May 24, 2013
MISSIONS UPDATE from the Caribbean
by Sis. Claudia Ferguson, Vice President of the SDB World Federation, Representing the Caribbean region
We thank God for spared lives and for the opportunity afforded us to labor in His vineyard and to extend His Kingdom.
CARIBBEAN CHAPTER of the World Federation?
This is on the way to becoming a reality with the establishment of an interim committee to spearhead the launch of the Caribbean Chapter. The interim committee—headed by SDB World Federation Vice President Claudia Ferguson—was named at a tripartite meeting held between the Jamaican Conference’s Missions Committee and leaders of Jamaican and Guyanese Conferences. The meeting took place during the 2012 Jamaican Conference Sessions.
Leaders for this gathering included President Sherlock Caesar of Guyana; Rev. Ewart Caesar, former Vice President World Federation; President Selvin Campbell, Jamaica. These leaders joined other committee members: Bro. Hurley Taylor, Rev. Basil Clarke and Dea. Errol Wilson from Jamaica; and Pastor Abel Caesar and Sis. Carlene Henry from Guyana.
One of the premier objectives of the interim committee is to facilitate increased partnership between the Jamaican and Guyanese Conferences towards achieving the long-term project of planting SDB Churches in the Caribbean.
Another important objective is to achieve a closer working relationship between both Conferences, which happily is well on the way.
GUYANA/JAMAICA Cooperation
(Reciprocal Conference Visits)
Representatives from Jamaica attended the July 2012 Guyanese Conference. A return visit was made by representatives from Guyana one week later to participate in the Jamaican Conference.
The 2013 Guyana Conference will be held July 11-14, 2013 and persons from Jamaica are planning to attend. The 2013 theme is “Seeing Beyond the Walls.” World Federation Vice President Claudia Ferguson is also expected to attend, and will share the message on Conference Sabbath, Lord willing.
Jamaica celebrates its 90th Anniversary this year and anticipates a bigger contingent from our Guyanese brethren to their Conference to be held July 14-20 under the theme, “Preserved to Produce.”
It is to be noted that the Executive Director of the SDB Missionary Society, Bro. Clinton Brown, will also be in attendance at this 90th Anniversary Conference and will make presentations on missions. We are looking forward to his visit. Dare we expect our World Federation President, Rev. Dale Thorngate, to be in attendance?
YOUTH Exchange
Six young persons from Guyana attended the Jamaica Youth Congress held in October 2012. This was a mutually rewarding experience. The visitors from Guyana not only attended Youth Congress, but visited the Albion Mountain and Mountain View SDB Churches, and spent a day at the world famous Dunn’s River Falls.
Contemplated and being pursued is the attendance of some young persons from Jamaica to the Guyanese Youth Camp scheduled for July 21-28, 2013 at Camp Glory.
The Guyanese Conference continues to work tirelessly to ensure that the improvements at Camp Glory are completed so as to adequately house the Jamaican campers.
CAYMAN SDB Group
The work in Cayman (south of Cuba, northwest of Jamaica) continues to flourish despite venue challenges. Since July, two visits were made to the Cayman Islands in September and November as scheduled. The team included Claudia Ferguson and Hurley Taylor, member of the Missions Committee and chairman of the Jamaica SDB Evangelism Committee.
The September visit was centered around a training seminar on the foundational topics of “SDB Beliefs” and “SDB History and Polity.”
The November visit focused on evangelism with a presentation on Operation Andrew. There were two open-air meetings, one on Saturday night and the other on Sunday night. Persons who responded to the call are being followed up. The visit due for February 2013 was postponed to May to await the securing of a venue for worship. Some members of the group are planning to be at the Jamaica Conference Sessions in July of this year.
Thanks to the SDB Missionary Society for the donations of much-needed hymnals to the group in Cayman.
Please pray that this fellowship will secure a permanent church home. Please pray also that the Lord will continue to provide financial resources for visits to Cayman.
SDB WORLD FEDERATION Activities
–Annual Week of Prayer
The Conference participated in the annual Week of Prayer spearheaded by the SDB World Federation. General feedback from our churches across the region indicates that the time was refreshing and revitalizing.
–Visit by General Secretary
The General Secretary of the SDB World Federation, Pastor Jan Lek and his wife Ruth, were in Jamaica during the last weekend of December and visited some churches in the United Circuit. The Jamaican Conference President and other officers of the Conference, as well as Pastor Andrew Samuels (VP of the USA and Canada) were part of the team that accompanied the General Secretary. The General Secretary and Sis. Ruth were hosted by Rev. Carlton Ferguson and his wife.
TRAINING Programs/Projects
T.I.M.E. Training Program Gone Regional!
The Jamaica Seventh Day Baptist Training Institute under the Principalship of Rev. Carlton Ferguson commenced a new two-year training program with a batch a 16 Jamaican students. For the first time the training program is being extended to Guyana and the Cayman Islands, participants being facilitated on-line.
Students are jointly sponsored by the Jamaican Conference and their member churches.
The training program started on March 1, 2013 and has witnessed two seminars—the orientation seminar in March and the seminar on church leadership during the month of April. Students have now embarked on the “Bible Interpretation” module. This program is critical to increasing the cadre and caliber of leaders across the region.
LEADERSHIP Workshop in Guyana
Pastor Paul Andries from the United States fulfilled his promise and implemented a wonderful and well-received leadership workshop in Guyana for church leaders. The attendance was excellent and participants refreshed. Pastor Andries is expected to return in September.
We express our thanks to the members of the Missions Committee and all those who have supported the Caribbean effort. We have just began to actualize the vision of planting churches in the Caribbean and of fostering a closer working relationship with our sister Conference. God, Who has led us thus far, will lead us on.
