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 THE
WAR AGAINST EVIL WILL NEVER END UNTIL JESUS COMES! Matthew 24: 14 indicates
that, "And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come".
Remember, "the work will not be finished anywhere until it is finished
everywhere." During March and April of this year, we witnessed an
intensification of the warfare against the forces of evil that was launched
back in January of this year. The determined spiritual forces of the Bahamas
Conference – Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Deaconesses, Personal Ministries
teams, Health Ministries battalions, Prayer Warriors, Choirs and Musicians,
yes, members in general – in the spirit of God’s army as in the days of
Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20) have been used and empowered by our Seven-Star
General, Jesus Christ, to liberate over 300 hundred precious souls from the
kingdom of darkness and deliver them into the kingdom of light (see the
chart below). Some were rescued at the tent crusades in Pinewood (New
Providence Church) and Carmichael (Francophone Churches), while others were
delivered at Church pavilions (Breath of Life, Centreville, Grant’s Town,
Hillview, Johnson Park, Maranatha and Philadelphia through seminars,
crusades and revivals). The ever present stealth Commander, the Holy Spirit,
has produced wonderful results. The battle was intense, but that has made
the outcome and victory only sweeter. Truly the praise and glory go to God.
New believers, rescued POW’s, and in some cases reclaimed backsliders and
recommitted fighters are now rejoicing in the true freedom that they have in
Jesus Christ.However, our work as ministers and members has just begun. Ellen White counsels, "[none] should feel that their work is finished until those who have accepted the theory of the truth realize indeed the influence of its sanctifying power, … When the word of God, as a sharp, two-edged sword, cuts its way to the heart and arouses the conscience, many suppose that this is enough; but the work is only begun. Good impressions have been made, but unless these impressions are deepened by careful, prayerful effort, Satan will counteract them. Let not the laborers rest content with what has been done. The plowshare of truth must go deeper …Upon all new converts should be impressed the truth that abiding knowledge can be gained only by earnest labor and persevering study. As a rule, those who are converted to the truth we preach have not previously been diligent students of the Scriptures; for in the popular churches there is little real study of the word of God… "Many accept the truth without digging down deep to understand its foundation principles; and when it is opposed, they forget the arguments and evidences that sustain it. They have been led to believe the truth, but …. Too often their piety degenerates into a form, and when the appeals that first aroused them are no longer heard, they become spiritually dead. Unless those who receive the truth are thoroughly … riveted to the eternal Rock, they will not endure the test of trial." {GW 368} Therefore we must ever pray for and with our new "family members". Let’s be positive, patient and a continual source of encouragement and instruction to them. Remember their perfection is in Christ Jesus. Baptism means that they have a new commitment, new allegiance, new loyalty and that is to Jesus Christ and His church but not that they are letter perfect. They are babes; let’s give them time and resources to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (see 2 Peter 3: 18). Let’s also pray for the next wave of spiritual assault that will be launched in our Conference. The New Englerston Church began a "Family Evangelistic Campaign" last Sunday night, and other churches will be firing their gospel missiles throughout May. Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, we must continue to "bring down the stronghold of the enemy" (see Proverbs 21: 22). Let’s keep the evangelistic fires burning. The following is an ongoing update on the baptisms to date as compared to the year’s goals for the various districts: Church Baptisms Goals
We can say again, "To God be the glory, great things He has done" and even further, "this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psalm 118: 23). – Pastor M. A. Smith, Ministerial Director
