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CIRMC Weekly

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11-20] [21-25]


Abundant Hope by Rev. Louis-Herard Sully Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
	Please read Luke 18:9-14 Being hopeful is a confident expectancy. Many of us hope for things and are waiting for them to come or to happen. It is a wonderful thing to have hope. The Bible teaches that hope stands for both the act of hoping and the things hope for. In 1Cor. 9:10, when the plowman plows and the thresher, threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. In 1Peter 1:3, Peter writes to the elect stating, “Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Considering God's word, hope does not arise from an individual desires or wishes, but from God, who is the believer's hope. Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance. The parable in St. Luke 18, speaks of the Pharisees who trust in their own righteousness. Such confidence in one's inherent righteousness is a foolish hope. The Pharisees fall short of the Divine standard. The word of God constantly teaches us that sinners are justified when God's perfect righteousness is imputed to their account, and it was only on that basis that the tax collector and anyone else could be saved. The Pharisee by exalting his own works revealed that his entire hope lay in his not being as bad as someone else, and therefore, lacked any sense of his own unworthiness and sin. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Cayman Prep and High School Celebrations! Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
	The Annual Service of Appreciation for the Staff of the Cayman Prep and High School (CPHS) was held on Sunday, October 9, 2022, at the Savannah United Church at 9:00 am. In addition to the congregants, over 100 staff members (administrative, academic, and ancillary) and their families attended the event. During Rev Forrester’s Greetings as the Chair of Council, he invited congregants to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Mrs. M. Janilee Clifford, who passed away at the age of 90 on Thursday, October 6, 2022. Mrs. Clifford was an educator at CPHS for 31 years and an Elder of the Robert Young Memorial Church (George Town). By her unselfish and dedicated service in several ecclesiastical and civic organizations Mrs. Clifford made an indelible impact on our Church and the wider community. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Radical Hope in the Face of Suffering by Rev. Dr. Yvette Noble-Bloomfield and Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin Wednesday Oct 05, 2022
	Please read Luke 17:11-19 Jesus throughout His ministry encountered and healed people who were suffering from various diseases. Sickness and ill health had not only physical realities for the body but engaged the mind and the spirit. In the context of the 1st century, there were also cultural and sociological implications when someone was diagnosed with a particular disease. The sick were often criticized, condemned, isolated, and ostracized by the healthy in society. Financial instability, loss of livelihood, impoverished living conditions and being labelled as an outcast, accompanied the sick and less abled in society. The life of the sick was one of trauma as the expected support systems were non-existent. The support expected from one’s religious and theological base was insufficient at best and in most cases, blatantly absent. To be ill was very often linked to ancestral sin and personal sin and the need for forgiveness. The issue of the cause of the particular illness was the theme of the theological enquiry and the social gossip. Blame would be distributed without consideration of the pain being inflicted on those who were already suffering from the physical reality of the illness. please click here for more information (PDF file)

