The Citizen, 2005-11-17, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2005. PAGE 15.
From the Minister’s Study
Israelites faced the unknown with Joshua
By Rev. Ethel Miner Clare,
Knox United Church, Belgrave
“For you have not passed this way
before.” Joshua 3:4
The Israelites have been
wandering for 40 years. Spies had
been sent ahead and now they are
about to enter into the land promised
them many, many years before. A
land, they are told, that flows with
milk and honey. All that lies
between them and the promised land
is the raging river in front of them.
In another season these
threatening waters would only be a
meandering ditch but at this time,
late spring harvest-time, the waters
are swift and menacing. These
waters are precariously dangerous
due to sudden variations in depth, to
the crooked course of the channel,
and to the speed of their flow.
At the first crossing, the one their
parents and grandparents made
through the Red Sea, Moses had
stretched out his arm and the people
walked across on dry land.
But Joshua hasn’t raised his arm
for this crossing. He just tells the
priests to step out into the water!
The people are to follow keeping a
safe distance from the ark that
carries the stones on which the Ten
Commandments are inscribed.
Imagine the people drawing back,
afraid of the consequences of taking
that first step. "
Then the priests put aside
whatever fears they held, to obey
Joshua and step into the waters. The
river ceases to flow and God’s
people cross over.
“For you have not passed this way
before.” Crossing the Jordan brought
significant changes to the lives of
these people. No longer would they
be fed by manna and quail, nor
would they be following a cloud by
day and a pillar of fire by night. They
could begin a settled life trading in
tents for houses. But they would be
in a strange land, a place where there
were giants, and not all of those
friendly, a place whose customs
were not their own, whose language
was not theirs, among a people who
had many gods. They had a new
leader, Joshua, who did not do things
the way their beloved Moses did.
Nonetheless the people took
courage, trusting that Yahweh, God,
went with them into this new,
strange, promised land.
CCAC presents awards
Three individuals from'Huron and
Perth Counties received awards for
outstanding community service at the
CCAC Community Care Awards
Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
The Community Care Access
Centres of Huron and Perth counties
presented the awards to recognize
and thank those who make an
exceptional contribution through
their caring for others. “We know
that what makes quality of care is
caring by the people who deliver care
services,” says Sandra Priestap, chair
of the board of the Community Care
Access Centre Perth County. “It is
the warmth and compassion and
dedication to ensuring that each
person served is truly cared for that
makes great community health care.”
Of the 17 individuals nominated,
Mrs. Betty Brand (Exeter), Barb
Dalgliesh (Clinton), and Tracy
Wareham (Listowel) won the CCAC
Community Care Awards. Other
nominees included Janine Hamilton
(Mitchell), Nancy Schaff (Stratford),
Dorothy Chapman (Exeter), Cheryl
McClure (Blyth), Dr. Carolin
Shepherd (Seaforth), Jody Brown
(Dublin), Bea Kale (Seaforth), Dr.
Marie Gear (Wingham), Ruth
Jesshope (Turnberry Twp.), Alvin
Moore (Wingham), Rosie
MacGregor (Hensall), Tammy
Antaya (Exeter), Ruth Anne Lobb
(Vanastra), and Maurice Jenkins
(Goderich).
“These people define the best of
what we do,” said Kathy Scanlon,
executive director of the CCACs. “I
am honoured to be able to give them
the credit that they deserve. They are
all an important part of our
community - the heart of a caring
community.”
The event also celebrated the work
of the CCAC staff and agencies that
deliver service and provide supplies
on behalf of the CCACs. Also
recognized were the voluntary
community health agencies,
physicians, hospitals and long-term
care homes that work closely with
the CCACs to provide support that
allows people to stay in their homes.
Over 150 community members and
health care workers turned out to
celebrate community care.
“For you have not passed this way
before” are words that could be
addressed to the Christian Church
today. In the past our Sunday
Schools were filled. The church (and
the school) were at the centre of
community life.
Most, if not all, the families in
your neighbourhood went to church
Sunday mornings. Christians were
the majority in our country. The
church had a voice to which the
government listened.
Not so today. As Christians we can
no longer claim a dominant place in
our culture. Our voice is only
occasionally heard by government.
Those who attend church regularly
are in the minority.
We, too, face the unknown. The
presence of Yahweh, God,
empowered the Hebrews to cross the
Jordan River under Joshua’s
leadership that day so long ago. The
same God empowers us to be the
people we are intended to be, even
though to be Christian is not a
popular stand.
Empowered by the God who loves
each one of us more that we can even
imagine, we can demonstrate God’s
love and caring in our everyday
actions, face the unknown, trusting
that God is present and will go with
us.
That is what Millard Fuller, the
founder of Habitat for Humanity did.
He left a job that made him a
millionaire by agi> 29 sold
everything and pursued a dream that
would pay him little or nothing. A
month ago at a Huron-Perth
Presbytery meeting, the mom who
will be moving into the Habitat
house in Clinton spoke to us. She
shared her gratitude and excitement
at having a home for herself and her
children.
To what new venture is God
calling us, people who identify
themselves as Christian in this area?
Will we be afraid to step into the
future or will we put our feet into the
water trusting that God goes with us?
£imin^ IValerX
Cfiritlian
Nov. 20: 1 Peter3:14ff
The Joy of...
SUFFERING?!
Int'l Day of Prayer - Persecuted Church
10:30 a.m.
Blyth Public School
Mon. 6:45 pm Junior Girls Gr. 4-6
Fri. 7 pm Youth Group Gr. 6+
Sat. 9:30 am Parenting
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
Donation-based
PASTORAL COUNSELLING
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CHRISTMAS SEALS
Support lung health in Ontario.
Donate safely and
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Jr HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL it
MISSIONARY CHURCH
SINGASONtjOF Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Sunday 9:30 a.m.Family Bible Hour
Tuesday
“fe Wednesday
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
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday., XiinMla 20
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, November 20
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.E
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
'Pieodc fowl ccj cwtdAifa
Sunday, November 20
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
A Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
/ \ Wheelchair accessible
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Tfletcwtcd yocc to cwte
owt wm/tip cd
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20
musician: Juanita Ulit&in& at
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
St John's, Brussels
11:15a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, November 20
Worship Service, Sunday School & Nursery
11:00 a.m.
Minister* Rev. Robin McGauley
Office: 5J23-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
*7 >
Sanctuary
immunity Churc^
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
Sunday 9:45 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
- Power Hour Circus
(Ring of Relationships)
- Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
Phone: 440-8379 ~ 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590