Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.
In our first letter this month, I focused on Ministry Month. However, since today is being celebrated by the Methodist Church as Candidates Lord’s day I would like to devote part of this letter to Candidacy and part to the celebration of Financial Literacy Month.
First, let us deal with Financial Literacy. In St. Kitts and Nevis, October is being celebrated as ‘Financial Literacy Month’ under the theme, “Manage Your Money…Live Your Dreams”. This is also being celebrated by the seven other territories that use the EC dollar. These territories constitute the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). I encourage all of you to seek to benefit from such a very crucial celebration. According to an article I read, financial officials have expressed a growing concern over the “impact of a worsening global economic and financial climate”. To celebrate this month meaningfully, I encourage you among other things to exercise discipline in your spending and especially as we are under the threat of the Covid19 coronavirus pandemic. I also encourage you to educate yourselves by extensive reading online or otherwise and by attending lectures and seminars designed to increase you financial literacy.
Secondly, the celebration of Candidates Month. Who is a candidate? The Concise Oxford Dictionary (Ninth Edition) defines a candidate as, “a person who seeks or is nominated for an office, award etc.” In our context the word candidate refers to a person who has heard and answered God’s Call to ministry and is seeking to become a minister in the Methodist Church as a result. Such a person will have to follow a process of candidature. Since we do not have time to outline the process, I encourage you to read the section on candidates pages 163-166 in the Methodist Constitution. It deals with the qualifications to become for candidacy.
In addition to this, if you feel that God has been calling you to become a Methodist minister either as a deacon, an itinerant presbyter or a Local Presbyter please have a talk with your minister who will guide you through this very important process. How great it would be if you would just answer God’s call and satisfy your interest or even your curiosity by seeking the necessary guidance. As you consider your response to God’s call to ministry,let us pray again the collect for today;
“Almighty God, you have entrusted to your Church a share in the ministry of your Son our great high priest: inspire by your Holy Spirit the hearts of many to offer themselves for the ministry of your Church, that strengthened by your power, they may work for the increase of your kingdom. We pray in the name of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Happy Financial Literacy month and Happy Candidate’s Day as you submit to God’s call.
Love and best wishes to your wonderful family, from my family and myself.
Yours in Christ
Rev. Tyrone Hunkins