United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

CIRMC Weekly

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Finding Peace in Anxious Times by Mrs Raquel Forrester

Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
 
For many families, these last few days before the reopening of
school is a time to restructure and tighten home rules and to
reintroduce the necessary routines. It is also a time to shop for
school supplies and uniforms. Some of us seem to be at peace
amidst the hustle and bustle of back-to-school preparations. We
have things under control!
But have we stopped to think about those parents who struggle
to find their children’s school supplies and uniforms? What
about those children who are anxious about going into new
classes and meeting new teachers? What about those children
who are anxious because they find it difficult to engage in
school activities and make new friends? What about those
children who have low self-esteem and those who struggle with
their schoolwork? What about those parents and teachers who
are beginning to dread the early morning traffic? Then, there
are those students who are anxiously awaiting the reopening of
school because school for them is the only escape they have
from the challenges they experience at home. There are so many
pressures and anxieties as the school year begins. 

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Peace Amidst Chaos and Strife by Mrs Katherine Jackson

Wednesday Aug 18, 2021
 
In St. John 14: 27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Peace and harmonious relationships were elements that God
placed in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were created
– love, peace, and harmony – God said that this work was “very
good”.
So it was, yet, that was not to remain. Why? Well, God also put
the element of “choice” into the mix as He didn’t want his
creation to be “beholding” to Him, nor did He want puppets on
a string, or mechanical robots. So, enters Mr. Slippery Slick
who moved into the territory with his sweet words and smooth
talk … and convinced the woman that there was so much more
to life than God was letting on about. That lovely fruit would
reveal all – but it destroyed the love, peace, and harmony that
God had planted.
God’s peace was also a forerunner of the peace that Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Saviour would bring … that’s why Jesus
could say: my peace I give to you – not as the world giveth,
give I unto you – let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them
be afraid.” … so from the very first act of deception in the
Garden, humankind has tried time after time to build peace –
with each other, within communities, among nations – and we
still can’t get it right, or make it last. It almost seems as though
chaos is causing life to tumble down through the ages, and as it
does, it is unraveling whatever it passes by … but again, what
does Jesus say to us? “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither
let them be afraid.”

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Welcome Back Rev Myers!

Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
 
With a deep sense of gratitude and an abundance of joy, the
CIRMC welcomes back Rev. Donovan Myers, Minister of the
John Gray Memorial United Church, West Bay.
Rev. Myers and his loved ones have recently been through a
particularly difficult time in their life, yet during the many
trials and tribulations they remained strong in their faith
and never gave up hope. We celebrate God’s goodness and
mercy toward them, for God has restored him and filled him with
renewed strength and zeal.
Rev. Myers has resumed the administrative duties of his
Charge as of August 1, 2021,and will take on his full duties on September 1, 2021. We
continue to keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers
as they embark on this new phase of their life.
The CIRMC also wishes to record its gratitude to all those who
have assisted in various areas of congregational ministry during
the temporary, yet prolonged absence of Rev. Myers. Their
contributions proved to be invaluable during this critical period.

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CIRMC Summer Camps 2021

Wednesday Aug 04, 2021
 
Since 1982 the Prospect Youth Centre of the UCJCI in the
CIRMC has been hosting children and youth camps during the
summer months.
Over the years, for countless campers, it has become
synonymous with a lifetime of memories, lasting friendships,
life-changing decisions, not forgetting the plenty of fun, great
comradery, and important lessons learned.
The various activities at camp offer a plethora of opportunities
to our children and youth to learn about what it means to share
space with others, to consider each other’s needs, to
communicate effectively, to organize themselves, and most
importantly, of course, to learn about God, about what it means
to put our trust in God, who has a purpose and plan for each of
us. It is indeed very challenging, if not outright impossible to
capture in words what a camp experience means for one’s
spiritual formation and overall wellbeing and development.

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CIRMC Vacation Bible School - John Gray Memorial Church

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
 
The John Gray Memorial Church
held its VBS on July 12-16, 2021,
(Mon.-Fri.) 8:30 am – 12:30 pm.
focusing on the theme, “Rocky
Railway” where everyone was able
to learn about how Jesus’ power pull
us through in anything in life.
The activities consisted of the children and volunteers
rotating between stations such as Bible Adventures, Games,
KidVid Cinema, Craft & Play, Imagination Station, the
morning get-together was called “Sing & Play Express” and
the afternoon closing event was “Rocky Wrap-Up.” A
favourite activity was “Chew Chew Snacks” a.k.a. snack time, where
each snack for the day related to theme/Bible point.

