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UCJCI Update

Page: [1-10] 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 [21-29]


YOUTUBE CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION FEATURES THE WORK OF REV. H. EARL THAMES Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
	The Unspeakable Gift is a production of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands which features the creative work of Rev. H. Earl Thames, the House Church writing team and the Performing Arts Ministry of the United Church. Rev. Thames, known as a fierce advocate for youth, was a prolific writer. His work, ‘Zachariah and the Gift with the String’ was penned in the 90‘s. This work has been paired with the liturgy for worship at home which has been prepared for Christmas Day. The liturgy was written by Dr. Jane Dodman, a member of the House Church Writing task group. Both written materials will now be translated into film and will be available on the United Church You Tube channel on Christmas Day at 6 p.m. BRYCE UNITED CALLS FOR ACTION-Support Education for Empowerment and Liberation The call for help for students facing difficulty accessing education has not fallen on deaf ears. At his induction service to the Bryce charge of churches on September 27, 2020, Rev. Gary Harriott, appealed to the community and two months later a member responded by donating 12 tablets. please click here for more information (PDF file)

CAN FAITH SURVIVE COVID 19? Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
	Can faith withstand a crisis such as COVID 19? The United Church responded with a resounding, ‘Yes!’ and took steps to provide members with the tools to build resilient faith through a series of Learning Opportunities in October and November 2020. BREAKING NEW GROUND -The United Church Appoints Performing Arts Minister The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands has appointed a Minister for the Visual and Performing Arts. He is Rev. Kevin Calvert. This is the first time such an appointment has is being made by UCJCI. Recognizing the changing nature of the ministry landscape, and the need to strategically employ non-traditional, creative and innovative ways to engage multi-generations in worship; the leadership of UCJCI deployed personnel to lead in utilizing communication technology and art forms in a needs– specific manner to reach the unchurched and churched in both virtual and non-virtual spaces. please click here for more information (PDF file)

UCJCI NEARS RELIEF RESPONSE TARGET Wednesday Dec 02, 2020
	Members of the United Church have given J$230,658 as we move towards the target of J$250,000 in donations in response to the plea for help for communities in Bloxburgh and Bito in east rural St. Andrew in Jamaica In November, Jamaica experienced heavy rains which caused significant damage to homes, roads and the natural environment. Rev. Carlington Douglas, minister of Harbour View Charge which is located in these communities, reported that persons were marooned and without food. In response, the United Church leadership decided to purchase foodstuff on credit so help could be provided as quickly as possible and then invited the United Church membership to donate funds to pay for the goods which had been secured. BEYOND THE PULPIT-Providing a space for leadership discussion of issues of faith in community Christian economics begins with the theological premise that ultimately it is a good and loving God who supplies all our needs and ends with questions of who is my neighbour and what can we do so that all may have life in abundance? This premise precludes any idea that legitimizes ill-gotten gain or the hoarding of goods please click here for more information (PDF file)

CELEBRATING LESLEY - Faith and Diligence Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
	Dilligence and faith —are hallmarks of the legacy of Lesley Hare, Communication and Information Technology Coordinator, UCJCI, whose sojourn in this life ended on Wednesday November 18, 2020. As expressions of sorrow and shock at Lesley’s passing poured in through the communication channels of UCJCI, notably they were sterling tributes to the life of this young woman. please click here for more information (PDF file)

TRUSTING GOD Wednesday Nov 18, 2020
	2 Chronicles 20: 1-7 What do you do and to whomdo you turn when life throws you one problem after another? Worry and fear are two options chosen by many. However, God presents us with an alternative…trust. You see, worry and fear are crippling emotions. Trust and faith are centers of confidence, conviction and hope. LEADERSHIP CORNER -What’s the Purpose of Pastors? (Part 2) What the Bible Says About Pastors? The Bible assures us that pastors exist to shepherd God’s people in local churches until Christ returns (1 Peter 5:1-5). The calling of the pastor is inextricably tied to the biblical metaphor of a shepherd tending to his flock of sheep. Alexander Strauch says, “If we want to understand Christian elders and their work, we must understand the biblical imagery of shepherding. As keepers of sheep, New Testament elders are to protect, feed, lead and care for the flock’s many practical needs.” please click here for more information (PDF file)

