THE Methodist Church in Guyana continues to play a pivotal role in the advancement of education and morals amongst youths and must continue to find ways to maintain this legacy.

These were the sentiments of President David Granger who joined with members of the Bedford Methodist Church at its 150th Anniversary Service on Sunday.

Guided by the theme ‘From the Calabash Tree, Growing Deeper into Christ Jesus, Nurturing Communities of Love’, scores of community members from Georgetown reminisced on the history of the church and the goals yet to be achieved.

In his address, the President pointed out that there are some 42 Methodist congregations in Guyana and several of these in their establishment, have taken into consideration that faith is aligned with education.

This, he noted, is evident in the number of Methodist churches which have adjacent schools in areas such as the Cumberland Methodist School, Friendship Methodist School, Kingston Methodist School, Kitty Methodist School, Mahaicony Methodist School, Plaisance Methodist School and the Supply Methodist School.

“Church and school were linked,” he stated. “Education is vital to young people’s development. We live in a world of increasing complexity and rapid technological change. The uneducated young person will be disadvantaged, seriously, in the modern world,” the president said.

He noted that one of the reasons for establishment of the Bedford Methodist Church was the rate at which Methodism was growing in Georgetown. Existing churches, he explained, could not accommodate the population.

Through its numbers, he stated that the church has worked to instill life-long ethical values in Guyanese such as compassion, cooperation, humility, integrity and respect.

He stated: “Education is part of the church’s mission. The word ‘mission’ is associated with being sent out to undertake a task, often to spread the faith. The church is a teacher, instructing the faithful about the scripture and morals. The church’s mission was commanded by Jesus himself as revealed in the Holy Bible [Gospel of Matthew 28: 19-20]: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’”

In congratulating the church for its years of service, President Granger encouraged its leaders and members to find ways to continue the church’s role in education.
By doing this, he explained, the body will wage war against the four horsemen of crime, disease, ignorance and poverty.

He also commended the church for being one which accepts all Guyanese despite their ethnicity.

At the service, the sermon was brought to the congregation by Reverend Barrington Litchmore, while there were also special selections of music and prayers of thanksgiving to God.

In the coming week, to continue its celebration, the church will host a presentation of its history on Monday and on Tuesday a photographic exhibition of its development, which can be traced back to 1868.