Delighting the hearts of students and faculty with the spoken word and spirited music, the Bahamian delegation exuded a variety of theological flavors during the Bahamas Conference Weekend, which was celebrated under the theme " The Divine Agenda." The youthful congregation were fed with messages from some of the conference’s most dynamic speakers, including President Dr. Leonard Johnson (Sabbath morning), Executive Secretary Pastor E. Dannie Clarke (Friday night) and Youth Director Pastor Andrew Burrows (AY). They were challenged to excel above and beyond what their minds could fathom, relying on God for strength to endure and overcome all obstacles. As Pastor Clarke said in his sermon, when the fishermen did what God said and cast their nets into the deep, their nets became so filled that they began to break and their ships began to sink. He told the students that God has so much in store for them, in that He can do exceedingly, abundantly and above all that they could ask Him to do - just because He is God, and because He loves us. Students were also challenged to set an example while on campus and press toward the mark of the high calling of God - press toward righteousness and uprightness. Northern Caribbean University not only got a taste of the anointed ministry of our local pastors, but their palates were seasoned with the powerful and anointed music of Harmonious Praise, who sang some of their hits such as " What If God", "Trust The Lord", " My Life Is In Your Hands" and "Total Praise." The group D’Vine also lifted hearts heavenward with the song " We Believe", as did the group "Sons of Praise," composed of Bahamian students. The Bahamas Conference weekend climaxed in grand style with a musical feast by a conglomeration of Bahamian students and members of Harmonious Praise, who rang out the songs of our faith, with narrative interludes by high-spirited Sister Miriam Knowles. During Pastor Johnson’s sermon, he advocated that we should know where we stand in our Christian walk, and realize God’s plan for our lives. His text was taken from Luke 24 verses 4 -11. He focused on verse 6 where the angels spoke to Mary Magdelene and Mary the mother of James, saying " He (Jesus) is not here, but is risen." Pastor Johnson declared that our redeemer liveth and that when we call on Him for guidance, for help, for strength, He will hear us and come to our sides. He admonished the congregation to hold firm to their faith, keeping it grounded in the word of God. He encouraged students to fall in line with God’s divine agenda for their lives, and He will take care of them, delivering them into the arms of success. - Vanessa C. Rolle
Listen Up Tomorrow It’s a Listen Up you don’t want to miss. Topic, "Sex - Why wait. It’s really real and honest. Hear from a teen mother, a rape victim, and a few BA students who took the NSTM Pledge. Tune in for some unbelievable surprises. Trust me! You want to watch this one tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. on Cable 11 and ZNS TV 13. - A. Musgrove
Pathfinders Exhibition Booth at Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gym Thursday, May 8th The Essentials of
Christian Stewardship Christian
stewardship is a biblical precept by The Christian Steward joyously embraces the call of God upon his or her life to "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). The degree to which we utilize our gifts of time, talents, treasures and body temple in Christian service demonstrates how much each of us is committed to Christ and His church. In order to grow in Christian Stewardship we must first reflect on Christ's life of submission to God upon the earth (John 6:38). Second, we must accept and embrace life as a gift to each of us from a loving Creator. In this gift of life God is supreme. Thus, every person is accountable to God for the best use of his or her life while upon the earth. A key indicator of faithfulness to God is the possession of a generous spirit by every person who is a steward. Third, Christian stewardship calls every member to a life of disinterested benevolence, in which our love and loyalty to God are without regard to personalities or changing circumstances. This third principle calls the steward to rediscover Christ and the way of the cross, through a life of submission, suffering and sacrifice. We exhort pastors and members to a renewed thrust in stewardship as together we embark upon a new and exciting era in our conference. Already, statistical data from our churches for the first quarter of 2003 are encouraging and indicate that many in our midst are living by faith and embracing the essentials of Christian Stewardship. Let us, therefore, continue to put our trust in God at all times and under all circumstances. -Dr. Michael. D. Toote, Stewardship Director
Happy Family Seminar in Long Island Beginning
May 10, 2003, the Happy Family Seminar will
Note of Thanks The family of the late Pastor Victor C. Cargill wish to thank the pastors, officers and the entire membership of the Bahamas Conference of SDA for their unparalleled support during our time of bereavement. See Web Page Your prayers, telephone calls, personal visits, floral arrangements, sumptuous meals and numerous other acts of kindness and devotion have helped to ease the pain of our great loss. Special thanks to Sis. Denise Johnson and members of the Shepherdess Club, Sis. Miriam Knowles and Women’s Ministries for hosting the reception at the Good News Church, the Francophone and the Driggs Hill Churches for a reassuring memorial service. God bless you all -Sisters Olga and Kerry Ann Cargill Education Department There will be a meeting for all church education secretaries on Monday, May 5th, at 7:00 p.m. at Bahamas Academy. Please plan to attend and bring your reports for the first quarter. -Cheryl R. Rolle, Education Director