“FAITH IN ACTION” Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
	What makes us human beings among other things is our inability to effectively and efficiently read the unfolding of our times and our seasons. Our short sightedness is oftentimes manifested through our failure to adequately respond and handle issues and experiences that catch us by surprise. UTCWI Appoints New Chairman At it recent sitting, the Board of Governors of the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI), appointed Dr. Beverley Pereira, as its Chairman for the period 2020-2021. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to hold this position since the founding of the College in 1966. LEADERSHIP CORNER-What’s the Purpose of Pastors? The Bible knows nothing of lone Christians, of believers who are willfully independent from a local church. Rather, Christians gather in communities to worship together and serve one another. And as God commands his people to gather in community, he also commands them to be led—led by men called and qualified as pastors or elders (terms the Bible uses interchangeably). As we progress through a series of questions about things we as Christians often take for granted, we now come to the question of church leadership and ask, “What’s the purpose of pastors?” please click here for more information (PDF file)

“I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES” Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
	In the midst of the pandemic, we are even more so called to bear witness to Christ and His redeeming love for all of humanity. Psalm 34:1-10,22 is known as the Benedicam Dominum – I will always bless the Lord We offer prayers for persons confirmed positive and express condolence for the with the families of the persons who have died as a result of COVID-19 worldwide. LEADERSHIP CORNER - The Church Leader’s Brain in the COVID Crisis: 5 Tips Church leaders today are scrambling to find creative, innovative, and workable strategies, plans, and ideas to minister in our Covid crisis. I appreciate the plethora of blogs, podcasts, video-casts, and seminars offered to help us respond well. However, there is a fundamental process that precedes 100% of all ideas. And what is that process? Thinking. please click here for more information (PDF file)

REFLECTING AND CELEBRATING THE REFORMATION Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
	A cross the world approximately 80 million Christians belonging to the World Communion of Reformed Churches on Sunday October 26 paused to remember, reflect and celebrate the Reformation. While the process of the reformation started long before Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 theses on the Wittenberg church door in Germany, his theses ignited a revolution that lead to the reforming of the Church then that continues to this very day. LEADERSHIP CORNER -9 Evidences That Popularity and Fame Are Getting the Best of You I write to my own heart first today. I can easily fall into the trap of ego, and I can just as easily long for more recognition. I try to monitor my heart, but my heart can be deceitful at times. Maybe these characteristics I watch for in my own life will challenge you as well: please click here for more information (PDF file)

THE CALL TO CONTINUE Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
	This COVID-19 pandemic has forced us into difficult decisions and actions which have removed from our lives and living the notion of normality. So some of us wrestle with the difficult task of self-or stateimposed quarantine. These are not normal times. Many of us long for normality to return, for access to our sources of comfort, entertainment,social interaction and inspiration. All of us long for the day when this COVID-19 pandemic will breathe its last. LEADERSHIP CORNER- Jesus: The Role Model for Christian Leadership What is Servant Leadership? It is the focus on the growth of the individual, that they might flourish and achieve their full potential and not primarily the growth and potential of the organization, that distinguishes servant leadership from other leadership styles. The primary concern of the servant leader is service to their followers. In the secular business schools, it was Robert Greenleaf who, in the early 1970s, proposed the servant leader model. However, the concept of a servant leader is not such a modern concept, but can be found in the biblical account of the life of Jesus Christ. By examining His model, we can identify a Christcentred, Christ-like servant leadership style that works for Christians who lead people in any situation. please click here for more information (PDF file)

A Tribute To A Dynamic Man Of Faith Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
	In a seasn when the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands is resolute in its efforts to assert anew the theological principle of the priesthood of all believers, the life and witness of the late Rev. Keith Livingstone Gordon bears indisputable testimony to the efficacy of this principle. LEADERSHIP CORNER- Defining Leadership: What Is It and Why Does It Matter in Church? "Great men lead people", Bill Bright of Campus Crusdae for Christ said. "But greater men train leaders" please click here for more information (PDF file)