Men meet for Festival retreat

LOUD PRAISES filled the Upper Room of the People’s Cathedral on Monday as nearly 300 men deserted the Crop-Over festivities to join in their ninth annual Kadooment Day Men’s Retreat which was organised by the Men’s Ministry of the church.The scores of men opened the morning’s proceedings with loud praises in song such as Take My Life And Let It Be; I Want To Be More Like You; and Yes Lord, among others.After half an hour of songs and praises, the large group was then fed with the word of God by Senior Pastor of Agape Ministries in Canada, Apostle Alvin Nicholson, who opened his sermon by reading from Psalms 133: 1-3: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity . . . .”During his interactive and lively discourse, Apostle Nicholson reminded the congregation of men about their roles and responsibilities, why they were created and what they were created to do. Speaking on the theme Becoming A Man After God’s Own Heart, Apostle Nicholson titled his discourse The Masculine Journey.He said politicians and soldiers would not be able to solve the problems of crime and violence in today’s society.“It will take an army of men who know God to put a stop to crime and violence in the Caribbean,” declared Nicholson.He also reminded the male gathering that God was more concerned about their present and future than about their past. Apostle Nicholson urged them to forgive others and that it was “all right to show emotions”. He said there were too many myths about men, including one that suggests that “real” men do not show emotions and that men do not ask questions.“One of the greatest and most powerful men was one to show emotions. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept,” he said.The apostle told the gathering that while they had no control over what sex they would be at birth, “manhood is shaped and we can do something about that”.During the event, one participant announced that he would be leaving for Haiti later in the day to participate in the effort to rebuild that earthquake-stricken island.The Men’s Retreat started in 2002 when only 35 men came together to fellowship, have fun and eat and drink. In its second year that number doubled and last year the event attracted over 250 men from approximately 22 different churches. (MM)