#ChristmasMessage2019 – Have a pragmatic faith . . . Remember the poor, destitute at Christmas

The Christmas season provides those of us in the Christian community with the opportunity to reiterate, reinforce and reflect on the message of peace and goodwill to all men everywhere. In fact, the global theme for the International Wesleyan Church over the next quadrennium (2019 – 2023), Everywhere to Everywhere, succinctly describes our message and mandate as a global Community of Faith. Undoubtedly, it is our responsibility to ensure that that light and glory referred to in the prophetic statement of the priest Simeon, in the Luke narrative (chp. 2:32), are indeed the expressed experience of all humanity, stemming from our dissemination of the Gospel and its concomitant life-changing embracement by recipients.

In a world permeated with bad news politically, economically, environmentally, morally and otherwise, we believe that it is the proclamation and actualisation of the ‘God experience’ as revealed ultimately through Christ and all that He represents, that will restore the correct focus in the ‘equation of life,’ which mirrors the struggle between right and wrong, justice and injustice, fairness and discrimination, love and hate, and the myriad of other existent contradictions in these challenging and difficult times.

I am convinced more than ever, that our faith as Wesleyans must not only be pragmatic, but that in a renewed and concerted manner, we must bring that faith to bear on our civic responsibilities in our respective nations and territories, and ultimately the world. Our commitment to this ethos and mission is in alignment with that of our founding father, John Wesley, who in one of his Journals, emphatically stated that “All the world was his parish.”

We are well aware that this laudable goal is not without its fair share of challenges and dangers. Indeed, scripture and history have left us the record of “a cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1)” – persons who faithfully fought the good fight and endured to the end, and whose witness and testimony encourage us to be similarly steadfast in our assigned tasks. Jesus Himself in the Beatitudes said to His Disciples: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you,” (Matt. 5:11 -12).  Additionally, the further reassurance as highlighted in the Great Commission is the fact that Jesus will always accompany and empower us as we undertake the task of discipleship (Matt. 18:19–20).

Amidst the customary greetings, gifts, family gatherings etc., which are the norm in many societies at this festive time, let us not forget those who do not have such privilege, including the poor, destitute and disenfranchised in one form or another. Let us willingly share of our resources and earnestly continue our efforts in intercessory prayer as well. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16).

Essentially, one of the best gifts that you can share this Christmas is the Gospel to some dying soul. It was the great hymn writer, Fanny J. Crosby, who in 1869 wrote the famous Hymn – ‘Rescue the Perishing,’ of which the fourth stanza and refrain respectively state:

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;

Strength for the labour the Lord will provide;

Back to the narrow way patiently win them;

Tell the poor wanderer a Saviour has died.

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,

Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

On behalf of my immediate family, the General Board of Administration of the Wesleyan Holiness Church in the Caribbean, and the International Board of the Wesleyan Church embracing close to 100 countries around the world, I take this opportunity to extend to all our Wesleyan brothers and sisters, friends, well wishers and partners in ministry, a happy Christmas and a prosperous 2020.

Blessings!

Rev.  Dr. Joel Cumberbatch

General Superintendent – The Wesleyan Holiness Church in the Caribbean

The Chairman – The International Board of the Wesleyan Church