THOSE WHO ATTENDED the Diocese of Barbados Stewardship My Family, God’s Gift service at the Garfield Sobers Complex two weeks ago would agree that it was “a wonderful event”.
The prelude to worship was spectacular, with heart-warming selections by The Diocesan Chorale, Nicholas and Sherlai Stevenson on the trumpet and flute, soloists Hadiyah Squires and Robyn Proverbs and the St Philip Church Sunday School, and a liturgical dance by Awesome Praise.
The congregation should not be left out, as their participation made the evening even more memorable.
The Very Reverend Rogers Govender, dean of Manchester Cathedral, Britain, delivered a thought-provoking sermon, as he launched the Diocesan’s Year Of Stewardship.
In his message, he urged parents to provide children with the right models of behaviour and good principles for living good lives, and to be good examples in every way.
Inclusive of this, he said, were the examples of prayerfulness, reading the scriptures, and caring and loving others. He also told parents to be prepared to learn from their children.
Govender described family life as the bedrock of the society, and added: “It is imperative that a healthy family life be encouraged.”
He added: “Healthy family life does not mean that family members do not have problems and issues to deal with. The Christian call is not to play happy families, but to see the family as a gift of God.
“Through this set of loving, committed relationships,” he explained, “individuals – young and old – are able to discover themselves as children of God, with human dignity, and grow up to be good citizens and good witnesses for Christ in the society.”
Being responsible
Govender said that “since stewardship is about responsible use of the gifts that God has given us”, then stewardship, in relation to family life, is about being responsible to and for each both in the home and the wider community.
The South African-born preacher added that “family life is about enabling each other to become effective, humble and compassionate people who reach out in loving service to others”, while not forgetting God.
He stressed that there was much to learn from the Book Of Deuteronomy in which the people of Israel were reminded not to forget the Lord who brought them out of slavery.
“When we forget God’s work in our lives, we are in danger of doing our own thing; losing our perspectives, a sense of what’s right and wrong; and getting ourselves into trouble,” he stated.
Govender also urged the congregation to follow the advice of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: caring for those in their communities; respecting one another; and looking after the seniors in their families, especially the widowed.
“He [Paul] says that anyone who does not provide for a needy member of their family is worse than an unbeliever. This is serious,” he stressed.
He urged the Anglican family to do what they could to help thesociety’s vulnerable and broken-hearted, offer prayers to God on behalf of the country’s leaders, and support the church’s clergy.
The New CPWI (Caribbean) Hymnal was also launched during the service.
Among those in attendance were Bishop of Barbados and Archbishop of the West Indies Dr John Holder, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Maxine McClean.
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