The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE Anglican Church Men group council is hosting its second annual ‘leaders retreat’ this Saturday.

The annual retreat is designed to bring the leaders closer to God, and takes place at St James Anglican Church.

The event is being held under theme ‘A Movement into Silence’ and begins at 6am.

The retreat will focus on teaching and explaining how a complete understanding of ‘the self’ from at least three different perspectives can bring healing once it is aligned with God. Rev Dr Roland Hamilton is the facilitator.

Joseph Hamilton ACM council chaplin said the retreat is beneficial for the leaders because they are able to unite in seeking God’s guidance for solutions.

“When I got active with the ACM I thought the Anglican men needed to be alone with God at least once a year. This is the second year that we are doing the retreat and last year’s served its purpose because it united us. The retreat can only help, not hurt,” he said.

“There was something just burning in me that we needed a little time alone with God to be alone ourselves and concentrate. It will enable us and open our minds to what he saying, so the we can be on the right course. We seek God in everything that we do,” he said.

During the retreat Rev Dr Roland Hamilton will present the topic Healing Prayer.

“Whenever we feel diseased, ill, or experience disfunction in any part of our existential being, we will find healing in the complete and total surrender of that part to God – the Holy Spirit, who is the available form of Jesus the Christ for us today. The surrender of the self allows the Holy Spirit to transform our disease – and thus make in us a new creation – by setting us free from our illness. We shall see how various forms of prayer and meditation can accomplish this,” Mr Hamilton said.

One of the main goals of the ACM is to help change the lives of young men in the Bahamas, something it has been doing for many years.
“We try to work with the older and younger men of the nation. We try to impact the lives of the men in our parishes as well as the community the parishes serve,” he said.

During last year’s retreat, Mr Hamilton said the men were able to thrash out a number of issues as well as come up with ideas of how they can tackle various issues.

He said he believes this event will be just as fruitful.
The Anglican Church Men group has been formed to enable all men of the parish to become involved in various volunteer activities within the church as well as in fellowship, support and outreach.