Online Logos of January 6, 2007

Bahamas Conference Administrative Team Re-elected

On Thursday, January 3, 2007, the delegates at the Second Quadrennial Session of the Bahamas Conference of Seventh‑day Adventists re‑elected Pastor Leonard A. Johnson, Pastor Eric D. Clarke, and Mr. C. Melvin Lewis to serve as president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively, of the Conference for the next four years. While pastors Johnson and Clarke will be serving their second term in their respective posts, Mr. Lewis will be serving an unprecedented fourth term as treasurer of the Conference. These administrators will be responsible for managing the work of the Seventh‑day Adventist Church in central and south Bahamas. These include the islands of New Providence, Cat Island, Exuma, Eleuthera, long Island, Andros, San Salvador, Crooked Island, Acklins, Mayguana and Inagua. The islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Bimini are a part of a different administrative area called the North Bahamas Mission of Seventh‑day Adventists. Pastor Errol Tinker serves as president of this field.

In addition to electing the three officers of the Bahamas conference, the delegates also elected persons to serve as directors of the various departments and on the standing committees as follows:

Departmental Directors

1.     Children's Ministries Director: Dianne Jones Teacher at Bahamas Academy

2.     Communication Director:  John Carey

3.     Community Services Director: 

4.     Education Director: John Carey

5.     Family Ministries Director:  Barrington H. Brennen

6.     Health Director:  Idamae Hanna Lay Person

7.     Ministerial Director: Peter Joseph

8.     Personal Ministries Director:  Peter Joseph

9.     Public Relations and Religious Liberty Director:  Paul Scavella

10.   Publishing Director:  John Carey

11.   Stewardship Director:  Kenny Deveaux

12.   Women's Ministries Director: Miriam Knowles

13.   Youth Director: Andrew Burrows

 

Executive Committee

1.     Leonard Johnson, Chairman

2.     Eric Clarke

3.     C. Melvin Lewis

4.     John Carey

5.     Barrington Brennen

6.     Kenny Deveaux

7.     Idamae Hanna

8.     Miriam Knowles

9.     Paul Scavella

10.   Peter Joseph

11.   Andrew Burrows

12.   Dianne Jones

13.   Kent Price

14.   Mark Ewen (North Andros)

15.   Wilfred Adderley

16.   Cherry Blackmore (Conference Auditor)

17.   Anthony Burrows (Bahamas Academy Principal)

18.   Estherlean Ash (Grant's Town)

19.   Sean Ray Jennings (Hillview)

20.   Barry Shane Saunders (Johnson Park)

21.   Adriel Hepburn (Youth  ‑ Johnson Park)

22.   Alvira Higgs (New Providence)

23.   Portia Barnett (Centreville)

24.   Carla Rodgers (Long Island)

25.   Betie Lespinasse (Haitian Churches)

 

Constitution and By‑Laws Committee

1.     Eric Clarke, Chairman

2.     Derek Bignal

3.     Carl Kemp

4.     Michael Toote

5.     Darrell Taylor

6.     Paul Scavella

7.     Leo Rolle

 

To set the tone for this election day, Pastor Michael Harvey, President of the North Jamaica Mission of Seventh‑day Adventists, gave an inspirational devotional thought. He challenged the delegates to be careful not to glory in prosperity, avoid divisiveness, and be united in their involvement in the mission of the church.

After a full day of listening to and discussing the departmental reports, the delegates agreed to conclude the Second Quadrennial Session of the Bahamas Conference of Seventh‑day Adventists. ‑J. Carey, Editor      

Adventist Leaders and Government Officials Speak at Opening of Session         Under the theme "Words of Hope," the Bahamas Conference of Seventh‑day Adventists began its Opening night of the 2nd Quadrennial Session.  Pastor Leon B. Wellington, Vice President of the Inter‑American Division of Seventh‑day Adventists was the keynote speaker.  Drawing on the theme of hope Pastor Wellington said to the delegates, visitors and members in attendance,  "I've Got Hope."    

         People, he told his listening audience, who find themselves in difficult circumstances often rely on others to help them out of their plight. But hope, he said, is vital for your everyday survival in life. Hope is as essential to the spiritual life as food or water to the physical body, and it is the lack of hope that makes hell unbearable.  Elder Wellington told the packed Hillview Church that the most costly tool in the Devil's flea market was discouragement, for what he cannot do with any other tool; he can certainly do with this tool.

