An Anglican cleric has expressed concern about persons not being able to attend church because of work obligations, and is suggesting that this is a matter that the local trade unions should seek to put on their agenda.
Delivering the sermon yesterday morning at the Barbados Legion’s Anniversary Service, which was held at the St. Matthias Anglican Church, Retired Major, Reverend M.G. ‘Max’ Springer, suggested that the unions in their wisdom should seek to establish a time for worship, so that workers can observe their Sabbath. He further noted that this could best be done through a shift system for the Sabbath, allowing those who want to attend church in the morning to do so and then work the evening shift and vice versa. The reverend is contending that this could help persons to strike a proper balance in their lives.
“Jesus came to us to lift the heavy burdens of life and religion from our backs and he reminds us that the Sabbath is not made for us, and not we for the Sabbath. It is there, we’re employed [and] we give God thanks on the Sabbath – Christians, Sunday; Jews, Saturday; other religions in Barbados, Saturday too as well,” he said.
He told the congregation, which included Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Patrick Todd; Retired Justice Sherman Moore and scores of retired and present military officers, that it is important to spend time away from the workload, giving God thanks. He said with the world “getting harder and harder to live in”, this act of worship and communication with God is even more necessary, as it will give persons the strength to carry on.
Rev. Springer added, “For all of us here, we like to pay our mortgages; we like to work hard; we like to provide for our families, but we can spend so much time wrapped up doing all the things and we tend to forget God, and when we tend to forget God a lot of things happen to us, our lives become in disarray.”
The reverend added, “When we communicate with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to us and it directs us and then we can transform Jesus’ thoughts to others who are having problems.”
Through such efforts, he said, persons can live up to their duty of being their brother’s and sister’s keeper.
(JRT)