Thousands Attend Festival of the Laity

Under the theme “Fan the Flames, Rekindle the Passion, Share the Joy,” over 2,000 church delegates attended the first West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Festival of the Laity held August 18 – 21, 2004, at the West Jamaica Conference Convention Center, Montego Bay.  Coming from the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Jamaica, these lay delegates were joined by about 1,500 non-delegate church members and pastors who gathered in the main hall on the opening night (August 18) to hear Pastor Isreal Laito, Inter-American Division of SDA president, give the keynote address.

The objectives of the festival were to celebrate what God has done through the laymen during the last five years, recognize outstanding laymen, share new information and methods of evangelism, provide the opportunity for fellowship and the exchange of ideas, motivate, inspire, train and recruit laymen for further service.  To achieve these objectives, in addition to the inspirational messages, eight seminars were conducted by outstanding presenters during the four-day event.  The seminar presenters included Pastor Gordon Martinborough (Family Evangelism); Pastor Jonathan Kuntaraf, form the General Conference Personal Ministeries Department (International Institute of Christian Ministeries); Carol Palmer, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Jamaica (Restorative Justice – Promoting Healing in Broken communities); Richard Bland, from United Prison Ministeries International (Prison Ministry – Unlocking the Bars of the Heart Behind Prison Bars); Pastor Keith Albury, President of the North Bahamas Mission (Leading God’s Church); Pastor Baraka Muganda, Youth Ministeries Director, General Conference (Youth Evangelism); Joan Wint, Principal of Denbigh High School, Central Jamaica (Community Outreach and the Church); Pastor Samuel Telemaque, Personal Ministeries Director of the Caribbean Union Conference (Prayer Ministry that Unlocks the Windows of Heaven).

A special feature on the programme each morning was the devotional presented by outstanding lay preachers.  Brother Howard Knowles, a Bahamian lay preacher from the Centreville Church, presented the Thursday mid-day Power Hour devotional on “Fan the Flame of Spiritual Revival,”  Other devotional speakers were Doreen Pabarue, Central Jamaica Conference, and Daniella Uter, child preacher from West Jamaica Conference.  Danny Shelton, president of 3ABN, captivated the attention of the delegates on Friday evening with the personal experiences he shared to illustrate how to “Rekindle the Passion of Sowing.”

On Sabbath, August 21, over 8,000 Adventists gathered at the festival site to experience the fellowship and inspiration of the final day’s activities.  The main auditorium, King’s Church, Food Court, and a large tent were able to seat about 6,600 persons.  The rest of the people assembled under the trees, or sat in their vehicles as they listened to the service via speakers.  Pastor Burnett Robinson, a former Union Evangelist/Ministerial Director of West Indies Union, gave a powerful and timely message during the Divine Service.  A baptism was conducted at the end of the mid-day service. It should be noted that Brother Johnnie Taylor from Hillview was instrumental in preparing one of the candidates for baptism.

Scores of outstanding laymen were honoured during the Award Ceremony in the afternoon for their contribution to the development of Adventism in West Indies Union.  Among those receiving awards were several Bahamians:  Audrey Wright who was awarded for her contribution in music; Isaac and Jackie Collie for their work in education.  John Gerald Carey was among those persons honoured for their service in government.  The most outstanding awardee was Nurse Hamutel Palmer, a 105-year-old Jamaican sister, who gave so many years of committed service. Following the Awards Ceremony, Pastor Baraka Muganda electrified the congregation with a motivational vespers thought, “The Train Is Coming.”

  On Saturday night, almost 3,000 persons attended the first West Indies Union Praise Reunion Concert.  It was a moving experience to see Harold Dorsett direct a choir of more that one hundred outstanding Adventist musicians from the various fields in West Indies Union.  There was a natural blending of voices in songs of inspiration such as “Let’s Just Praise the Lord,” “There Were Ninety and Nine,” “ Marvelous Grace,” “ Your Grace and Mercy,” etc. Proceeds from the concert will be used to establish a scholarship fund for needy students in West Indies Union. (Call 1-876 962 2910 or email president@wiunion.org for information to purchase a video of the entire concert and videos of the entire Lay Festival)