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UCJCI Update

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School Was Not Out at Pringle Home for Children!! Wednesday Jul 08, 2020
	At the time that physical school attendance was not allowed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UCJCI’s Pringle Home for Children, located in Carron Hall, St Mary, with twenty-one (21) residents, engaged the girls educationally in creative and inspiring ways! School was definitely not out! The leadership of the Home started a new routine, wherein after breakfast was served and the dining hall cleared, tables and chairs were carefully pushed aside, and the girls moved to TVJ’s “Jamaica Moves” broadcast. Following the cool down session, they went right back into school action with notebooks and pencils in hand! LEADERSHIP CORNER -Do More Than Manage—Lead! Managers work with processes—leaders work with people. Both are necessary to make an organization run smoothly, but they have different functions. To understand what I mean, think about some of the things that must happen on a military ship for it to function properly. The ship must be navigated, fuelled, and supplied. It has various weapons systems that must be kept in good working order. The routine maintenance on a ship is endless, and there are dozens of processes related to the personnel onboard the ship. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Out of Weakness, Made Strong Wednesday Jul 01, 2020
	“ Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father? But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows". (Matthew 10:29-31). Do you feel overwhelmed by the news of the day? Has your life been thrown into a tailspin by the circumstances? Are you worried, fearful, apprehensive about the future? Are you wondering: When will this situation end? LEADERSHIP CORNER-Invest in Relational Chemistry All good leadership is based on relationships. People won’t go along with you if they can’t get along with you. It is the leader’s job to connect with the people they lead. The reality is that some leaders do little to connect with the people they lead. As a leader, you must take it upon yourself to connect, not only with the people you lead, but also with the person who leads you. please click here for more information (PDF file)

“Let Down Your Nets for a Catch” Wednesday Jun 24, 2020
	“ In Luke 5:1-6, we read of the miraculous catch of fish (after the disciples had toiled all night and caught nothing). I noticed a few lessons from this story that can help (us) as we face the challenges of life. Be faithful in our duties. Though disappointed, Peter kept working. He was faithful and diligent in his duty, washing the nets to be ready for the next trip out, most likely the following night. LEADERSHIP CORNER -Become a Go-To Player If you found yourself in a situation at work where you were on a deadline and trying to finish a project that was critical for the success of the organization, and then suddenly, with almost no time left, you were handed another critical task that had to be completed at the same time, what would you do? In this case, let’s assume that delaying the deadline beyond today was not a possibility. It’s do or die. How do you respond? If you’re like most good leaders, you hand one of the tasks to a go-to player. please click here for more information (PDF file)

“Let Nothing Be Wasted” Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
	“ Jesus said, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted”. If anyone understands the current challenges of our lives and land, it is Jesus. This well-known story in St. John 6 shows a very high point in Jesus’ ministry. People were following him in great numbers, latching on to his manifesto. But in this story, we see a predicament. Jesus’ budget can’t meet the demands. The people come in droves; they have needs, but the resources available cannot meet the needs. Isn’t that what Phillip says? “Eight months of wages would not be enough to feed this crowd”. LEADERSHIP CORNER- Transfer the Vision Let’s say that you’re doing a good job leading effectively. You’re modelling the way. You’re developing relationships with your people and building them up. You’ve trained them. You’re developing them and plan to continue doing so. Now what do you do? You aim at the bull’s-eye. In the area of leadership, that means transferring the vision. If you are the leader at the top of theorganization, you will be transferring your own vision. If you are a leader in the middle of the organization, you will be transferring what is primarily the vision of others. please click here for more information (PDF file)

CONTAGIOUS PRAISE!! Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
	“ We are living in the midst of a contagious virus—one which has impacted almost every facet of our lives and living. Some things, like COVID-19, are contagious - the emotions of joy, laughter, fear, anger and disappointment. The bible, through the book of the Psalter, identifies one contagious principle - the principle of praise. My question is: Have you caught it? LEADERSHIP CORNER- Let the Best Idea Win If you desire to become a great leader, then you need to resist idea when it’s not the best idea. Why? Because good ideas are too important to the organization. Harvey Firestone said, “Capital isn’t so important in business. Experience isn’t so important. You can get both of these. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and there isn’t any limit to what you can do with your organization and your life.” Great organizations possess leaders throughout the organization who produce great ideas. That is how they become great. The progress they make and the innovations they create don’t come down from on high. Their creative sessions are not dominated by top-down leaders. Nor does every meeting become a kind of wrestling match to see who can dominate everyone else. People come together as teams, peers work together, and they make progress because they want the best ideas to win. Leaders who help to surface good ideas are creating what an organization needs most. please click here for more information (PDF file)

