Women blazing trail in Presbyterian Church

Newly-elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of TT Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan, left,  COP political leader Carolyn Seepersad Bachan; outgoing moderator Rev Annabell Lalla-Ramkhelawan and past moderator Rev Brenda Bullock at the Presbyterian church international Women's Day celebrations.
Newly-elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of TT Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan, left, COP political leader Carolyn Seepersad Bachan; outgoing moderator Rev Annabell Lalla-Ramkhelawan and past moderator Rev Brenda Bullock at the Presbyterian church international Women's Day celebrations.

WOMEN continue to blaze the trail in the Presbyterian Church of TT (PCTT).

For the third time in succession, a woman has been elected to head the Presbyterian Church.

Last Thursday, the church’s synod elected unopposed former Independent senator the Rev Joy Evelyn Abdul-Mohan as moderator, to lead the church for the next two years.

Two other women have held the position before her, her immediate predecessors, the Rev Anabel Lalla-Ramkhelawan and Rev Brenda Bullock.

Abdul-Mohan, who has been a minister for three decades, said her appointment is interesting, coming on the heels of two other women who paved the way for her.

She said the church has been ordaining women since in the 1960s, with the Rev Mary Naimool being the first.

“That shows that the Presbyterian Church is very liberated and forward-thinking. It shows partnership in the ministry, where there is neither male nor female. It is not about power, prestige, position or personality, it is about purpose, principles and servant leadership.”

The minister who is married to Darren Mohan, said the PCTT, as well as the Presbyterian Church in Canada and the US,

Newly elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of TT the Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan.

have always encouraged women in the ministry to be more assertive and women leaders have earned the respect of the rank and file of the church.

Abdul-Mohan, who is also finishing her law degree, said she was truly grateful to Almighty God for calling her to serve and more grateful for the unanimous support of the clergy and laity.

Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan holds hands with other Presbyterian women at the church's International Women's Day celebrations.

“For the past two decades, it’s the first time there has been one nomination and it shows unanimous support from the church and my colleagues in the ministry.”

While she has a vision for the church, she said over the next two years she has no intention of reinventing the wheel but will build on some of the decisions already made.

She said the church is in a transformative stage and must be able to meet challenges and change its trajectory to meet the needs of modern times.

She said what is done must factor in the needs of others as the church tackle issues of crime, violence, the environment, cruelty to animals, human trafficking, teenage pregnancy, human sexuality, immigrants and asylum-seekers, namely the Venezuelans.

Many of these issues are not new, she noted, but the church in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ must show unconditional love and treat with all of these issues, to seek out the oppressed, marginalised and the exploited.

She said this is lacking from the top to the bottom and advised political leaders to review the root of the word politics and understand that they were appointed to meet the needs of the society, the community of the marginalised and disenfranchised.

Rev Joy Abdul-Mohan holds hands with other Presbyterian women at the church's International Women's Day celebrations.

She said she is aware that in opening the doors to asylum-seekers there may be criminal elements among them, “but we must remember they are all humans just like us.”

She commended her predecessor, Lalla-Ramkhelawan, for taking the lead in addressing issues such as the decline in church membership as well as appointing a task force to research and come up with a perspective on human sexuality.

She said the issues of same-sex marriages and ordaining of gays had split their sister churches in Canada and the US down the middle and the PCTT is too small to cause that kind of division.

The research has been done and a report was presented to the Synod on Thursday, but would have to be presented to every pastoral region for further discussion before a decision can be made.

Presbyterian lay minister Justice Frank Seepersad congratulated Abdul-Mohan on her appointment.

“Our church and by extension our nation, is blessed to have you at the helm of the synod and I pray that your leadership will provide inspiration and guidance for a battered and bruised people who are collectively yearning for exemplars of forgiveness, faith, fortitude, fairness and familial focus,” the judge said

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