Quoting Romans 15:4, Pastor Wellington said people are hopeless about many things: a terminal illness, a dysfunctional marriage, a romance that has gone sour. Some become hopeless because they do not feel that they are loved by anyone. People are even hopeless about the level of crime and violence stalking the land. But we can develop confidence and hope by feeding on the Word of God.

The word of God is the basis of our hope, he opined.  God's hope is an attitude of confidence and trust. By waiting upon God we develop hope. Again he said that patience is the capacity to endure trials or injustice with perfect self‑control. According to Isaiah 40:31, Elder Wellington said by waiting upon God we come to know God, which is the foundation of our character. Patience is forbearance under stress, and pressure. Patience is a virtue that is not natural to us; it is something we develop each day the nearer we get to Christ.

To hope is to cherish the fulfillment of our expectation.  Jesus Christ is our only and best source of hope. The world is so unreliable, but in Christ Jesus there is safety and surety. He begged the waiting crowd to set apart Christ as Lord in your heart and always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. Real hope is not a dead hope but a hope that causes us to want to take action by sharing our hope.

As he closed his remarks on that grand opening night, Elder Wellington called on all present to Arise, awake and go to serve because Jesus is the power to soften the hearts that the spirit calls and woos to him.

The 2nd Quadrennial Session was well attended by representatives from the entire sister conferences in the Union as well as Missions and Institutions in the Union.   Also in attendance at the opening ceremonies and bringing greetings was the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham leader of the official Opposition. Other Ministerial Members in attendance included Mr. Alvin Smith, Mr. Joshua Sears, former Ambassador to Washington, and Dr. Minnis and Melanie Griffin, Member of Parliament for Yamacraw and Minister of Social Development, who represented the prime minister. Dr. Allen, President of West Indies Union of Seventh‑day Adventists also brought greetings to the August body. ‑Celestine Creighton

 

Convention 2007

Sabbath, January 6 at 5:00 p.m.   Praise Reunion Concert (at Hillview Church, Tonique Williams‑Darling Hwy)

Sunday, January 7

7:00 a.m. Bahamas Conference Workers' Meeting at the Grant's Town church.  All workers are to report on time.  (Breakfast will be provided)

6:00 p.m. Installation of Newly Elected Officers (at Grant's Town Church, Wellington Street)

Children's Church During Convention

 Children's Church for children ages 5 to 12 years will be held at the Maranatha Church on Prince Charles Drive on Sabbath, January 6, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  ‑Dr. Cheryl Rolle, CM Director

  

Invitation to Bahamas Academy Alumni          Alumni! Alumni! Alumni!  Bahamas Academy is calling all of its many thousands of Alumni to attend a special Praise Re‑union in your honor.  Come and share in this enjoyable moment as we celebrate you, the alumni of Bahamas Academy.

Wherever you are, all alumni of Bahamas Academy are invited to the special Praise Reunion Concert to be held on January 6, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. at Hillview Seventh‑day Adventist Church, Tonique Williams Darling Highway.

Come expecting to enjoy the presence and the blessings of Almighty God in this New Year, and share with the alumni of Bahamas Academy as we chart the way ahead for your Alma Mater. See You There! ‑Celestine Creighton, Alumni Co‑ordinator

 

Family Cruise Urgent Notice      All persons going on the 2007 Family  Cruise are asked to note the following information: Final Payment is now April 30, 2007 and not May 30th as was previously announced. One person in a room must be at least 25 years old.  No small child or infant in the room when room already has four persons (this is a US Federal Law). If one person is in a cabin that person is required to pay for entire cabin.

 

Counseling Services

CARE Grief Recovery Support Group meets on Monday, January 8, 2007 at  6:30 p.m. at Centreville Church

PEACE Support Group for Abuse Women meets on Monday, January 15, 2007  at 6:30 p.m. at the Centreville Adventist Church  ‑Barrington H. Brennen

 

Crooked Islanders to Meet       All Crooked Islanders are requested to meet at the Living Faith Church at 3:30 p.m. Tomorrow, Sunday,  January 7, 2007.    

 

 

Hour of Gospel Music         The Hour of Gospel Music at the Mary Ingraham Home is held weekly on Sabbath from 4:30 ‑5:30 p.m.  Next week Sabbath, Jan. 13 the Adelaide Church is expected.  Sabbath, January 20th, Tony Russell is scheduled.

 

 

Cornerstone Quarterly Needed         Someone need a copy of the 2005 fourth Quarter Cornerstone Quarterly (Teacher and Student edition).  If you can help, please call Mrs. McPhee at the conference Office (341‑4021)

 

 Sun sets today at 5:3524 p.m.

Sun sets next Sabbath at 5:46 p.m.