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UNITED CHURCH IN JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP SUNDAY MODERATOR’S MESSAGE

Sisters of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, I greet you warmly on behalf of the Synod. Even though we are drawing close to the end of the first month in the year, I wish for you a Happy New Year and pray God’s blessings upon your Ministry throughout the rest of 2023.
As a church, we thank God for you; for your service and the various ways through which you contribute to Christ’s Ministry and Mission in your local congregations, and at the Regional and Synodical level of the church. We cannot begin to imagine what the state of the church would be in Cayman and Jamaica, were it not for our women. This is true for many other denominations as well. May God continue to bless you, even as we pray and work towards having more of our men coming on board, because the partnership is critical.
Careful note has been taken of your Theme: “Women Rooted in Christ: Bearing Fruit.”It’s a given thatany physical tree that is so purposed to bear fruit, must be rooted; properly anchored in soil and receiving the required nutrients. Except for when it is manipulated by human beings, in its natural state, the fruit that is borne on a tree, is consistent with the type of tree. As Christians; as Christian women, Christ Jesus has purposed you to bear fruit. You then must remain anchored in Christ; rooted in Him and drawing from His Spirit in order to bear fruit. It is a given, if you are rooted in Christ; drawing sustenance from Christ, then your fruit must reflect your connectedness; your rootedness; your Christlike nature. You can therefore appreciate why Jesus in Matthew 7: 16-20would say,
“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

We are also reminded by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5 that“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”My sisters, many more people would enter God’s Kingdom and become a part of the church if more of us believers would show the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

On this Fellowship Sunday, I call upon you as individual Christians; as a Fellowship; as a branch of the Fellowship, to always ensure that others will know that you belong to Christ by your fruit. Be a good witness for Christ; be a good example of a woman of faith; be a good ambassador for the United Church. May many more from our broken homes, communities and nations become attracted to your fruit and so become followers of Christ.

God bless you.

Rt. Rev. Gary Harriott
MODERATOR

Posted by: Administrator Friday Jan 20, 2023 07:17
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