President Ali highlights the need for religious organisations to go beyond spiritual blessings, internal acts of service

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has highlighted the need for religious organisations to extend gratitude beyond spiritual blessings and internal acts of service to include societal contributions.

He further emphasised the importance of thankfulness within religious organisations including churches, temples, and mosques.

“When I say church, I am speaking nationally about the temples, mosques and all of these bodies. If you hear the messages that come out from some of these bodies sometimes, there is a lack of thankfulness and gratitude. And we have to fix that. The church today must be a place where gratitude is not limited to spiritual blessings or internal acts of service but extends to the wider society and even to the work of policymakers, the work of society and leaders. It must extend itself beyond the internal walls because the church and the word of God is for everyone, every season and all things,” the president said during remarks at the ‘Hope is Rising’ event at the National Cultural Centre, Friday night.

This 24-hour prayer service event was a collaborative effort between the government and the Christian movement – Hope is Rising.

He stressed that the church’s role should extend to recognising and appreciating efforts that uplift communities whether it is education, healthcare and infrastructure development.

The president then explained, “While the church must speak prophetically when injustice occurs. It must always be quick to recognise and express appreciation for efforts that uplift communities whether it is improved access to education, healthcare initiatives, infrastructure development, social safety nets or support to the vulnerable.”

The president supported the argument that the church should express gratitude for those who work for the well-being of others.

He explained that men and women who represent various religious organisations and entities, as well as the role of the church, must recognise their significance in this world that is at recess.

President Ali pointed out, “As we lift each other, our Guyana and our world up with hope, let us do so with hearts that are thankful. I am thankful for your visit and all of the pastors, your prayers for me, our country and this troubled world we live in – wars and conflicts, famines and floods, food shortage whilst we have food wastage in some places. On behalf of the people, we welcome all of you.”

President Ali continued by saying, “I need not remind you that the church was always intended to be a beacon of hope and positivity in the world. It is not the design of any pastor or any leader that made the church a beacon of hope. It is by doctrine that the church must and should be a beacon of hope and positivity. The church was never meant to be an echo of the world’s bitterness. It was meant to be the bearer of light – a city on a hill that could not be hidden.”

He issued a strong call for the church to be grateful for innumerable blessings, such as freedom, democracy and the country’s development and to foster a more unified nation through gratitude.

The president said, “The church has a responsibility to speak to be thankful. When the church plays this role, it helps to foster a more unified nation, unified community and unified people. The church’s responsibility must be understood.”

“I believe there is much to be thankful for in Guyana,” the president said, highlighting the country’s vast resources and the infrastructure developments ongoing across the country to bring prosperity to every Guyanese citizen.

Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill, local Christian leaders and their foreign counterparts were also in attendance.