News from Isabel Acheson for issue of Oct. 24, 2024
Somerset Bible Chapel
The annual church family Thanksgiving Supper takes place the Sunday after the statutory holiday. The Fall work day took place the day before, following the men’s breakfast meeting.
The worship service began with Jamie Grenier leading the announcements. Kevin Friesen led the music portion of the hour as well as the Prayer Focus. Matt Penner served as usher. Isabel read the Scripture lesson from John 9: 1-17.
Guest speaker for the day was Randy Fehr of Gladstone, visiting along with his wife Debbie. His choice of sermon was the account in John 9 of the healing by Jesus of a man born blind. Because the healing took place on a Sabbath day, the religious officials accused him of transgressing the Sabbath restrictions.
Many healings that Jesus did happened when he spoke. In this case, he made mud with spitting on the dust of the ground and anointed the blind man’s eyes, then sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam at the edge of the city.
The man returns to the area where he had been begging. His neighbours are not all sure it is the same man. His parents don’t speak up for him for fear of being removed from the synagogue community. The Pharisees then question him directly about his healing. As a blind man he had not seen Jesus.
As the Pharisees try to find fault with Jesus, the responses of the man born blind become more confident. The religious leaders are left with no comeback in their unbelief and foolishness. They excommunicate the healed man from their place of worship. In effect his life becomes more difficult than when he was a beggar.
Randy pointed our several lessons. To guard our hearts, Christians must pursue a living faith with the Lord, keeping a humble and teachable heart, always remembering that Love and Truth belong together. The only security to avoid becoming like the Pharisees is the Grace of God at work in each life.
The songs for the day included a medley of favourites beginning with “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise”, “All Hail The Power”, “God of Wonders”, “What He’s Done”, There is a Redeemer” and, in closing, “Faithful Now”.
Monthly bulletins and previous reports are available on the website www.somersetbiblechapel.com.
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