The Citizen, 2004-04-08, Page 15Special drama by cast from
Emmanuel Bible College. Kitchener
Thursday, April 8,
7:30 pm at
Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn
"The truth of grace, the purpose of
the church and the power of the
human spirit"
Family-friendly
Theatre!
Freewill offering
523-4848/526-1131
e" Citing, 11,"ater
( (iriatian Teliozdhip
Eas unday, April 11
6:30 a.m. SonRise Service
39718 Amberley Rd., Wingham
10:30 a.m. Easter Celebration
& Communion
Isaiah 65:17ff
"I Make All Things New"
The Gospel
According to Jessica
10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship
Sunday School during Sermon
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
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Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
www.tcc.on.cal-dowfam
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St. Michael's
lair Roman Catholic Church it
254 Drummond St. E., Blyth
Saturday Night Mass
at 7:00 pm
Father John Johnson, Pastor
357-2435
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Friday 11:00 a.m. - Good Friday Service
Sunday 8:30 a.m. - Easter Sunrise Service at 701 Maple
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - Easter Breakfast at Melville
11:00 a.m. - Easter Celebration
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Celebrating 150 years of Christian Witness and Service!
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL t
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-4941
Good Friday Youth Sunrise Service & Breakfast
10:30 a.m. - Good Friday Communion Service
Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
Monday 7:30 p.m. - Sports Night
Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Crusaders - JK to Grade 6
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Youth
7:00 p.m. - Adult Bible Study
April 8 - 7:30 p.m.- E.B.C. presents "The Gospel
According to Jessica." Plan to attend & bring a friend!
Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Sunday: 9:45-10:30
11:00 - 12:00
Tuesday: 7:30 pm
Wednesday: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Thursday: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
- Communion
- Family Bible Hour and Sunday School
- Prayer & Bible Study
- Youth (ages 12 & up)
- Kids' Club Apr. 22 to May 27 - Ages 4-12
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Call Pastor Andrew at 887-6123
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Diaconal Student Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
April 11
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service & Sunday School
Brussels United Church
MOO a.m.
Worship Service & Sunday School
Celebrating Easter Joy with Hallelujahs
73Yeade /out APL etta,t(do
Sunday, April 11
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible .1N
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Weleo0ted. v.04e to. come aad cocraffeit wit% ced
Fa.
APRIL 11
Holy Eucharist - Easter Day with Special Music
in both churches
Maundy Thursday Service at St. John's, 5 pm
Good Friday Services 9:30 am - Trinity, 11:15 am - St. John's
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
lot‘l.Community Chur„L
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"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday 9:15 a.m. - Prayer Meeting
9:45 a.m. - Sunday School
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Thursday, April 8
7:30 pm - Footwashing and Communion Service
Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. - Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
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BLYTH UNITED CHURCH
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Friday, April 9
Good Friday
7 pm Passion Play
Sunday, April 11
Worship Service & Sunday School - 11:00 am
Easter Sunday: Communion
"lee 7Vetecuoce
Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community qt.faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other
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4 Easter Worship Service 9:30 a.m. it
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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2004. PAGE 15.
From the Minister's Study
Gibson's film not 'ordinary entertainment'
By Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman
Blyth United Church
More than two million viewers a
week continue to flock to cinemas
around the world to see Mel
Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
The film has been criticized as
little more than a "torture flick". It
has also been hailed as one of the
Greatest Biblical movies ever made.
Gibson made the film as a
personal expression of his Christian
faith. Those who accept his devout
faith, find the film extremely
powerful: those who don't accept his
religious views, find it "barbaric."
Gibson told reporters he wanted to
push people "over the edge" so they
would see the enormity of Jesus'
sacrifice. He wanted to show that
"someone could endure that and still
come back with love and
forgiveness. even through extreme
pain and suffering and ridicule."
Gibson has more than succeeded
with his religious message.
The film is not ordinary
entertainment. People watching it
become very emotional, and many
think about things they have done.
This, I believe. is one of the reasons
for its success. It encourages
members 01 the audience to reflect
on their own lives.
One unexpected consequence of
viewing the movie is that several
criminals have confessed to
unsolved crimes.
After watching the movie, a 53-,
year-old bank robber turned himself
in to police in Florida. he had seen
the movie several times, and the
emotional reaction to the film
spurred him to surrender. Like the
thief on the cross, he admitted his
guilt and was willing to face the
consequences.
tn Texas, a man confessed to
murdering a woman and leaving a
false suicide note behind. He told a
reporter from his prison cell that he
felt a series of "pricks in his heart"
from God, and that he was moved to
repent after seeing the movie.
And after attending the first
screening of the film in Oslo, a man
confessed to bombings in the city a
decade earlier.
These men are now willing to face
the legal consequences of their
crimes. Surely like the repentant
thief, they will have a place "in
paradise" with Jesus.
I have seen the movie twice. After
the first viewing I was both repulsed
and curious. The sheer volume of
gore got to me.
After the second viewing I saw the
film as a significant work of art, with
moments of genuine spiritual
enlightenment. The flashback to the
situation of the holy sacrament was
one of these highlights.
Hence I recommend seeing it
twice, once to condition oneself to
the bloody scenes, the second time to
discover the artistry and spirituality
inherent in the story.
I do have a major concern about
Gibson's movie. People who will
have no other introduction to
Christianity except through the film,
will leave the cinema with a very
narrow view of what Jesus was all
about.
The film claims, "Dying was the
reason for his living." I would like to
suggest the reverse, Living was the
reason for his dying.
The Christian faith is linked to all
Continued on page 20