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CELEBRATING OUR SEAFARING HERITAGE by Mrs Katherine Jackson

Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
 

' He hath founded it upon the Seas' - Psalm 24:2

On Sunday, 11th July, the John Gray Memorial Church in West
Bay included in their worship service a celebration of the life of
Seafarers here in the Cayman Islands, and in particular, those
brave men that hailed from that district, and particularly from
that Church.
Mr Loxley Banks gave the following overview:
Today we are celebrating “Sea Sunday 2021” here in the
Cayman Islands, and knowing that many of our stalwart
seafarers came from this district, especially those who sailed on
the MV Adams, the Goldfield, and other great ships of the
world, we thought it very appropriate to include this celebration
in our worship service today.
“Sea Sunday” is the annual day, which was established over 100
years ago, that many Churches around the world set aside to
remember and pray for seafarers and their families, and to give
thanks for their lives and work.

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Vacation Bible School - A Brief History by Rev Otto Menko

Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
 
When preparing for their annual plan, most Congregations
include an old-time favorite, Vacation Bible School. For many
of us, it is almost impossible to imagine summer without this
staple of the church year. The acronym VBS conjures a rich
mixture of fond memories in our minds; days filled with Bible
stories, singing songs, making various crafts, playing games,
and having a lot of fun. Interestingly, it is as much anticipated
and enjoyed by volunteering grown-ups serving in various
capacities as by participating children.
VBS offers a very special opportunity to congregations to
engage the children of the church and community in a more
intense, more focused, more impactful way. Besides being
exposed to the message of the Bible day after day in various
activities, they also learn to ‘connect’ to the church
environment and its people, forming positive impressions in
their hearts and minds. Through our daily interactions with
them they begin to see the church as a big family with an open
heart, with love that welcomes, embraces, appreciates, and
eager to journey through life with them.
VBS in progress at the John Gray Memorial UC July 12, 2021
The real benefit of VBS and indeed, the key to our ‘success’ as
The church lies not in what we are able to ‘drill’ into them about
God in a short week (or during the weekly Church/Sunday
School and other activities), but in the quality of relationships,
we can develop. No amount of religious teaching or fancy
programs can match the power of being exposed to persons who
are living examples of faith, who through their attitude,
behavior and actions display genuine and au

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Summer 2021! by Rev Otto Menko

Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
 
Summer is that special time of the year most of us –regardless
of our age- look forward to with great anticipation. Whether we
have a two months break from school or just a week or two of
a family vacation, it is the time that promises lots of fun, offers
opportunities to recharge, explore, and make memories that
often last a lifetime.
Then in 2020 came the coronavirus pandemic and we – like
most people around the world- were forced into a temporary
albeit prolonged isolation and were severely restricted in our
movements. Very quickly we had to adapt and adjust to a new
way of living, working, interacting, and fellowshipping. For the
most part, life, as we knew it, has changed for everyone,
including institutions, organizations, workplaces, and the
Church. Consequently, in 2020 we had to cancel all the usual
summer-time activities such as the children and youth camps,
VBS, and Sunday Schools in our congregations and shift most
of our ministries to be conducted online.

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A Call to Peace by the Moderator- Rt. Rev. Gary Harriott

Wednesday Jun 30, 2021
 
Our Church, the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands,
in response to all that has been going on in our societies of Cayman, Jamaica and
the global community, on account of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and other 
challenges, has determined to focus on the theme, 'Rooted, Resilient;Responding in HOPE, 
-HOPE being an acronym for Health, Opportunities,Peace and Evangelism.

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Times of Healing by Rev Otto Menko

Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
 
Please read Mark 5:21-43 (Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals
a Sick Woman)
One cannot help but stand in awe and wonder witnessing not
only the divine power of Jesus in full display but more so His
deep love and concern for others, especially for those deemed
less important by the social convention of His time, such as
women and children. In this reading we see Jesus responding
with understanding and compassion to the anguish of a father
and a woman, as they were both seeking desperately Jesus’
help.
The unnamed woman has been suffering for twelve years with
hemorrhage. This condition was bad enough in itself but what
made it even more unbearable was the social and religious
stigma of ritual uncleanness associated with her condition. She
was an outcast, an outsider, who didn’t count or belong. After
trying for years everything possible without avail, she saw in
Jesus her last chance. Cloaked in the anonymity of the crowd
she touched Jesus’ garment, fully aware that she was forbidden
to do so.

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United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands