The Citizen, 2006-11-30, Page 20Dec. 3: Acts 19:8ff, 20:171f
God's Building
Program:
Ministering the
Word of Grace
POTLUCK
Evangelical NI issionary Church
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10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Mondays 7.30 pm - Power of a Praying Woman DVD
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Small Group
Fridays 7:00 pm • Youth Group
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848
getlivingwater.org)
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Sfacux 'United Chinch - IBeicpcute
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December 3 11 a.m. - Advent I
7.30 p.m. - Hope for the Holidays
December 10 11 a.m. - White Gift Service
led by the Sunday School
December 17 1 1 a.m. Advent III
December 24 11 a.m. - Advent IV
7:30 p.m. - Christmas Eve Worship
Erwaparre Weicome
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3
Trinity, Blyth St. John's, Brussels
9:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 519-887-9273
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
• • BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
HURON CHAPEL
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
SINGAS01\10F Auburn - 519-526-1131
grat-Se PASTOR DAVE WOOD
& PASTOR DON PLANT JR.
Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service
FOR ALL AGES
SUNDAY - 9:45 to 10:45 am
WORSHIP SERVICE AT 11:00 am
Phone 519-440-8379 308 Blyth Rd. E. - Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
Community Church
lental Looking for a Great
Of a.
Sunday School Experience?
THIS IS IT!
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519.887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, December 3
Ethel United Church
Worship Service & Sunday School
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service & Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
December 3 - White Gift Service
in both Brussels & Ethel
December 10 - Brussels & Community
Choral Concert 7:00 pm
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Ca
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006.
From the Minister's Study
Who are you when no one is looking?
By Brent Kipfer
Brussels Mennonnite Fellowship
When I was boy, I was not a fan of
boiled potatoes. Since then my tastes
have changed. Now I could eat them
every day - much to the chagrin of
my own children!
One time when I was growing up
my family had company for dinner.
The food was passed around. I filled
my plate with a number of
appetizing choices - plus a small
boiled potato that was added to the
mix.
As we ate, I tried to pretend that
the potato wasn't there. I picked
around it - until there was nothing
left to pick.
By this time, dessert was on the
horizon. I forget now what it was -
but I wanted some. I knew that my
chances were slim as long as that
potato was lying on my plate. I
gathered my courage and took-a bite.
By now it was cold. I could scarcely
bear it.
Without drawing attention to
myself, I managed to scoop the rest
into my mouth. Quietly, I slipped
away to the bathroom and disposed
of it in the toilet. I walked back to
the•table, relieved and ready for the
good stuff.
That could have been the end of
the story - except that I wasn't very
tidy and left some incriminating
evidence on the toilet seat. After the
meal, my dad motioned me over. He
asked me if I had finished my potato.
I said yes.
He took me for a field trip to the
bathroom and pointed out that he
knew I was lying. My secret was
exposed. I learned that sneaking
around behind my dad's back - and
then lying about it - was not a recipe
for happiness.
In I Corinthians 4, Paul says that
one day the Lord "will bring to light
the things now hidden in darkness
and will disclose the purposes of the
heart."
Sooner or later, all our secrets will
be brought into the light.
Every day, we make hidden
choices' - some known only to
ourselves and to God. These choices
set the direction of our lives. They
reveal who we are and shape who we
will become.
Will they show our love for Jesus
or our love for self? When our hearts
are laid bare, will there be evidence
of God's grace?
Am I a person who can be trusted?
Have I grown generous or stingy?
Have I learned patience or
bitterness?
Is there integrity to my life'or have
I perfected the art of covering up?
Does my private life match my
public life?
About four weeks ago, I was
terribly saddened to hear news about
prominent pastor Ted Haggard's
hidden life. It was like a punch in the
stomach to hear about the trust he
had broken with his family and
church.
As a pastor, I find it especially
sobering when Christian leaders fall.
Pastor Haggard carried a great deal
of influence and spiritual
responsibility. His secret choices
mattered very much. Many people
had come to faith in Jesus through
his ministry.
Now, he is living under a cloud.
His actions have caused great
suffering to his wife Gayle, their five
children, the church - and himself.
Because his private life did not
match his public life, his credibility
as a pastor is ruined.
Who knows what damage has
been done to the kingdom of God?
God, of course, is not yet finished
ith him. There is forgiveness and
healing for him and his family in the
cross of Jesus. Still, his sin carries a
terrible price. The trust he
has broken Will never be fully
regained.
Who are we when no one is
looking?
Jesus Christ calls us to a life of
authenticity - inviting us to trust
God and to trust others with who we
really are.
This requires a huge step of faith -
one that involves a lifetime of
practice - but God is waiting to
shower grace on us.
My boiled potato deceit caused
my father pain - but did not reduce
his love for me one bit. God longs
for us to approach him with our true
selves - and allow him to make us
more true.
Jesus has established the church to
be a community where people can
live honestly before God and before
each other without masks. We are
still practising and learning - by
God's grace - the truth of 1 John
3:1-2:
See how very much our heavenly
Father loves us, for he allows us to
be called his children, and we really
are!...Yes, dear friends, we are
already God's children, and we can't
even imagine what we will be like
when Christ returns.
But we do know that when
he comes we will be like him, for
we will see him as he really
is.
Honesty before God leads to
transformation - and makes it
possible for us to look forward to the
day when all secrets are laid bare -
including the "secret" of his
marvellous love.
CASH SAVINGS
ON $5.00 THURSDAYS
Drop into either of our offices any
Thursday with your word classified
(maximum 20 words) and pay only
$5.00 + GST (paid in advance).
That's $1.00 off regular rates.
The Citizen
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, December 3
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
tie/ 20etemfe
Office: 519-523-4224
4n'e lights the darkness
Join us at
• . D Brussels Mennonite
: 9 Fellowship
• for the
* first Sunday of Advent •
. 9:30 a.m. Worship Service
- ,-,_: 4. fpiwar_ _ •
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
___----.......-__- ...---- — '------' —'-- .--.-----------. 11:00 a.m. Sunday School
Pastor Brent Kipfer 519-887-6388
Tuesday
Wednesday
Friday
7:30 p.m. - Youth Bible Study
6:30 p.m. - Olympians (JK to Grade 6)
7:00 p.m. - Adult Bible Study
7:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Drop-in Youth Centre
Emmanuel Bible College presents "The Watchmen Quartet"
live in concert on December 9th at 7:30 pm