The Way Forward!
August 8, 2019 • • in News
Traditionally the Mission has celebrated the conclusion of a Session, with an island-wide convention at which, all our churches converge for inspiration, introduction of new officers and consecration and installation of the new executive, tasked with managing the affairs of the Church for the next four years. For reasons beyond our control, we were unable to call the island constituency together when the fifth Quadrennial Session ended in November 2018. And so, the first Constituency meeting for the new 2018-2022 Quadrennium, was held on Sabbath 29th June, at the Darren Sammy Stadium, under the theme, “United in Spirit: Success Assured”.
It was a day seasoned with inspiration and prayer as each presentation focused on the importance of unity if as a Mission, we are to achieve any measure of success in the years ahead. Total Member Involvement (TMI) was again reemphasized as Pastor Philip and his team, graphically demonstrated how each individual can get involved in the proclamation of the gospel. The sermon for the day, done by Pastor Brent St. Jean, Personal Ministries and Youth Director for the St. Vincent and Grenadines Mission, focused on the theme of how God’s purpose is realized in spite of apparently distressing situations, as in the case of Ezekiel’s dry bones.
The afternoon session fielded reports and projections from the Directors of the Mission, in an effort to give the constituency a bird’s eye view of how each department plans to impact the field during the new quadrennium. Testimonies by brothers, Terry Lionel and Vincent Augustin crystallized the message of God’s ability to take apparently impossible situations and turn it around for His glory.
The Island Development Council (IDC) was introduced, a team of professional Lay men and women who are tasked, as the name implies, with the responsibility of development on the island, with specific reference to church buildings. This committee will have the responsibility to manage the twenty percent of combined budget designated for island development from each of our 52 congregations. Already some churches who are currently under construction, have been shortlisted for attention.
The President, Pastor Roger Stephen, in his address to the constituency pointed out the areas that the Mission will seek to give attention during the new period. These include the following:
- Spiritual Growth of the membership
- Church membership improvement
- Training and caring for the Laity.
- Leadership and accountability.
- Pastors and their families
- Liturgy
- Health and Family life
- Greater focus on Children and youth
- SDA Christian Education
- The challenge of finances.
- Conference Status by the next session in 2022.
To commence the drive toward the change from Mission to Conference, Pastor Stephen informed the constituency that all offerings collected for the day, would go toward establishing a Conference Status fund. We were subsequently informed, that the collections for the day netted $ 10,143.21. In addition, a generous member felt impressed by the following week, to contribute a further $ 1,000.00 to raise the deposit commencing the drive to 11,143.21.
So we are well on our way into the next Quadrennium with the goal of full autonomy for the management of God’s work in our beloved St. Lucia. We celebrate where the Lord has brought us since the last Mission Session, however there is still much work to be done. With God on our side and “United in Spirit, Success is assured”.
