From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamas Information Services Updates
National Prayer Service in Grand Bahama: “Time for All to Pull Together”
By Robyn Adderley
Sep 19, 2019 - 4:30:21 PM


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PRAYER SERVICE – Many attended the National Prayer Service at St. John’s Jubilee Cathedral in Freeport on Wednesday, September 18. Other services were also held in Nassau, Exuma and Abaco. Speakers for the evening included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, MP for East Grand Bahama as well as President of Grand Bahama Christian Council, Rev. Dr. Robert Lockhart. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – It is time for all people, regardless of religious or political beliefs, to pull together to rebuild lives and communities now that the storm has past, said Rev. Dr. Robert Lockhart, president of the Grand Bahama Christian Council during the National Prayer Service on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

The service was held at St. John’s Jubilee Cathedral to honour those who lost their lives to Hurricane Dorian, the Category 5 hurricane that devastated Grand Bahama and Abaco at the beginning of September.

He asked what the earth is saying and referenced the “earth groaning.” Hurricane Dorian did not act normally, he said, and it has been predicted that there will be more dangerous storms in the future.  Referencing a community newspaper in South Florida, the author made the comparison between Hurricanes Andrew and Dorian.  Andrew moved through South Florida quickly but devastated the area and said that had Dorian directly hit South Florida the way it had sat over Abaco and Grand Bahama for over two days, much of South Florida would no longer be there.

“So, in the midst of all this, we still give God thanks because God in his sovereignty manages all things well. The Bible tells us that it’s the last days. Natural disasters will become worse and worse and the environmentalists project the same thing.  They and scripture are in agreement. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to be even more prepared as a people and as a nation. The destructive force that a hurricane brings and will continue to bring,” he said.

The hurricane has passed and as a nation, people must pick up the pieces and put communities and lives back together again. “This is no time for blame. This is no time for criticism. This is no time for religion, politically, ecclesiastically, or at the community level. This is time for all of us to pull together.

“The country has never lost so many lives to hurricanes before and therefore it must be asked what God is saying.

“We must all pause and ponder from a theological perspective. What is God saying to us because in every situation God speaks and especially in moments like these. Now if my theology and lexicology serves me right, with the increase and worsening of natural disasters it is one of the great opportunities for all of us to see our great need of God.  And how limited human ability is and therefore we dare not put our trust in man and the works of man’s hands.  We must put our faith and our trust in God like we’ve never done before.

“If your pride was a house, your house is gone.  If your pride was your car, your car is gone. If your pride was to live above everybody else, that’s gone. Whatever it is, God is speaking to us and we’ve got to hear the voice of the Almighty God.”

With all that has happened, people must repent and make life adjustments, said Pastor Lockhart.

Those in attendance included: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest, MP for East Grand Bahama; Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Senator the Hon. Kwasi Thompson; President of the Senate and Coordinator for NEMA Grand Bahama, the Hon. Katherine Forbes-Smith; representing the Leader of the Opposition, Senator the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Samuel Butler along with other senior police officers; clergymen from all religious denominations; volunteers both international and local and members of the public.



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