The Citizen, 2005-10-13, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2005. PAGE 15.
From the Minister’s Study
In celebration of small-town living
By Pastor Brent Kipfer
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
Since moving to Brussels four
years ago, our family has reaped the
benefits of small-town life:
- letters for us arrive in our
mailbox even when the address is
partially missing or badly mangled.
- one time someone saw a stroller
parked near her parents’ house. It
looked like the one our kids often
rode. She dropped by our house to
see if ours was missing.
- we have gotten used to opening
The Citizen and seeing names and
faces of people we know.
- we get to see our neighbours in
many different settings - the soccer
field, grocery store, school events
and community fundraisers.
We love it!
In a world that favours big cities,
large corporations, anonymous chat
rooms and even mega-churches,
folks from small towns, small
businesses and small churches
sometimes get apologetic about their
size.
We easily overlook the fact that
smallness can be an asset. We have
opportunities to cultivate face-to-
face relationships with the people we
meet on the street. Business people
can call their customers by name.
We can even get to know our local
politicians.
We experience life differently
when we know and are known by the
people around us. It makes us a
community rather than simply a
collection of people who happen to
live and work in the same
municipality. Small towns and rural
neighbourhoods are good places to
be.
In fact, God often chooses those
who are small or unremarkable in
the eyes of the world to accomplish
his purposes. In the book of
Deuteronomy, Moses tells Israel:
“The Lord did not choose you and
lavish his love on you because you
were larger or greater than other
nations, for you were the smallest of
all nations! It was simply because
the Lord loves you, and because he
was keeping the oath he had sworn
to your ancestors.”
Most churches in our community
are not large by the standards of their
denomination. But each has been
called to proclaim and embody the
good news of Jesus within their
neighbourhoods and relational
networks. Small, local
congregations are often positioned
to do this exceptionally well.
Whether we have 12 or 200
members, each one is the right size
to be and do all that God has called
it to be and do.
If you read the Bible, you might
notice that God especially seems to
delight in choosing the small, the
weak and the unlikely to carry out
his mission. It was no accident that
Jesus called 12 uneducated
fishermen to be the charter members
of his gospel movement. They may
not have been qualified from a
human perspective but they could be
Palliative Care marks
Hospice Awareness Week
The Wingham and Area Palliative
Care Services would like to
recognize Hospice Awareness Week
from Saturday, Oct. 8 until Friday,
Oct. 14.
The need for hospice volunteers
continues to grow. Currently 13,300
volunteers dedicate 630,000 hours of
service each year in more than 450
communities throughout Ontario.
A recent poll indicated that 90 per
cent of Canadians wish to remain in
their own homes during the final
stages of life, yet 75 per cent of
deaths still take place in hospitals
and long-term care homes.
Every 8.5 minutes a Canadian dies
from cancer. As the number of
people with life-threatening illnesses
continues to escalate, the number of
people available to care for them
continues to diminish.
Hospice care provides
compassionate, integrated, quality
end-of-life care to individuals with a
terminal illness and their loved ones.
Each year more than 220,000
Canadians die, with an estimated
160,000 needing hospice palliative
care services. Each death will
immediately affect another five
people. One in every 10 people are
currently caring for a loved one with
a life-threatening or long-term
illness.
Hospices offer more than practical
physical care. They can provide
emotional support, respite care,
spiritual comfort, bereavement
support and collaboration and
communication with other health
and social service agencies.
in relationship with each other and
they could be in relationship with
Jesus. With that combination,
nothing could stop them.
Small churches and small towns
can be places for experiencing a
quality of life that is inspired by the
Spirit of God. This is attractive and
tends to draw others in. It is good
when our communities lay the
groundwork to welcome new
businesses, when houses are
constructed and new neighbours
move in next door. It is good when
churches invite others to join them in
discovering the goodness of Jesus.
When we have a good thing, it is
only right to share it!
As our churches, businesses,
social institutions and communities
face challenges in a world that
values bigness, I pray that we will be
able to encourage each other - and
claim the promise of God in
Zechariah 4, that his purposes will
be accomplished, “Not by might, nor
by power, but by my Spirit, says the
Lord Almighty.”
f!
Oct. 16: Rom. 12:1-8
Have a
Gift?
Use it!
10:30 a.m. - Blyth Public School
SATURDAY, OCT. 22,9:30 am
Video Series
"Essentials of Discipline" for your child
Focus on the Family - CALI. FOR INFO
Mon. 6:45 pm Junior Girls Gr. 4-6
Fri. 7 pm Youth Group Gr. 6+
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
f Donation-based
PASTORAL COUNSELLING]
• Marriage
• Family
x. • Budgeting
'PCcaae jaitt cc&
Sunday, October 16
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
Whee'chair accessible
By Linda
Campbell
Call
357-2188
PEOPLE AROUND
BELGRAVE
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St. John's, Brussels
ll:l5a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
JF HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL '4
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SING ASOKKjOF Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Sunday 9:30 a.m.Family Bible Hour
Tuesday
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Morning Worship Service
Evening Worship Service
Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
Olympians
Adult Bible Study
The Belgrave Women’s
Missionary Society held their
meeting on Monday, October 3 at
the manse.
The Thanksgiving service from
the Glad Tidings was used with
Freda Scott as leader. The Purpose
was recited and a Call to Worship
followed by hymn Come Ye
Thankful People Come.
Everybody took part in the litany
of approach and Mrs. Scott led in
prayer. Ivy Cloakey read the
scripture from Luke 19. Prayers of
adoration and invocation were read,
and an invitation to an Agape
fellowship meal. Half of those
present ate grapes and the other half
ate bread. Each shared with others
telling of things they were thankful
for.
Beryl MacGowan read from
Matthew 25. The hymn sing to the
Lord of the Harvest was read.
The secretary and treasurer
reports were given. The collection
was received. A thank you was
received from the Kincardine
WMS.
Margaret Siertsema has calendars
for sale.
On Oct. 11 there is an executive
meeting at South Kinloss.
The hymn Fair Waved the Golden
Corn was read in unison.
Rev. Cathrine Campbell closed
with prayer, and served lunch.
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, October 16
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
/f
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday, CLctebvt, 16
11 :OO am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
s4tt "Wetcotne
Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
Sanctuary
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, October 16
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Qorciinunity Church Qf
Go#
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday 9:45 a.m. - Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Phone: 440-8379 ~ 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590