Committee declares nat’l prayer breakfast still relevant

After the bloody 1980 elections, where more than 800 Jamaicans were killed, the first National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB) was convened by the Church in an attempt to unite a nation torn apart by political tribalism.

Forty-four years later, Rev Sam McCook, chairman of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast Committee, acknowledges that the state of affairs has changed but maintains that the event remains relevant.

“We are less divided overtly, we are less tribal, but the need to have an activity that provides a common space for us to share fellowship, for leaders who would not normally meet in the same space to hear a word from God through the message … we believe it is necessary,” he said.

McCook was addressing journalists during a media briefing yesterday.

Stating that the challenge of continued importance is an issue the event faces, he noted that the committee had taken steps to address this.

“We are trying to be relevant, we are trying to get younger people on our committee, and not just as window dressing. We’re going to give them responsibilities. We are making changes in format and programming that we believe will make it more relevant,” he said.

The 44th annual NLPB, which McCook said aims to foster greater unity in the country, will be held on January 18 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in a hybrid in-person and online format under the theme, ‘Choose Hope, Arise and Build’.

McCook further emphasised that the event is an important part of the country’s social infrastructure that helps define the country and reaffirms the good in society.

“I think a simple question to ask would be, if we did not have the breakfast and needed something like this, how would we go about doing it? And I believe it is better for us to have it, maintain it, so that if we end up being more polarised in the future, there will still be this common space that we share,” he said.

“Jamaica is a Christian country, and no matter what, we always resort to prayer, and so even from that perspective, it’s always relevant,” Pastor Claudia Ferguson, vice-chairman of the NLPB Committee, underscored.

McCook noted that the breakfast is inclusive, despite its exclusion of non-Christian faiths.

“I want to make the point that the breakfast is non-partisan, non-governmental, non-denominational, which means that what we do is really being done by persons who have a heart for our mission and have a heart for the nation,” he said.

VMBS SATISFIED WITH IMPACT

Victoria Mutual Group has been a sponsor of the NLPB for nine years. Its president and CEO, Courtney Campbell, expressed his satisfaction with the impact of the event.

“We are pleased that our nation’s leaders have committed to remain constant in prayer, and we call on them to go about the work of this great nation with even greater effort, passion, and commitment,” he charged.

A week of prayer, which started yesterday, precedes the main event next Thursday. Each day, divine intervention will be sought for a specific sector of leaders. On Sunday, committee members will gather to pray for a specific area of national life, as well as a series of pastoral visits to national leaders.

“A theme that has emerged very strongly out of our interactions this year is a recognition that the crises facing us as a nation reside a lot in the values we have, or in the declining value, and a recognition that the Church has an integral part to play in restoring the values that we desire to characterise Jamaica as a nation,” McCook stated.

Contributions garnered from the event will go towards supporting the work of the Educate to Elevate Community Programme – a back-to-school initiative of the Hope Gospel Assembly. Last year’s contributions, totalling more than $750,000, went to supporting the Students’ Christian Fellowship and Scripture Union.