National Prayer Vigil Committee sees Jamaicans returning to God

Jamaicans are re-embracing Christianity to navigate the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa as they seek spiritual reassurance and a source of comfort to deal with the trauma of the Category 5 storm.

This is the assertion from Reverend Errol Rattray, chairman of the National Prayer Vigil, who said it was the prayer of Christians that protected Jamaica from being in an even worse state.

“The prime minister and others have now understood the power of prayer in this country, so in the passing of Melissa, all those who didn’t even believe in prayers were crying and asking the Church to pray,” he said.

Despite Jamaica having a Christian majority of 69 per cent, according to a 2011 census, there has been a decline in traditional church attendance and growing securlarisation.

A 2024 survey revealed that only 30 per cent of Jamaicans attend church weekly while 56 per cent seldom or never step inside a sanctuary.

Additionally, more than 20 per cent now claim no religious affiliation, a figure that has been growing over the years, with the younger generation finding different ways to express their faith.

However, Dr Elaine McCarthy-Nunes, a member of the National Prayer Vigil Committee, noted that there “has been a stir in the hearts of our people” and that many young people are using different social media platforms as a way to connect with the Church.

These platforms, Rattray concurred, are allowing the Church to reach more people than ever before.

“You will see as we move forward that the churches might not have the number of young people coming to the building, but online, they are there, and they are asking questions, and they realise the importance of Christ,” he said.

TWO DAYS OF PRAYER

Rattray was speaking during a press conference yesterday, where he announced two days of national repentance and prayer vigil, which will be held on December 13 and 14 at the Olson Memorial Church of God in Kingston.

He said the hurricane, which tore through the island on October 28, causing extensive damage mainly across the southwestern parishes, completely destroying 24,000 homes, severely impacting 200 schools, and leaving thousands without power, has also drawn more people to God.

“People are seeing that what they thought was so important, they have lost it overnight – their house, their car, some have lost their visas – and now they realise that all of this can go overnight, but there is something else that remains, and that’s what is so important,” he said.

Noting that the Church is “conscious of the suffering that is taking place in our nation” and that “some people have now lost hope”, the reverend underscored the power of prayer to change lives.

“We as a Christian community realise that hope is not in the house that you live in, hope is not in the education that you necessarily have, hope is not in the friends that you have or in the social standing, but hope is in a person called Jesus, and we believe that through prayer, there are things that can change in people’s lives,” he said.

However, he said the Church has also been involved in relief efforts, adopting church families that have been significantly affected, providing counselling and assisting in the rebuilding of homes.

He noted that proceeds from the National Prayer Vigil this year will assist the people of Hanover, the parish in which the vigil was initially slated to be held.

Meanwhile, McCarthy-Nunes, who is chair of the programme subcommittee, said the two days of repentance and prayer vigil will involve segments of an hour of prayer, from 7 a.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Sunday, with different areas of focus for repentance.

“This call for repentance is not one in which we are pointing fingers at anyone. It’s a call for repentance for all of us, including me. We will be looking at the different areas in which we have gone against the will of God, areas in which we have fallen short,” she said.

In reading the statement proclaiming the national days of prayer and repentance, Dr Patricia Holness, chair of the prayer and promotions committee, noted that it was not unusual for times of deep reflection, prayer, repentance, and recommitment to follow times of great national disasters.

“The national prayer vigil calls upon the people and leaders of our nation to use this moment of great disaster, brought upon us by Hurricane Melissa, as a time to stop, consider the way we have been living, and turn,” she said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com