‘God calls for faith mindset, not fate mentality’: Jamaican clergywoman Rev. Dr. Marjorie E. Nunes

In delivering the sermon on Sunday during the 66th Anniversary Worship Service of the United Women in Faith at Fenimore Street United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, the Rev. Dr. Majorie E. Nunes, a Jamaican-born retired elder of the New York Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC), said that “God calls us to a faith mindset–not a fate mentality.”

“When discussing ‘faith, not fate,’ it means emphasizing the idea that one’s life and circumstances are not predetermined by destiny but rather shaped by their choices and an active belief in a higher power, allowing them to influence their own path through faith and action, rather than passively accepting a fixed outcome,” said Rev. Nunes, preaching on the topic, “Talking about Faith, not Fate.”

“Unlike fate, which implies a predetermined course, faith suggests that individuals have the power to make decisions and actively participate in their lives, guided by their beliefs,” she added. “Faith involves trusting in a God or higher power to provide guidance and support, even amidst challenges, rather than relying solely on external forces dictating one’s destiny.”

Rev. Nunes said faith often motivates individuals to take positive steps and work towards their goals, believing their actions can contribute to their future.

Citing examples of how to talk about “faith, not fate,” she said, “Instead of believing our lives are simply dictated by fate, we can choose to have faith that we can overcome obstacles and create our own path.

“Even when faced with difficulty, faith encourages us to trust that there is a greater purpose at play, rather than simply accepting a predetermined outcome,” Rev. Nunes said. “Faith is about actively engaging with life, not passively waiting for things to happen as dictated by fate.”

She said that “the righteous shall live by faith,” a Bible verse from Habakkuk 2:4 quoted in the Bible in Romans 1:17 and Hebrews 10:38.
“The phrase is a reminder to trust in God and live by faith, even when things seem difficult,” Rev. Nunes said.

She said God has plans for our welfare, not harm, and will listen to people who call on him and pray to him.
“We can find God by seeking God with all their hearts,” Rev. Nunes preached. “God is present with us wherever we are. God can work through us to give us hope and a future.”

She noted that many years ago, Doris Day sang the song “Que Sera Sera,” which means “whatever will be, will be.”
“It’s a pretty song with a catchy melody, but the essence of the song simply means you have no control over your life,” Rev. Nunes said.

“This is what is called fatalism. Fatalism is the belief that events are fixed so that human beings are powerless to change them.
“Many of God’s people live in fatalism, just accepting anything and everything that comes into their lives as being God’s will and plan,” she added. “The reason so many do this is because they do not know God’s will – God’s word.”

Rev. Nunes said the Bible includes several examples of women of faith, including Deborah, Rahab, Sarah, Abigail, Mary of Nazareth, Hannah, Ruth, and Mary Magdalene.

“Women of faith in the Bible often believed in God’s words and what God had said,” Rev. Nunes said. “How can the saints be powerless when God says, ‘We can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us.’ We are not powerless.

“Fate says we must accept everything that comes in life, but Jesus said, ‘If you abide in me, and my word abides in you, ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you,'” she added.

“Operating in faith will change your life and the lives of others forever,” Rev. Nunes continued. “And when we have faith, then we as sisters can ‘Walk Together in Love and Unity,'” quoting part of the church’s Women in Faith theme: “Carrying Our Faith Forward – Sisters Walking Together in Love and Unity.”

Before entering full-time ministry, Rev. Nunes was vice president/chief financial officer of Professional Software Systems, Inc., where she worked for 17 years.

Through God’s grace and hard work, she said she established a successful career in Client Services in that company and subsequently became a successful managing partner.

During that time, Rev. Nunes said she responded to the call to the ordained ministry after a few years of “deliberate prayer and discernment.”

She received both B.A. and M.A. degrees in economics from Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), where she excelled and graduated with honors.

Rev. Nunes earned her Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in May 2000 and completed her Doctor of Divinity degree at Hartford Seminary in 2012.

She was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Denomination at the New York Annual Conference 2002.
Rev. Nunes was the pastor of Hicksville UMC  in Hicksville, New York, from Jul. 1, 2013-Jun. 30, 2023.

Before her appointment at Hicksville UMC, she was the pastor of Summerfield UMC in Bridgeport, Conn., for 11 years.
She served at Vanderveer Park UMC in Brooklyn for two years as a youth pastor and associate pastor.

She also served at John Wesley UMC in Brooklyn as a student/lay minister, assisting the pastor in various capacities.

Rev. Nunes said she has been active in ministries at both the district and conference levels.
She was the chair of the Conference Parish Development Committee, served on the Commission for Equitable Compensation, chaired the

New York Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON), and served on the Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCF&A) for eight years, serving as vice chair for three years.

At the Long Island East District level, Rev. Nunes served on the District Committee on Ordained (DCOM) and chaired the District Parish Development Committee and several other district ministries.

Rev. Nunes has a daughter, Tiffany Elaine, who teaches in the New York City public school system, and a granddaughter, Madison Elaine.
Since her retirement, she has resided in East Meadow, Long Is.