The Tribune

SCHOOL doors may be open for students, but the members of the St Peters Anglican Parish, North Long Island still showed their kindness by putting together a recent “Back to school” service.

In attendance at the service were students from the Glinton’s Primary School, as well as teachers and a few support staff.

Most of the students in attendance assembled with their parents and guardians to invoke God’s blessings on the new academic year.

Father Burton, Rector of St Peter’s Anglican Parish, took the time out to strongly warn his listeners to “pick up their text-books,” instead of spending time on their cell phones to socialize. Giving the students advice, he encouraged them to spend less time on social networks such as Facebook and start focusing on school studies. Not only during the morning just before school starts, he said.

In his sermon, he extrapolated words from Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians chapter six verse ten to twenty, where Paul identifies with the soldier of that present time. He admonished his readers to put on the whole armour of God.

Father Burton told the congregation that every person should exhibit some element of bravery, as it is a gift from God and the scripture reminds people that because of David’s bravery, he was able to defeat Goliath, the Israelites worst enemy.

He went on to talk about the fact that school teachers in this day and age have not changed, they still prefer respectful, well disciplined and mannerly students over those who go around creating mischief and confusion.

Speaking to the students in attendance, Father Burton encouraged them to be humble and respectful to their administrative staff and teachers who are set in authority over them.

“He concurred with the Minister of Education the Honourable Jerome Fitzgerald, that it should be a tripartite approach to education: parents, teachers and students. Stating that the future and success of Long Island and the Bahamas lies in the hands of young people, so this time should be used wisely and it begins with academics,” said members of the St Peters Anglican Parish.

As the service led on, students received exercise books donated by members from the St Anne’s Parish in Fox Hill. This was an effort established and undertaken by Father Crosley Walkine, Rector of St Anne’s.

Father Walkine worked closely with Father Burton and Father Jonathan Archer, Rector of St Paul’s, South Long Island, who are also products of the St Anne’s Church in Fox Hill.

They both served as curates under the auspices of Fr Crosley Walkine. At the end of the sermon, Father Burton publicly thanked St Anne’s for their generous donation. He said he is looking forward to continued parochial bonds between St Anne’s and St Peter’s, North Long Island.

There were also members from St Joseph’s, Thompson Bay, St Peter’s, Simms and St Mary Magdalene Glinton’s, who all gathered for corporate Eucharistic celebrations.