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CIRMC Weekly

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Reconnect with the Triune God- by Rev Otto Menko Wednesday May 31, 2023
	“Relationships are difficult and challenging. It takes effort to maintain harmony in relationships, and our relationship with the Triune God is no different except that any shortcomings are on our part because God, our Heavenly Father, has already done His part. He is always there waiting on us. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for our sins, and we remain connected with God through the Holy Spirit. That connection is vital to our spiritual wellbeing, and sometimes we need to reconnect. To coin the words of the Psalmist, as the deer pants for the water, so our souls should be longing after the Triune God.” – (UCJCI Preaching Themes – Sunday, June 4, 2023) The doctrine of the Trinity, affirming the three-in-one nature of God, was an integral part of Christian theology from the early centuries. Eventually, in 1334 became an established feast day in the Western Church. Its formal inclusion in the liturgical calendar served as a dedicated day to honor and reflect on the mystery of the Holy Trinity, providing the people of God a distinct occasion for worship and spiritual contemplation. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Reconnect with Power by Rev Otto Menko Wednesday May 24, 2023
	“The power that was promised, for which the Disciples gathered and waited in earnest anticipation, burst forth on the Day of Pentecost. Peter and the other Disciples spoke with power and authority by the Holy Spirit. That same power is available to us as we reconnect with God and are re-ignited by the Spirit. There is wonder-working power in the blood of Jesus!” – (UCJCI Preaching Themes – Sunday, May 28, 2023) Pentecost Sunday marks the end of the liturgical season of Easter and commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples following the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. It is also viewed as the birth of the Church and the beginning of its mission to the world. Please read Acts 2:1-21 (The story of Pentecost) The above Scripture account describes the events that took place in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost as thousands of pilgrims gathered from all around the Roman Empire to celebrate the Jewish holiday known as the Feast of Weeks, observed 50 days after Easter (Passover). On that day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, empowering and enabling them to speak in different languages. This miraculous manifestation of God’s Spirit attracted the attention of the crowd. Emboldened and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter addressed the crowd and explained the significance of what was happening, connecting it to the prophecies found in the Old Testament, and calling them to faith in Jesus, the promised Messiah (Christ). According to v.41, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” please click here for more information (PDF file)

Reconnect with Anticipation Rev. Otto Menko Wednesday May 17, 2023
	Please read Acts 1:6-11 In Acts 1:6-11, Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, and the disciples were gathered with Him. They asked if He would restore the kingdom to Israel at that time to which Jesus responded that it is not for them to know the times or seasons set by the Father. He then told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. After speaking these words, Jesus was taken up into heaven before the very eyes of the disciples. Based on this passage, let us consider four aspects of the ascension of Jesus Christ in light of the theme, ‘Reconnecting with Anticipation’. How can we reconnect to Christ, to the Church, to our calling and to each other? 1. By trusting in God's plan and timing The disciples were anxious to know how God’s plan would unfold and be brought to a successful and victorious conclusion. Jesus’ response to their question was clear and explicit, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (v.7). Simply put, He said, ‘It’s none of your business’. Jesus’ statement clearly did not deter believers throughout the ages from to trying to calculate and announce with full conviction the actual date of His return. Naturally, none of the predictions made in the past proved to be accurate and we can say with certainty that they won’t work in the future either please click here for more information (PDF file)

Reconnect for Blessings: A Mother’s Love Mrs. Sonia Wallace Wednesday May 10, 2023
	Please read 1 King 17 On this Sunday, May 14, 2023, we will celebrate Mothers’ Day and we thank God for all women who still nurture children with love and care. We pray that your resilient love for the children in your care will reflect God’s unconditional love for you. To those whose memory or experience of mothering may not be pleasant, we pray that the supernatural arm of our God who draws us to God’s bosom, will by God’s mothering love, bless you with resilience and strength to overcome, through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Reconnect for blessings and our focus is on Mother’s Love. I will be highlight two revelations from the Biblical account of the woman of Zarephath, but first let me explain the context. Mention of her story is found in 1 King 17. She was a widow who lived in Zarephath, in Sidon, the home region of Jezebel, wife of Ahab. The residents of this region were known for their worship of the wooden image known as Baal. God’s prophet Elijah had declared a three- year period of no rain or dew. Fulfillment of the declared word would show that Elijah’s God had command over nature and was the true God. As this dry season took effect, a famine resulted as the people were unable to grow their crops. Elijah was fed supernaturally at a brook but was then sent by God to this widow of Zarephath. The widow was unnamed, so we will call her the Zarephath mom. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Time To Pull Up Anchor! Wednesday May 03, 2023
	(The Sermon of the Rt. Rev. Gary Harriott, Moderator of the UCJCI, on the occasion of the Closing Service of the 43rd Synod of the UCJCI, held at the Elmslie Memorial United Church, George Town, Grand Cayman) We gathered as a church over these day in times of inspirational worship; deep and provocative Bible Studies; we wrestled in discussion about the state of affairs of our two countries - the socio-political challenges; the need to give serious attention to our children, youth and men’s ministry; the need to be more intentional in our pastoral accompaniment of our schools; the need to affirm the dignity of those of our sisters and brothers in our societies who are disabled; we listened to the pain coming out of our sister nation - Haiti and what must be the response of CARICOM and the World Church; we were challenged in lecture; we were inspired by the stories of some who have given themselves to the work of Christ and the Church; with the motif or the central theme of the ship we have determined that we need to address the quality of our worship, our fellowship, our discipleship, our stewardship and our leadership please click here for more information (PDF file)

