African Clergy Launches World Pastors Day
By Novell Zwange – JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Citizens across the world are encouraged to arrange various activities on the 20th of October 2010, the inaugural World Pastors Day, a day set aside to observe the role played by pastors in building better communities, and transformation of peoples lives.
Rev Toggy
A vision realised by an African clergy, the Germinston-based Reverend Toggy Chivaviro, the World Pastors Day day seeks to honor pastors across the world who continually minister to the needs of their communities, attend to God’s calling to heal the world, care for the impoverished, comfort the miserable, visit the sick and go out of their way to make sure the world does not become a lonely and hopeless place for the afflicted.
“The World Pastors Day will be marked by the participation of diverse groups of people at local levels volunteering themselves to bless their pastors as a gesture of appreciating them for the noble work they do to serve God and humanity.” said Rev Toggy.
“This can be done by just remembering your pastor in your family prayers, just spending time with your local pastor, spoil your man or woman of God in any way, play with their kids, clean the manse, prepare meals, call and chat with them appreciating their work, anything that one feels like doing no matter how small, it will make a huge impact.”
He further explained about the date, “20 October 2010, why this date: because it would be easier to remember for its uniqueness as the launch date.Try writing it down in figures, its 20102010. Don’t you think Pastors deserve that specialty?”
To be celebrated in widely varying ways around the world. The World Pastors Day will be commemorated from this year onwards and Rev. Toggy has already received moral support from several men and women of cloth in making preparations for the inaugural launch of the commemorations.
Rev Toggy
There are several International Days; such as the World Press Freedom Day, International Nurses Day, World Athletics Day, World Teacher’s Day, The Secretary’s Day, held in each and every year as international observance and international dedication to observe some issue of international interest or concern. These are used to commemorate, promote and mobilize for action. For the World Pastors Day, the goal of the day is to bring together people of various races, cultures and nationalities in an annual common World Pastors Day, to observe and celebrate the lives of their pastors, and reflect on their roles as spiritual leaders and servants of God.
Through the World Pastors Day, believers are encouraged to become aware of their church leaders as examples of sacrifice and a commitment to selfless lifestyles. They are also encouraged pray for them, to share with them their experience as servants as well as spiritual leaders who carry the burden of their communities each and every day.
So each and every year, dedication and service will focus on pastors across the world and specific themes can be created to commemorate their noble ministries and work. World Pastors Day National/Regional Committees can prepare their commemorations wherever they are to mark the launch of international celebrations.
Rev Toggy said, “On the 20 October 2010, then, across the world we are encouraging world citizens to spend a moment to remember the men and women of cloth, to acknowledge their humanitarian work. Through spending some time reflecting on the work of the pastors, the world could also consider their importance and significance to international affairs.”
Rev Toggy
“I got this vision sometime ago and I believed I had to put it into action with the help of course of the christian communities and fellow pastors alike. I also think as an African, realisation of this idea is a progressive call to global duty.”
“So many international days have been recognised for a lot of things and initiatives such as tree planting, days for secretaries, mothers, fathers etc. I believe its time to appreciate the work that is being done by men and women of God worldwide. I know different churches have days set aside to bless their men and women of the cloth, but wouldn’t it be nicer doing it again, maybe Globally on the same day?” asked Rev Toggy.
The services of the clergy at family, society, national and international levels must surely be rewarded by setting aside a day (not necessarily a holiday) to think about the Pastors.
He said that the vision is not institutionalise the date yet, but rather gradually develop and share it from this year until 2015, the target year for fully recognition of World Pastors Day as an International Day.
