The Citizen, 1997-09-17, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,1997.
From the Minister's Study:
Live faith through good deeds
By Rev. James Murray
Walton & Bluevale United
Churches
In the past two weeks we have
witnessed two deaths of significant
public figures, deaths which have
touched us in very different ways.
The deaths of Princess Diana and
Mother Teresa have filled our
newspapers and televisions to the
point of overflowing. Their lives,
and their deaths, have touched our
lives in very different ways. One
came tragically, in mid life, the
other came quietly, at the end of the
length of days. Both had many
good deeds left to do. One's life
was in turmoil, the other at peace.
Despite their differences, both
deaths teach us about life, and how
God works in our lives.
There was a lot to the Princess of
Wales, much more than a smiling
face in a glittering gown. She was
the first Royal to take up the cause
of AIDS, which caused some of the
rift between her and the Palace. She
broke down many of the myths and
misconceptions people had about
this deadly virus. She was
considered loony for taking up the
campaign to ban land mines.
Now it looks like the Ottawa
Process may even succeed, at the
talks in Oslo. Over 150 nations are
currently negotiating a treaty which
seeks to ban the production and use
of land mines. The person behind
the treaty is Lloyd Axworthy, who
is Canada's foreign minister. There
is talk that if the treaty is signed,
Axworthy wili ask that it be
dedicated in Diana's memory.
The Royal Family does have
incredible privilege, wealth and
power. But with that privilege
comes the great responsibility to
help others. It is a rare person who
uses that privilege to increase the
good they can do, and so exceeds
all our expectations. The devotion
we saw this past week for Diana is
a testimony as to how much she
gave to others through her charity
work during her lifetime.
By contrast, Moiher Teresa had
no power or privilege. She worked
with the poorest of the poor, the
rejected and the unwanted. She was
motivated by the belief that Jesus
had come to teach us how to live
together in peace. She lived out this
belief, putting it ahead of all other
beliefs. She ignored racial
prejudice, social rank, nationality,
and sought to help whom ever was
in front of her, one person at a time.
Princess Diana lived out a larger
than life fairy tale we all wished we
could live, but in reality we knew
we never could. This is why the
media was so fascinated with her.
We lived the dream through her.
Someone once said to Mother
Teresa, "No one can do what you
do." Mother Teresa replied, "No,
anyone can do it."
She dared to live the life we all
should be living, but are often
afraid to. She lived simply, filling
her life with caring for individuals.
She saw her life as rain drops of
Pastor talks of faith
compassion in a sea of misery.
Moiher Teresa's life was no fairy
tale. Rather, it was the dream of
God's kingdom. We respected her
for living out that dream for us.
The way we are treating these
two very different women in death
is a good example of how God
works in our lives. Already
Princess Diana's faults and
mistakes are being forgotten and
forgiven. Like Mother Teresa, her
good deeds are what she will be
remembered for. Princess Diana is
going to be with us, as a cultural
icon, for a long, long time. She will
come to be our society's prime
example of beauty, social grace and
caring.
Mother Teresa will be considered
a saint with a profound influence
on the religious life. Her impact on
the church, the world of faith and
hands-on good deeds could be as
large as that of Saint Francis.
God lakes all that we are, and
holds nothing of it against us. God
lakes what our life is, and turns it to
the best use to which it can be used.
Even in death, God frees us to be
better than we are. Our earthly lives
do come to an end. But what our
lives have meant does not end. It is
taken up into everlasting life. The
grass withers, the flowers fades.
And God's acceptance of what we
contribute will stand forever.
Moiher Teresa and Princess
Diana are living examples of what
it means to accept Christ's
challenge: to love God with all our
hearts, with all our souls, with all
our strength, and to love our
neighbours as much as we love
ourselves. My hope is that the
legacy of these two remarkable
women inspires us to be people
who live out our faith in good
deeds each day.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
are welcome this Sunday
SEPTEMBER 21 - PENTECOST 18
HOLY EUCHARIST
Rev. Nancy Beale
Trinity, Blyth St. John's,
9:30 a.m. Brussels
Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m.
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE AUBURN 526-7515
ASSOCIATE PASTOR - YOUTH - JEREMY SHUART 523-9788
MEETINGS BEGIN WITH EVANGELIST ALF REES
Sunday services are at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Week-night services, Monday through Friday are at 7:30 p.m.
ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
Please join us for worship this Sunday
Sunday Morning Service -10 a.m.
Evening Service - 7:30 p.m.
The heavens dedare the glory of God;
the skies prodaim the work of Jfis hands.
<Psalm 19:1
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Ben Wiebe, pastor of Brussels
Mennonke Fellowship, brought the
message on Sunday, Sept. 14. He
chose Hebrews 11: 1-6 as the text
for his sermon entitled, "The
Journey of Faith".
Faith is bound to life
experiences, sometimes faith is
very clear and sometimes it's
finding one's way - one step at a
time, he said. "Faith makes hope
possible - it allows us to go on."
For example, he said, Abraham
and Sarah longed for a son and
finally, in their old age, a son was
bom.
The resurrection and creation
cannot be repeated, so they cannot
be verified (i.e. tested), but
Christians know they are true, by
their faith. Order becomes disorder
because of sin, but Christians do
see Jesus. Jesus is a reality of
human existence. Jesus comes to
heal, to forgive, so in seeing Jesus
they see what God is like. Faith is
hearing the voice of God, which
enables people to take the next step
in the journey of life, Pastor Wiebe
said.
Don Procter was the worship
leader. Mervin Lichty and his
daughter, Michelle, looked after the
congregational singing.
The youth held their regular
weekly Bible Study at Garlands' on
Wednesday evening and enjoyed a
hayride at Hemingways on Friday
evening. On Saturday, Sept. 20
they have planned a mini-golf
event.
Ladies' Fellowship will have its
first meeting after the summer
break on Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. with
Eileen Baker (theme - cashews and
Guatemala) as the guest speaker.
pbu are. ‘Wefcome 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
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
- Sunday School
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
Sept. 21 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 7:30 p.m.
Belgrave Anniversary Service
Melville Anniversary Service
Barbecue 5-7 ~ Tickets now available
Wheelchair accessible
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister
Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540
Sunday, September 21, 1997
Morning Worship
Ethel
*****
Morning Worship
Brussels
"Come Join The Circle" - Sunday School continues today in both
churches. All children are welcome to be a part of our church family.
Please come at any time to be part of our circle.
YOU ARE WARMLY INVITED TO ATTEND.
11:00 a.m.
Pastor Ben Wiebe
887-6388
Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
Brussels
Mennonite
Fellowship
Sunday, September 21
ty Bob Veitch
'0:',5,ciam;CI’r!s,,a" Education
fClasses for all ages)
____^eryone Welcome
Story Hour/Little Lambs
Fun, Discovery, and Bible-Centered Learning!
• Story Hour: ages 4-6
• Little Lambs: ages 2 & 3
Blyth Christian Reformed Church
Wednesdays 9:45 a.m. -11:40 a.m.
beginning Sept. 24
Please arrive early the first morning to register your children
For more Information call Anita Boven 523-9492
Coffee ‘Breaks
A Community Bible Study
• Share questions and concerns
• Enjoy friendship and refreshments
• No previous Bible knowledge necessary
Blyth United Church
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
beginning Sept. 24
Nursery & Children's programs available at
Christian Reformed Church
Evening program at
Femmy VanAmersfoort's home
Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. • 9:00 p.m.
beginning Sept. 24
For more information call Joanne VanAmersfoort 523-4202