VBA On The Move VBA is in urgent need of persons willing to volunteer their cooking talents for the various Family Island Church projects. Please help us to compile a readi-list of persons with cooking skills. Call D. Ritchie at 341-04550 If you are willing to volunteer to lend a helping hand on any future projects, please contact Brother Winston Ash at 394-1063, or Brother Howard Barr at 361-3202. Many thanks for your continued prayers and support. -W. Ash, VBA, President
Children’s Ministries Upcoming Events June 7 - Kids Under Attack, a seminar for parents and parents-to-be. June 21 (Midyear Convention Sabbath) Children’s Church for children ages 5 to 12 ONLY will be held at the Philadelphia Church. Please note that parents may drop off their children, but ALL children will be bussed back to the Church of God Auditorium so that parents may pick them up there. -Cheryl R. Rolle, Children’s Ministries Director
Education Corner Administrative Complex- 394-0094 (This is a weekly column sponsored by Bahamas Academy of SDA) The students at the Elementary Division were admonished to do well because they have too many people to let down-parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, the community, and the nation. So said the Honours Convocation speaker, Mr. T. Milton Lewis, Principal of E. P. Roberts Primary School, as he related the story of his visits to "Uncle" and the advice "Uncle" gave him as they talked about life. That was true of the students who received awards and special recognition on Sunday, April 27, at the annual prizegiving ceremony for the young children of Bahamas Academy. Many parents and relatives were there to snap pictures and clap for their youngsters, and these children surely didn't let their relatives down. Students received awards for honesty, perfect attendance, good conduct, sports, A, A-, B+, B averages, and those who had shown great improvement over the last two terms. Many students were listed on the Honour Roll. However, the lists are too long to print in this column, but I will highlight several of the special awards given (only SDA students are mentioned): SPORTS AWARDS ! Rashae Deveaux (Grant’s Town) !Debbie Exalus (Francophone)! Blaire Allen (Centreville)HIGHEST GPAs IN EACH CLASS: GRADE 1 CLARKE 3rd Place: Chrystopher Brooks - Hillview GRADE 1 FORBES 1st Place: Danya Dean - Berea 2nd Place: Khody Walker - Hillview GRADE 1 ROLLE 1st Place: Ree-Ann Jones - Hillview 2nd Place: Newton Joseph - New Providence 2nd Place: Traymane Knowles - Centreville GRADE 2 LYNES 1st Place: Deshante Davis - Maranatha 3rd Place: Rashad Fox - Johnson Park 3rd Place: Lyndee Bowe - Hillview (tie) GRADE 2 FERRIL 1st Place: Jonathan Zonicle - Centreville GRADE 3 LITTLE 1st Place: Zandra Bowlin - Hillview 2nd Place: Alyscia King - Good News 3rd Place: Mahala Moxey - Grant’s Town GRADE 3 LLOYD 1st Place: George Zonicle - Centreville 2nd Place: Tarea Sturrup - Centreville GRADE 4 SULLIVAN 3rd Place: Leandra Morris - Hillview GRADE 4 BURROWS 1st Place: Danielle Deveaux - Grant’s Town 2nd Place: Tristin Knowles - Centreville 3rd Place: Shantel Romer - Johnson Park GRADE 4 TOOTE 2nd Place: Luvonne Wilson - Hillview GRADE 5 JACKMAN 1st Place: Kenreah Brown - Hillview 2nd Place: Gabriel Moxey - Grant’s Town 3rd Place: Shervon St. Brice - Hillview GRADE 5 DAWKINS 1st Place: Darnell Johnson - Grant’s Town 2nd Place: Deandrea Ximines - New Prov. 3rd Place: Janay Hanna - Hillview GRADE 6 SANDS 1st Place: Vanessa Valleray - Maranatha 2nd Place: Cristy Creighton - Good News GRADE 6 FORBES 1st Place: Keisha Stubbs - Centreville 2nd Place: Dawn Smith - Hillview GRADE 6 JONES 1st Place: Matthew Dean - New Prov. 2nd Place: Inga Bethel - Centreville HIGHEST GPA IN LOWER DIVISION: 1st Place: George Zonicle - Centreville 2nd Place: Deshante Davis - Maranatha HIGHEST GPA IN UPPER DIVISION: 1st Place: Kenreah Brown - Hillview 2nd Place: Danielle Deveaux - Grant’s Town 3rd Place: Tristin Knowles - Centreville We say "Congratulations" to these students and a big "Thank You" to the parents and teachers for preparing them so well. Upcoming Events at Bahamas Academy: ! May 5 - BJC Practical exams begin for Grade 9 students.! May 10: Art Exhibition for secondary students.! May 12 - Elementary PTA Meeting! May 12 - 15: GLAT exams for Grades 3 & 6.! May 26 - 30: Exams for Grades 1 - 5. -Lynn C. Smith, Principal