The Source of Our Security During the Storm Wednesday Jun 03, 2020
	“ In the passage of scripture, Mark 4:35- 40, we observe Jesus and His disciples who went into a boat with the intention of going to the other side of the lake, surrounded by hills. It is said that winds blowing across the land intensify close to the sea, and often cause violent and unexpected storms. The disciples, who were with Jesus, were seasoned fishermen, who no doubt spent many years fishing in that lake. So with their vast fishing experience in these types of waters, one would think that, upon seeing the storm, the disciples would have been better able to handle it; but instead, when they saw that high waves were breaking into the boat, filling it with water, they became fearful and shouted to Jesus (who was sleeping) that they were going to drown. LEADERSHIP CORNER-Be a Friend We often consider ourselves to be many things to the people who work alongside us -co-workers, team-mates, contributors, competitors but we often forget to be the one thing that every person wants: a friend. please click here for more information (PDF file)

COVID-19: The Economic Fallout and Recovery Thursday May 28, 2020
	As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church and Society SubCommittee of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI) hosted an online public economic forum on May 17, 2020, under the theme, “COVID-19: The Economic Fallout and Recovery”. LEADERSHIP CORNER A man was enjoying an afternoon in a small fishing boat on a peaceful lake. He fished as he munched on a chocolate bar. The weather was perfect, his cell phone was turned off, and all he could think about was how happy he was. Just then, he spotted a snake in the water with a frog in its mouth. He felt sorry for the frog, so he scooped up the snake with his landing net, took the frog out of its mouth, and tossed it to safety. Then he felt sorry for the snake. He broke off a piece of his chocolate bar, gave it to the snake, and placed it back in the water, where it swam away.There, he thought. The frog is happy, the snake is happy, and now I’m happy again. This is great. He cast his line back into the water and then settled back again. please click here for more information (PDF file)

The Value of Unrelenting Faith Wednesday May 20, 2020
	“ In this most difficult time of living with, and surviving the impact of the coronavirus, we are left to wonder and to ponder: “How do we give of our best in this time?” “How do I serve God, and in serving God, serve my fellow human beings?” “What is the most precious thing that I can offer to God and my fellow human beings at this time?” LEADERSHIP CORNER - Avoid Office Politics A politician arrived late for a speaking engagement where he was scheduled as the keynote speaker. Usually he did his homework on the area and the organization, but because of his busy schedule, he had not been able to do it. He was rushed in as the attendees were finishing their dessert and taken immediately to the podium without having the chance to speak to anyone. When he was introduced to the crowd, there was nothing he could do but dive in. With the bright lights shining in his eyes, he immediately launched into one of the main issues of the campaign and spoke at length. When he paused for a moment, the gentleman who had introduced him whispered that the group to whom he was speaking was on the opposite side of the issue. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Synodical Family Service Wednesday May 13, 2020
	As a response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands will host an online Synodical Family Service on Sunday, May 17, 2020, at 9 a.m., under the theme, “Building Strong Families for a Post COVID19 Society”! To be streamed from Webster Memorial United Church in Grand Cayman, the service, being held in Child Month, will offer inspiring praise and worship, children’s time, prayers and a sermon that will be helpful for building and re-building family life in both nations. LEADERSHIP CORNER : Place People in their Strength Zones The number one reason people don’t like their jobs is that they are not working in the area of their strengths. When team members are continually asked to perform in an area of weakness, they become demoralized, they are less productive, and they eventually burn out. Successful people find their own strength zones. Successful leaders find the strength zones of the people they lead. Individuals may seek a job with a particular organization, but they generally don’t place themselves in their positions at work. For the most part, their leaders are the ones who do that. please click here for more information (PDF file)

Navigating the Storms of Life Wednesday May 06, 2020
	In our text this morning, we learn much about the storms of life. We learn that: a) There will be storms b) Reaction is everything c) Realization is key. Matthew 8:23-27 reads, “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marvelled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” LEADERSHIP CORNER- Leadershift from Career to Calling (PART 3) Our calling is the gift we give to the world while we are still alive. Our legacy is our gift to the world after we die. We discussed in the previous two (2) weeks some characteristics of a calling. Here we recap them and share more. Your calling matches who you are. Your calling taps into your passion. Your calling is important to you, but it’s not about you. Your calling is bigger than you. Your calling changes your perspective. please click here for more information (PDF file)