Pastor John Wallace Macmillan 1945-2023 Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
	With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Pastor John Macmillan. He transitioned from this life on Monday, April 17, 2023, in Florida, USA, after a period of illness. Pastor Macmillan was the longest-serving Lay Pastor in the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, serving mainly the Robert Young Memorial Mission Station in the Cayman Islands Regional Mission Council. His service in the church was expansive and included, but was not limited to, being an Elder, a Delegate to Council and Synod, a member and Chairman of the Cayman United Church Corporation, a staff member in the Cayman Islands Regional Mission Council Office and the Administrator for the Elmslie Memorial Church. John was a faithful servant of God, whose dedication, diligence and commitment were gifts to the church. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Reconnect in Faith by Rev. Dr. Yvette Noble-Bloomfield Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
	The call to Reconnect in Faith is the theme for reflection this week. The scriptural reference is John 20:19-30. This final pericope in the Gospel of John provides us with the struggles of Thomas who, when told that Christ was raised from the dead, simply did not believe. He doubted the credibility of his fellow Disciples and declared that until he could see, touch and handle Jesus, he would not believe that He was raised from death. Following the disaster the Disciples faced on Good Friday, Thomas’ response could be seen as plausible. After all, Christ proclaimed the Kingdom of God, He performed many miracles that proved His divinity, and He was clearly the Messianic figure they anticipated, yet He had died and was buried. How then, having been defeated by death, He could rise from the dead? Thomas was comfortable and justified in his doubt concerning the resurrection of Christ and he knew that the possibility of Christ’s immediate return was remote. Yet, Jesus interrupted Thomas’s state of disbelief in a powerful and distinguished way. Whereas Mary was told, “Do not touch me” – John 20:17, in John 20: 27, Thomas is invited to place his hand in Jesus’ palms and side. Jesus had to ensure that Thomas would have a faith-transforming experience that would enable him to proclaim the power of the resurrection to those who would believe please click here for more information (PDF file)

EASTER MESSAGE 2023: THINKING OUTSIDE THE TOMB Philip Vinod Peacock Executive for Justice and Witness WCRC Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
	As the world limps out of the COVID pandemic, the ravages of the pandemic have prised open already existing, deeply embedded injustices. Globally, we are acutely aware of the deep inequalities of class, gender, and race that divide humanity and prevent us from living the abundant life that God calls us into. As we resist the urge to return to what was “normal,” we instead try to re-create a world that is founded on justice. It is in this context of not returning to normal that we are called to think outside the tomb. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Palm Sunday Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
	With Palm Sunday, the Church begins the annual Holy Week journey. This journey opens with a joyful celebration, but in a few short days takes an unexpected turn and leads to a shocking conclusion. As we witness the rapidly unfolding drama of the last week of Jesus’ earthly life, events speak volumes not only about God’s passionate love for all but also about the sobering reality of sin that plagues humankind both collectively and individually. Jesus became the new Passover Lamb whose blood was shed for all, so that those who believe in Him may be freed from the slavery of sin and have Life and have it eternally. At the heart of the story of Jesus’ passion is the manifestation of a love unlike any other. The love we confront is so sincere, selfless, and transforming that it is beyond human comprehension. In Jesus’ suffering, we witness a love of unprecedented depths. The Son of God voluntarily enters the deepest humiliation ever seen to meet us in our fallenness, sin, and helplessness and raise us to the highest heights imaginable. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Transforming for Renewal (Stewardship) Mr. Bryan Bothwell Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
	“The opposite of love is not hate; it is indifference.” That simple observation by Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel has stuck with me since I was a young man. I grew up very much seeing ‘love your neighbor’ in action in numerous ways in our daily lives. On the other hand, we were taught not to hate people and not to “hold something against someone” because of the essentialness of forgiveness. The Church still teaches this. But for most people, “hate” is an uncommon emotion. ‘Indifference’ is a more deceptive trap and, therefore, more widely captures the core of the problem. How, in practice, can we love like Jesus, given the breadth and transformative depth of what that would entail. So “indifference” and that contrast to love came readily to my mind for today’s theme which is, “Return”. “Return”, specifically as a strategic direction for the United Church. Of course, that means also, and foremost, for each of us who collectively make up that particular body within Christ’s worldwide Church. For we know Christianity is personal, though if you want to keep it to yourself, it is not Christianity! please click here for more information (PDF file)