Bahamas Academy - Science Exhibition 2003 The annual Science Exhibition of Bahamas Academy was held on April 9, 2003, under the theme "Curiosity and Discovery - Pathways to Knowledge." The keynote address was given by the founder of the exhibition, the former head of the science department and now Vice-principal for the Secondary division, Mr. Marcus Rahming. He encouraged the students to continue to display curiosity as it is the first step towards discovery and knowledge.We were grateful for the presence of science educators from the College of the Bahamas to judge the exhibits. They were Mr. Lionel Johnson, Head of the School of Natural Sciences, Mr. Cephas Ward, lecturer in Science and mathematics, and Mrs. Thalia Micklewhite, lecturer in Science and Science Teaching methods. Six students entered the competition this year. The top three places were: 1st - Russara Bain (grade 12) - "Food Dyes and Aging." 2nd - Scott Swayer (grade 7) -"Well, Burst my Bubble." 3rd - Brendeka McPhee (grade 12) - "Complex Ion Equilibria." The other entrants were: Lee Burrows (grade 8) - "Pennies Afloat," Donnel Sawyer (Grade 10) - "Don’t Judge me by my Colour," and Jason Forbes (grade 11) - "The Effect of Temperature on Diffusion." For their hard work the students will be provided with the following prizes: DVD player (1st place), Karaoke machine (2nd place), and binoculars with picturetaking capability (3rd place). We wish to express our thanks to all our sponsors and to all others who played some part in helping to make this event a success. -Gary Jones, Head of Science, BA Youth Ministries Calendar ! May is National Youth Month. All Pathfinders, Masterguides, Adventurers, and Adventist Youth groups are asked to assemble at Clifford Park in full uniform on Sunday, May 4th, at 2:00 p.m. to participate in the annual National Youth parade.! In Step With Jesus, Masterguides CamporeeAll persons who attended the recent Masterguides Camporees, are asked to meet at the Hillview Church tomorrow, Sunday, May 4th, at 8:00 a.m. ! Campsite Improvement Ongoing! Adventurers’ Banquet June 1st! Adventurers’ Camp July 4th - 11th - Cayman Islands! Pathfinders’ Camp July 27th - August 4th! Youth Evangelism August 10th - 24th - Pastor Andrew E. Burrows, Departmental Director
Health Ministries From May 22 to 24, 2003, the Health Ministries Department of the West Indies Union will be conducting an HIV/AIDS Awareness training seminar at NCU in Mandeville, Jamaica. Cost, excluding travel, is approximately $100 for accommodation and food.Each Church District is requested by the Union to sponsor at least one person to attend. ! Persons representing their churches at the HIV/AIDS Awareness training seminar at NCU are asked to contact Pastor Paul Scavella or Mrs. Joan Duncombe by Monday, May 5th, at 341-4021/2. -Pastor P. A. Scavella, Departmental Director
ABC On The Move When was the last time you visited your local ABC? We are changing right before your eyes. Even our new name, ABNC (Adventist Book and Nutrition Centre), is providing for your total health needs.Tonight the ABNC will be at the Hillvew Church. Yes, you read that right. At set of sun our mobile units will be available for your convenient shopping. Visit us during regular store hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We are here to serve you. Come, check us out. -Kenny Deveaux, ABNC Manager
Seraphic Sounds presents ‘Remembering Mahalia Jackson’ Ms. Allison M. Mason will be featured in a concert by Seraphic Sounds as it presents "Remembering Mahalia Jackson" at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, May 31, at 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday, June 1, 2003, at 5:00 p.m. at the Dundas. Your usual patronage would be greatly appreciated. Tickets available from Ms. Mason and the ABNC. - Seraphic Sounds
Francophone to Resume Class in Creole The Francophone Church will resume its Creole Classes on Monday, May, 5, 2003, at 6:00 p.m. at the church. - Pastor E. St Fleur
Conferencewide Pre-Marriage Seminar A pre-marriage seminar will be held May 30 to June 1, 2003, for all engaged and to-be-engaged couples. It will be conducted by Barrington Brennen and Michael A. Smith.
Pathfinders Club The Breath of Life Church Pathfinders Club will host a boat cruise Mothers’ Day, Sunday, May 11, 2003. The boat departs from Prince George Dock at 1:00 p.m. For tickets and ticket information contact Marilyn Bonamy at 394-3432 or 393-8507.
Women’s Ministries Boat Cruise Tonight SAIL WITH US! Join us for a FANTASTIC Family boat cruise tonight, Saturday, May 3rd, leaving the Prince George Dock at 8:00 p.m. There will be lots of eats and delicious treats!May 13, 14, and 15 will be National Literacy Service -Reading Workshop. -Miriam Knowles, Women's Ministries Director, Bahamas Conference.
SDA Burial Society to Meet The SDA Burial Society’s meeting will be held on Monday, May 5th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Grant’s Town Church Annex. -H. Moncur
Sun sets today at 7:41 p.m. Sun sets next Sabbath at 7:43 p.m.
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which
every Believer acknowledges God as the Owner of all, thereby entering into
partnership with Him in the management of life. Accordingly, we are all
reminded that, "All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given
Thee" (I Chronicles 29:14).
