The Seventh Day Adventist community of Calder honoured the lives and service of 15 of its community members last Saturday, October 8, at Calder.{{more}}
The 15 include Maurice Labban, Agnes Samuel, Elise Williams, Mandeville Thomas, Avil Bullock, Lawrence Carr, Ruby Richards, Alrick Deane, Carlton Jackson, Calvin Toby, Alfredo McDonald, George Carr, Ermie Durrant and Samuel Morgan.
According to Pastor Claudius Morgan, they were honoured for the valuable contributions they have made to the community in various areas, including farming and teaching.
âThis is something that is done every year and the church sponsors it,â Morgan said, adding that sometimes the church would reach out further and give back through community service to the older persons who had given their own life to serve.
Minister of National Reconciliation, Public Service, Labour, Information and Ecclesiastical Affairs and area representative for Central Leeward Maxwell Charles paid tribute to the honourees.
âYou would have done extremely well; I know you would have had children and grandchildren and you would have been responsible or perhaps even taken care of one, two or three generations and this is your main achievement,â Charles said.
He added that the awardees would have led by example especially to the present generation.
It was on this point that he expressed the concern that the present generation would not know how to serve and would simply take the sacrifices of the past generations for granted.
âIn todayâs generation everything is there,â Charles said.
During the feature address, Justice Gertel Thom said that many young people lacked love for God and that was the reason why violence was so prevalent.
âWe need to have strong family units and we have to encourage our children to understand why we come to church.â
According to Justice Thom, there were certain qualities associated with service, but persons needed to identify what were their individual talents and in what capacity they would prefer to be of service.
Thom explained that we needed to be loyal to God through our service and raise no limitations in our service.
âOur service cannot be self-centred,â she explained.
Persons must be dedicated in their service, she continued.
âWe must be dedicated in service and we must walk out in confidence,â Thom said. (DD)
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