On a mission to rebuild hope, church leaders meet with San Fernando mayor

Saying there has been a cry from society for hope for TT, Rev Terrence Honore said the amalgamation of the different Christian denominations in San Fernando can fulfill that need.

Over 50 Christian ministers were invited to the San Fernando City Corporation for a meeting hosted by Mayor Junia Regrello to discuss the role and contributions of the churches to the growth and development of the city.

“We really appreciate the opportunity for the different Christian organisations to meet with the Mayor to discuss a greater way that the church could contribute to the betterment of the city of San Fernando,” Honore said.

“This is the first time since 1978 that the leaders of the different denominations have come together in San Fernando and we are grateful to this mayor for stepping forward and leading this effort and hosting this effort.”

Speaking on behalf of the religious leaders, Honore said there is an effort to streamline programmes and activities to help those less fortunate in society.

“There is a lot of work going on silently but we need to see greater impressions and impact on what the church could do and to encourage the church to do even better than it is doing already.”

He said in addition to opening soup kitchens and helping the needy, the church can also be a source of revenue.

“A lot of churches are in business – people say the church is a business and some are even hospitals, so the church could contribute economically, the church could contribute in terms of disaster management, mitigation, preparation, preparing its people to respond to disaster situations and those are some of the areas and many others that we could get into as a church.”

Honore said the churches are the keepers of the soul of the city.

“There is a need, the society is screaming out, everyone, even the Prime Minister said there is a need for hope and we are custodians of hope – to give hope to people, we pray, we comfort, we provide help to broken people, we perform marriages and funerals and we are part of the keepers of the soul of the city.”

Regrello said he reached out to the religious leaders last October to meet to discuss a disconnect between the church and society.

“Society as a whole needs that kind of fabric to come together, if you look at the congregations on Sunday morning it has been dwindling for a number of years,” Regrello said. “We need a greater effort to bring people back to the church.”