Pastor's Desk Series

Pastor's Desk - Cause of Death?

I sometimes veer from the beaten path in writing these messages but desire to keep my attention focused on the realities around us. The question to you this month is, what do you think is the greatest cause of death in Jamaica?

In our Bible study on Wednesday, we learned that many persons had losses in their families through death. Cancer was implicated several times. You may be thinking that the answer is cancer, but it is not. The latest statistics (2019)* from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Jamaica, show that the main causes for women and men are;

Pastor's Desk - Integrity

Integrity

The Jamaica Baptist Union just completed its 174th General Assembly. It launched the theme that we will use for the next two years, “Keeping faith with the Word in an ever-changing world – pursuing Integrity”.

The President, Rev. Dr. Glenroy Lalor’s address to the Assembly and some special events mainly highlighted aspects of this theme. These are documented elsewhere so I won’t repeat them here, except to note a couple issues which we will seek to address on the theme during the year.

Pastor's Desk - New Year, New Things

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV 
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Phil 3:13-14 NLT).

Pastor's Desk - Where Were You When The Earthquake Struck?

I was at my desk at home, on Monday morning, October 30, 2023, hosting a class online and discussing conflict as a useful leadership tool for church growth. Three minutes before the class would have ended at 11:00, I heard a loud rumbling sound and experienced a massive shaking of the house. I immediately realized that we were having an earthquake. Popping the earphones from my ears, I dashed to where I considered a safer spot, simultaneously calling to my wife who was upstairs and crouched with my hand over my head...waiting.

Pastor's Desk - Heroes, Heroine, and the Monarchy

This month we celebrate our heritage. We have set aside some time as a nation to remember our national heroes and heroine, as well as honour those across the nation who have contributed to the growth and development of our country. 

What makes these persons stand out as heroes and heroine is their selflessness, willingness to sacrifice their lives, their commitment to the values of freedom, justice and solidarity with the neighbour.

Pastor's Desk - "Going back..."

“Going back” is a very huge part of many lives currently.

Many are going back to school, the same school, or a different school; others are going overseas, while still others are returning to their jobs after a break. There are a few others who will also be going back, not physically but mentally as they retrace their steps to a path, they took many years ago. I want to explore the many sides of “going back” in our Pastor’s desk reflection this month.

Pastor's Desk - Coming Out of the Dark

As a child, I remember a particular trip with my family to Ocho Rios, Saint Ann. As we travelled through Fern Gully, and at the urging of my younger brother, my father agreed to turn off the car headlights briefly to show us how dark the area really was. Even though it was only for a few seconds, I can remember that my brothers and sister were terrified. To this day, I think that was the darkest environment that I have ever been in. The thick canopy of the rainforest completely blocked the night sky and stars, and there were no other vehicles either oncoming or behind us.

Pastor's Desk - June 2023

Dear family, last month was child’s month and we continue to celebrate our family during this month as well, and today I want to talk a little more about the family and sexuality education.

Sexuality education in the family

“If children learn of sex as a relation between their parents to which they owe their own existence, they learn of it in its best form and in connection with its biological purpose.” Bertrand Russell – Marriage and morals.

“When intimacy is divorced from sex, then power takes over” – (unknown)

Pastor's Desk - Foster Care and the Family

“Fostering is not about us. It never was and never will be. Foster care is about serving, loving on others, and being the one constant in a child’s life when they are going through a really hard time.” - Jeremy Garman

What do you know about Foster Care? Would you want to be a foster parent? Or have you had foster siblings and what was it like? Would you want to keep the tradition in your family? What stories have you heard about foster children and how have those stories influenced your attitude to fostering children?