UCJCI October – December 2022 Focus Jesus Christ: Our Living Hope Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
	In this final quarter of the year, much of our readings come from the prophets, as they seek to foster Hope in the lives of God’s people in trying times. We have cause to reflect on their unwavering Hope as the world faces so many things that challenge our own Hope in God. If Faith is Hope in action, what is Hope? Some of us see Hope as prayerful anticipation, as that which sustains and keeps. It is also the beginning of a concrete reality, not yet come to pass. Of course, Hope is neither incidental nor accidental. It comes from a vision (not always clear to others), nurtured by action and plans. Within the context of Scripture, two Hebrew words qawa and batah speak to Hope, rooted in trust. As we move through Heritage Week, Reformation Sunday, Pirates’ Week and into Advent and Christmas, our focus shifts to Jesus and His role in our lives of Faith. We seek to understand our Hope in Jesus Christ, unmoving and very much alive, through the lens of Health, Opportunities, Peace, and Evangelism and in the realities of our countries in this season. May we find Jesus to be our Living Hope in good and bad times. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Giving is a Grace from God by Rev Donovan Myers Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
	Please read 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 For many people, giving represents an appeal to altruistic feelings. We give because it’s the human thing to do. If others are in need, our duty is to ‘help out’ where we can. But also, many see giving as a necessary outpouring of their excess. I have more than I need, so I should share. While those two motivations might be reasonable, the letter from Paul to the Corinthians speaks about giving in a way that challenges some commonly held assumptions. On the one hand, for him, giving fundamentally challenges the concept of ownership, the right we have to possess ‘stuff’. It asserts that what we think is ours, is only ours on loan. We are not really owners but rightly managers. Giving, then is an outworking of the responsibility of our management of those resources. We don’t lay claim to things in a way that ties us to them and them to us. On the other hand, when Paul wrote in the way that he did about the giving of the Macedonian Christians, he was challenging the Greco Roman worldview that wealth was the result or sign of divine approval. That somehow, it is in having a lot of stuff that we demonstrate out strong connection to God or that God likes us. Both people who have a lot and people who have a little are blessed by God. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Grounded in Prayer by Mrs. Sonia Wallace Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
	Throughout the month of September, we have been exploring the topic “A church responding with God-given confidence.” From Old Testament to New, the Bible depicts prayer to our Heavenly Father as our response to a loving God who knows us and watches over us. Heb 4:13 tells us “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” The passage affirms that God is in control. God sees and is aware of everything and everyone. In relationship with us, God directs our steps, supplies our needs, is ever present with us, and works supernaturally on our behalf. This is so whether it is for our deliverance, healing, comfort, protection, provision, or guidance for living lives pleasing to God. A life grounded in prayer This reflection is a reminder of our need to live a life grounded in prayer to God at all times and in all circumstances. We will briefly look at Jesus, our example, also Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and draw examples from the experience of the prophet Jeremiah and the Psalmist Asaph. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Rescued by God’s Grace and Mercy by Rev. Rohan Forrester (Chair of Council - CIRMC) Wednesday Sep 07, 2022
	Please read Luke 15:1-10 The month of September in the Cayman Islands Regional Mission Council is a time for remembering, renewing of our commitment to Christ and celebrating our mission in these islands. The Cayman Islands Regional Mission Council of the United Church in Jamaica and The Cayman Islands celebrates on September 11, 176 years of unbroken mission and partnership that led to the establishment and expansion of the church in the Cayman Islands. It all started in 1845 when the Presbyterian Church of Jamaica decided to send Missionaries to preach the Gospel in Africa. It was also in 1845 when the missionaries set out for Calabar in Nigeria, they did not get beyond the Cayman Islands as their ship was wrecked on the reef at East End and thereby noticed the spiritual situation among the locals. However, early in the springof1846, Rev. William Niven, a Scottish Presbyterian Missionary who was at the time serving in Jamaica, also passed through Grand Cayman while on his way to England and observed the situation firsthand. Later in July 1846 on his return from England Rev. Niven placed the matter before the Presbytery of Jamaica for consideration. A decision was then made at the Synod meeting at Goshen in St. Mary, Jamaica, that someone should go to the Cayman Islands. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Responding with Complete Surrender by Rev. Otto Menko Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
	Please read Luke 14:25-33 There are many ways our Christian faith can get derailed, go wrong, taking us on a path of a fruitless, self-absorbed existence and consequently discrediting the message of the Gospel. The statistics of late clearly indicate the decline of the Church globally and church membership in general, and this has become the trend and not just an anomaly due to the recent pandemic. But what is behind this worrisome development? There are some who point to the failure of the Church (and there are many for sure), while others blame Christians and their wishy-washy, lukewarm faith and life or the hostility - and at the same time - attraction of the postmodern world we live in. The truth is most likely a combination of all these. There are efforts of all sorts worldwide by Christian leaders and institutions to address this issue and chart a way out of this problem, and only time will tell if the ‘solutions’ indeed take us back on track or not. In the meantime, there is something we all can do to become part of the solution and not part of the problem. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Responding With Humility & Generosity by Rev. Dr. Yvette Noble-Bloomfield Wednesday Aug 24, 2022
	Please read Hebrews 13:1-8 We are invited to reflect on the sub-theme, ‘Responding With Humility and Generosity’ as we continue to journey with the Synodical theme ‘Rooted, Resilient: Responding in Hope.’ As a denomination, constantly we remind ourselves that God expects that our response to humanity must always be characterized by humility. We should never see ourselves as being “above” others. A humble church, which is generous with God’s gifts and respectful of others, is what God expects us to be. This pericope in Hebrews 13 is a timely reminder to the Church and us as individuals of the required Christian attitude and practices that need to be followed and displayed in the world. It provides a comprehensive list for us to adhere to as we share in the faith. The list includes the following: Love for each other and those in the world, hospitality, care for the incarcerated, support for those who suffer in body, the importance of marriage and family, and avoidance of the lust and lure of money. Humility and Generosity in the Church Love for each other in the Church ought to come from an understanding of what it means to be humble and generous. Humility is the recognition that we are equal to the other in our dependence on God and God’s sustaining grace. It is the capacity to see the image of God in each person we meet and to treat each person with dignity and respect. It is also at times the ability to place the need of the other above one’s own needs. Generosity is being able to respond to the needs of others beyond the minimum requirement. It requires being willing and able to do so without complaint or resentment. These capacities of humility and generosity are high callings and can best be achieved when we are truly engaged in our commitment to Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Responding in Righteousness and Justice by Ms. Camile Watt Wednesday Aug 17, 2022
	Please read Matthew 5:17-20 Righteousness by definition is the quality of being righteous and righteous means acting according to divine or moral law. It means to be free from guilt or sin. Justice or to be just is often used in conjunction with the word righteous as it refers to the quality of being fair and responsible. Other words that could be used to describe being Just are soundness, validity, or legitimacy. The Biblical definition of righteousness is seen in the New Testament Greek text, which is used in Matthew 5:20 as “being righteous before others”. This conveys the same meaning of conforming to moral law. But interestingly in this text Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount said to His followers, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus in His sermon referred to the imperfections of the law. He emphasized that He did not come to destroy the law; hence giving credit to the importance of the law, however, further stated that He has come to fulfil the law. please click here for more information (PDF file)