell's home on Saturday, Feb. 15. The Ladies' Fellowship had their annual pool party at the Garland's on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The Youth and the Grade 7-8s will have the weekly Bible Study on Wednesday evening. Adult volleyball will be held in the gymnasium on Thursday evening, Feb. 20. Thought for the Week: Facing sin is the first step to putting it behind you. Mervin Lichty brought the message on Sunday, Feb. 9. Psalm 105 was the text chosen by Lichty and read by his daughter Michelle. "Our God is an Awesome God" was the theme of the message. He pointed out the necessity to give thanks, sing and praise the Lord, seek the Lord, and to remember His marvelous works. When Jesus healed the 10 lepers, only one came and thanked Him. Jesus asked where the other nine were. Giving thanks to others is a blessing, Lichty said. Singing and praising can be a powerful prayer. When trials come they tend to purify. God is trustworthy. He knocks but people must respond. He has promised that if the doors of everyone’s hearts are opened, He will come in. "It is important that we remember the wonderful things God has done. Then our faith will be strengthened and we can hold God's hand in our day to day life," Lichty said. Tillie Lichty gave a children's story which tied in with the idea of an awesome God who still performs miracles. Pat Pietrek was the worship leader and Thelma Steinman led the singing with Anne Hemingway playing the piano. Nathan Garland and Wendy Martin gave a presentation at the church of Saturday evening, at which they showed slides taken on a recent trip to India to a World Mennonite Conference. Blyth United Continued from page 3 allow God to lead us on a desert journey, welcoming the wild beasts as our companions. May we allow the angels to minister to us as we struggle to accept our own authority and responsibility." "Leaving our anxieties behind, let us go forth and serve others, energized and committed to preach Good news for a world in need. This is the promise and possibility of the season!" Be Thou My Vision was closing hymn. you are TVetcome 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 wetcome this Sunday FEBRUARY 23 - LENT 2 MORNING PRAYER Rev. Nancy Beale St. John's, Brussels 11:15 a.m. - Sunday Trinity, Blyth 9:30 a.m. ~ Sunday Wheelchair Accessible HURON 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 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS - Morning Service - Sunday School - Belgrave Service - Bible Study 11:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 2:00 p.m. - Bible Study Wheelchair Accessible We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell 887-9831 - you're invited to worship with us this Sunday 10 a.m. ~ Sunday Morning Worship Service - Rev. Wieger DeJong 7:30 p.m. ~ Evening Service - Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Proverbs 15:13 happu heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit'’ :30 jd cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news give health to the bones... BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible