The Light Issue #21

A Publication of the Gregory Park SDA Church Communication Department

March 2015 Issue #21

YOUTH ‘GIVE-A-BREAD’ ON GLOBAL YOUTH

Youth of the Gregory Park Church distrib-

uted over 70 loaves of bread to persons in

surrounding communities during their

‘Operation Give-a-Bread’ program as part

of their Global Youth Day activities on

March 21, 2015.

Global Youth Day (GYD) is an

initiative of the General Conference’s

Youth Ministries Department, where on

the 3rd Sabbath of March each year, youth

and young adults are encouraged to ‘be the

sermon’ by spending their Sabbath en-

gaged in community outreach activities

outside the walls of the church building.

The main objectives were to lead the youth

to rediscover the sense of belonging to a

global army of Seventh-day Adventist

young persons and to reaffirm the mission

of service and kindness at the heart of

Youth Ministry.

The GYD emphasis for Gregory

Park church called Operation Give-a-

Bread was initiated by the district Pastor,

Onel Montaque. The idea was to present

Jesus to the community as both the physi-

cal and spiritual bread. Therefore, in addi-

tion to distributing loaves of bread, the

youth distributed prayer fellowship cards,

copies of the book, Steps to Christ and

invitations to the Week of Prayer which

ran from Sabbath March 21 to Sunday

March 29.

The Youth went into the commu-

nities of Phoenix Vista, Portmore Villas,

Walker’s Avenue and other sections of

Gregory Park. A total of 70 loaves of

bread were distributed and 68 copies of

Steps to Christ. The distribution took place

during the divine hour period of the Sab-

bath.

According to the Youth Leader of

Gregory Park, Ceraphia Roper, “The re-

sponse from the communities we visited

was quite encouraging. Persons were re-

sponsive to the offer of the books and invi-

tations, as well as the bread.” She also

said, “It was also a wonderful opportunity

for the young people to experience what it

means ‘to be the Sermon.’ We trust that

the Lord will bless our efforts.”

I-N-S-I-D-E Page 2

Residents of the Gregory Park Community are

prayed for and presented with a Loaf of Bread

Issue #21

The Pastor’s Desk

Revelation of Hope

**** 100 Days of Prayer

Building Healthy Relationships

Scenes from the Quarter

A History of General

Conference

The Light on Issuu

***

Adventist Resources

Health

as a Lifestyle

News

Calendar of Events

Operation Plant-A-Tree

*** Shoes: Showing How to

Obtain Eternal Salvation

Youth Retreat 2015

***

A Blast from the Past

Publications

The Light

Onel Montaque Pastor, Gregory Park Circuit of Churches

G od's grace is simply remarkable. Each day presents

us with evidence of His marvelous grace. None of

us is able to say that we deserve the blessings that

the Lord has graciously given us. But his nature

propels him to do wonders on behalf of and for people like

me who don't deserve it.

That is the essence of our message here at the

Gregory Park Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The recognition of this grace motivated the people

of God to work tirelessly for the Master during the first three

months of the year. And I am completely convinced that we

are more motivated than ever by His Grace to continue to do

our Master's business.

Has God blessed us as a body? He certainly has.

The blessings of our gracious God are numerous but I will

make mention of one such blessing that stands out up to this

point in the year. This blessing, our Elders’ Retreat is also the

realization of an objective set forth at the beginning of the

year.

The success of our recently held district Elders’

Retreat was manifest. It was a tremendously exhilarating ex-

perience when the elders of the Gregory Park and Waterford

churches converged at the Hotel Versalles in May Pen.

There were four devotional speakers who took us

to the throne of grace. The main presenter however was, Dr.

Denton Rhone, Vice President and chairman for the school of

Religion and Theology at the Northern Caribbean University.

Dr. Rhone, an articulate and well informed teacher of bible

truth, spoke in an impactful manner and did an exceptional

job in imparting to the leaders of the two churches what the

ramifications of worship involved and what it truly means to

serve with humility. It was part of the churches' strategy to

motivate and also strengthen our elders’ church leadership

skills.

At the end of this delightful weekend, the elders

expressed convincingly how blessed they were by the experi-

ence and lectures received and were in unison in their desire

to offer greater service to the members they serve.

Good leadership in any organization is the hall-

mark for success and so the goal of the elders was to take

some time apart to enhance their leadership skills.

I personally gained added spiritual insight from the

experience. Additionally the retreat afforded me the opportu-

nity to get to know my elders in a more personal way.

With the vast reservoir of information now avail-

able to the leaders of the church, I foresee the leadership of

the church here at Gregory Park leading the church into and

beyond the postmodern era as we traverse that strait path

that leads to our ultimate glorification.

Churching church members is a complex task be-

cause of many factors: Postmodern leaders have to take into

consideration the different generations that comprise the

church, and their needs and plan accordingly. These genera-

tions are; the G.I Generation, the silent generation, the baby

boomers, generation X, millennial or Generation Y, the pre-

sent - new silent generation or generation Z.

How does one lead effectively such a complex

group? God will certainly help us by giving us the requisite

tools and resources both human and financial to do this work

as we partner with Him. Good leadership however, is knowing

how to use these tools effectively.

Our God is a God of order and structure. This is

seen in the creation story. God made everything in an orderly

and logical manner. From light to land, and vegetation to ani-

mals and humans, everything was made in an orderly manner

for the survival of God's masterpiece of creation, human be-

ings.

If we represent God who is a God of order and

structure then we must be a people of order and structure.

Not one thing that is done in God's church or by God's peo-

ple must be done haphazardly or treated lightly because it

will serve as a message to the world about our concept of

God.

Leaders of the church are privileged people. And

must see and treat their position accordingly.

The Pastor’s Desk

The Light

Just Imagine . . .

Millions of Seventh-day Adventists around the world, all praying for 100 days for the same thing!

Praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our church and the decisions made during the General Conference Session in

July of 2015, San Antonio, Texas!

During this 100 day prayer initiative (March 25th to July 11th), we want to challenge everyone to PRAY specifically for several

things:

First, for a deeper outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our own lives!

Second, for the Holy Spirit to be poured out in our local churches as we press together.

Third, many difficult decisions need to be made at the upcoming General Conference Session, and Adventist members

worldwide are encouraged to pray for 100 Days before then for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to be fully mani-

fested in all members and attendees during and after the session.

The 100 days will culminate onsite at the GC session where session attendees will be encouraged to continue to pray together both in the sessions and in our prayer meeting

room at the dome.

Issue #21

O ur heavenly Father created us as social beings with

the desire to seek and create associations. As such

we have a strong desire to be with and around indi-

viduals in our daily

lives. Relationship by definition is

the way in which two or more

things are connected or related.

Relationships help us to meet our

emotional needs for love and self-

worth. This need for emotional

involvement and love may cause us

at times to seek relationships that

are not healthy or are negative and

destructive to our lives. God wants

us to have godly and healthy rela-

tionships and to connect with, be

involved with and love others. The

most important relationship that

you can have is a personal relation-

ship with God. “A man of many

companions may come to ruin, but

there is a friend who sticks closer

than a brother” proverbs 18:24.

Building and developing healthy godly relationships

can be scary but with the right mindset and attitude, a great rela-

tionship will go a long way in creating a happy life. So what

makes a healthy relationship? Answer: Communication, Re-

spect, Trust, Self-Esteem/ Self Worth.

Communication is an essential tool for building healthy

strong relationships with our partners, children and friends. It

allows individuals to talk with and be open with each other,

solve differences and problems, share dreams and aspirations

and to support each other. Healthy communication is speaking

words of love, affirmation, strength, joy and grace. “But as he

which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of

conversation- 1 Peter 1:15.

Respect is a mutual benefitting component of healthy

relationships; it’s about giving and getting and everyone de-

serves it. Your partner’s, friend’s and children’s wishes and feel-

ings have value. Respect in a healthy relationship means you

consider the words you say, the attitude you portray, your will-

ingness to compromise and acknowledgement of other person’s

feelings, needs and wishes. It takes consideration, compassion

and honesty to develop and maintain respect.

Building a healthy relationship is also about trust- reli-

ability, truth, ability of. It is the foundation of a healthy and last-

ing relationship. When there is no trust in a relationship, it cre-

ates feelings of insecurity, anxiety, fear, anger, loss of respect

and love and friendships. To maintain high trust level, individu-

als should be open and honest with each other; keep no secrets,

play no games. In every relationship, it will take time and effort

to build the trust and respect needed to maintain healthy rela-

tionships.

Proverbs 17:22 a merry heart doeth good like a medi-

cine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. It’s important for an

individual to continuously feel good about themselves, and to

develop high self-esteem. Being in an unhealthy relationship can

lower an individual’s self-esteem and create feelings of negative

self worth. Words of affirmation and love can help improve the

self-esteem of each individual in any relationship which helps to

create a healthy environment for the relationship to grow.

In every great relationship,

it takes love, acceptance, faith,

trust, respect, open communication,

support and encouragement. Treat

every relationship you have as a

gift from God; “Every good gift

and every perfect gift is from

above, and cometh down from the

Father of lights, with whom is no

variableness, neither shadow of

turning”-James 1:17KJV

Advice for a Healthy and Happy

Relationship

1. Listen to how you talk

2. Control your Anger

3. Learn to say “I forgive you”, “I

love you”, “I’m sorry”

4. Fighting, “No-no”

5. Find someone to mentor, or find someone to mentor you.

6. Have the habits of giving gifts

7. Treat the person to his/her favourite anything

8. Take a day at the zoo, movies, or even have a dinner by the

fire

9. Use the power of surprise (Find a gift to shock him/her)

10. Learn to communicate in times of troubles

11. For couples, you may want to try breakfast in bed

12. Listen; really listen to each other

13. Motivate each other

Next Issue: Dating with a purpose!

Compiled by Tashawna Harrison

Gregory Park SDA Church

The Light

A section of the officers who took the Litany of Commitment during Offi-

cers’ Commitment service, Sabbath January 3, 2015

Members of the Gregory Park District of Churches Board of Elders lay

hands on Pastor Levi Johnson, President of Central Jamaica Conference

as they pray for him following his presentation at the District Prayer and

Fasting, Sunday January 11, 2015. Kneeling before Pastor Johnson is

Evangelist Fitz Henry who also made a presentation at the Service.

The children listen attentively as Bro and Sis Wilson do the Chil-

dren's Story during Family Life Day, February 7, 2015

Elder Clive Ebanks mans the Gregory Park ‘concession stand’ dur-

ing the District/Community Sports Day in Waterford, February 17,

2015

Members of the Royal Crown Pathfinder Club walk to the Portmore

Mall as a part of their Walk-a-thon, April 5, 2015 Jade McGann, Zudie-Ann Grant and Latoya Moncrieffe perform a

special on March 25, during Youth Week of Prayer

Issue #21

OPERATION PLANT-A-TREE

Pastor Onell Montaque, Elder Cavan Davis and a handful of young persons gather at the back of the church early Sunday morn-ing, January 24, to plant and dedicate a mango tree as a part of the Central Jamaica Conference, Youth Department ‘Plant-A-Tree’ initiative. The symbolic exercise is in response to the imperative of spiritual growth and unity. Each Adventist Youth Society was asked to identify a suitable place on the church compound to plant a fruit tree that will bear within a year.

Issue #21

The Adventist Church’s General Conference Session will take place this year Thursday, July 2, 2015 to Sabbath, July 11, 2015. Below we look at the history and significance of this worldwide gathering of Adventist members and church administrators.

A History of General Conference Session

W H A T I S S E S S I O N ?

The General Conference Session is the forum for electing world church officers and voting changes to the church's Constitution. Delegates also hear reports from each of the 13 administrative regions of the church. Voting delegates for Session represent world regions both by church popu-lation and the self-sustainability of administrative regions. The Constitution states that at least 50 percent of dele-gates shall be laypersons, pastors, teachers, and nonad-ministrative employees, of both genders and representing a range of age groups and nationalities. Church members also have the opportunity to reconnect with friends from around the world.

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N O V E R T I M E While Sessions are now held in football stadiums, pictures from early Sessions show delegates lined along the en-trance to a small church. Back then, the movement's lead-ers came to Session in the U.S. state of Michigan mostly from the Midwest and Northeastern United States by train or by horse and buggy. Today, about one-third of the movement's membership now resides in Africa, with an-other third residing in Central America and South America. Brazil now has more Adventists than any other country - 1.3 million.

S E S S I O N B E G I N N I N G S Seventh-day Adventist leaders met in Battle Creek, Michi-gan in 1863 "for the purpose of organizing a General Con-ference," the minutes from that meeting say. The meeting began on the evening of May 20, during which delegates chose a chairman and a secretary. During the Session, delegates drafted a constitution and bylaws. They also es-tablished leadership of the Conference comprised of a President, Secretary and Treasurer. Today, the same offi-cer structure remains at all levels of church administration. Battle Creek was the site of 26 of the first 31 GC Sessions. The first Session held west of the Mississippi River was in November of 1887 in Oakland, California. Session has been held outside the U.S. three times: in Austria in 1975, the Netherlands in 1995 and in Canada in 2000. San Anto-nio will be the 60th Session.

F R E Q U E N C Y

The time between Sessions has lengthened over the years. Session was held every year until 1891. Session was then held every other year until 1905. Session then took a four-year break followed by another hiatus during World War I before meeting again in 1918. Afterward, Ses-sion was held every four years until the Great Depression -- Session was held in 1930, but then not again until 1936 and then in 1941. Since 1970, Session has been held every five years, as is mandated by the Adventist Church Constitution.

M E E T I N G V E N U E S Recent General Conference Sessions have been held in baseball and football stadiums in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Few other venues in the world offer the necessary amenities for such an event: seating for 70,000-plus atten-dees, venue support staff who speak English (the official business language of the church), reliable and cost-effective transportation, and food safety for a large group.

Church buildings could no longer hold GC Sessions by the early

1900s. Above, delegates meet at the Exposition Auditorium in San

Francisco, California in 1936

Source: http://2015.gcsession.org/, The Official Website of General

Conference Session 2015

The Light

If you see a younger, slimmer, better looking version of yourself from years ago, feel free to laugh out loud as you take a trip down memory lane Youth Retreat 2003, Sunrise, St. Mary — April 18-21

October 17-19

Registration now open

Quaint Location ● Fun & Fellowship Details in the next issue

Issue #21

PUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONS of the Quarterof the Quarterof the Quarter

To get copies of these and other SDA Christian Literature: Speak with your local Publishing Director

Visit your local Book and Nutrition Centre

Kingston, 74 Constant Spring Road.

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Visit the Inter-American Division Book Store Website

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Dimensions: 22 x 28.5 cm • Binding: hardcover

• Pages: 1) 376; 2) 384; 3) 400; 4) 384 • Full-

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Dimensions: 17. 5 x 25 cm • Binding: hardcover

• 64 pages • Full-color illustrations

The Light

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delivering exceptional reading experiences of maga-

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3ABN offers programs on divorce recovery, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, cooking

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This 3ABN app allows you to watch our live streaming television broadcasts and

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This app features the following 3ABN networks:

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Issue #21

Health as a Lifestyle

S chizophrenia is a chronic, disabling brain disorder

that affects about 1% of Americans. It may cause

people to hear voices, see imaginary sights, or be-

lieve other people are controlling their thoughts.

These sensations can be frightening and often lead to erratic

behavior. There is no cure, but treatment can usually control

the most serious symptoms.

Symptoms of schizophrenia may include:

Hallucinations -- hearing or seeing imaginary things

Delusions -- wildly false beliefs

Paranoia -- the fear others are plotting against you

Symptoms may include lack of enjoyment in everyday life and

withdrawal from normal social activities.

People with schizophrenia often have abnormal ways

of thinking. They may have trouble organizing their thoughts

or making logical connections. They may feel like the mind is

racing from one unrelated thought to another. Sometimes

they experience "thought blocking," a feeling that thoughts

are removed from their head. Despite popular belief, schizo-

phrenia is not dissociative identity disorder (multiple personal-

ity disorder.)

Schizophrenia causes a wide range of behaviors.

People may speak incoherently or even make up words. They

may act agitated or appear stone-faced. Many people have

trouble maintaining basic hygiene or orderly

homes. Schizophrenia can also cause repetitive behaviors,

such as pacing. In contrast to common stereotypes, the risk of

violence against others is small.

Schizophrenia affects men and women at the same

rate, and occurs almost equally in all ethnic groups around

the world. Symptoms usually begin between ages 16 and 30.

The onset tends to be earlier in men than in women. Schizo-

phrenia rarely begins during childhood or after age 45. People

with schizophrenia in their family may have a higher risk for

the illness.

The exact cause is not known, but scientists suspect

genes and environment both play a role. Inside the brain, lev-

els of the chemical messengers dopamine and glutamate

may be out of balance. And brain structures may be abnor-

mal, too. For example, brain scans of identical twins show

that the fluid-filled "ventricles" can be larger in a twin with

schizophrenia, compared with a twin who does not have the

illness. Activity levels can also be higher or lower than normal

in some areas of the schizophrenic brain.

There are no lab tests to detect schizophrenia, so a

diagnosis is usually based on history and symptoms. Tests

may be ordered to rule out other medical causes of symp-

toms. In teenagers, a combination of family history and cer-

tain behaviors can help predict the onset of schizophrenia.

These behaviors include withdrawing from social groups and

expressing unusual suspicions.

Prescription drugs can reduce symptoms such as

abnormal thinking, hallucinations, and delusions. It's thought

they work by regulating certain brain chemicals and receptors

that influence thinking, perception, and behavior. Some peo-

ple have troubling side effects, including tremors and weight

gain. Schizophrenia drugs can also interact with other medi-

cations or supplements. In most cases, long-term medication

is essential to managing schizophrenia.

Counseling can help people cope with their problem

behaviors and thoughts, and improve how they relate to oth-

ers. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), people learn to test

the reality of their thoughts and better manage symptoms.

Other forms of therapy aim to improve self-care, communica-

tion, and relationship skills. These strategies are not meant to

replace medication, but can help people already stable on

medication manage everyday challenges.

Rehabilitation may include job training, money man-

agement counseling, and guidance in using public transporta-

tion or shopping for groceries. The goal is to help people with

schizophrenia stay employed and maintain as much inde-

pendence as possible. Rehab programs are particularly effec-

A Guide to Schizophrenia

The Light

Health as a Lifestyle

tive when combined with psychotherapy.

People with schizophrenia sometimes quit their

medications because of side effects or a poor understand-

ing of their illness. This raises the risk of serious symptoms

returning and triggering a full psychotic episode. Regular

psychosocial therapy can help people stay on medication

and avoid a relapse or the need for hospitalization.

Relationships can be a challenge for people with

schizophrenia. Their unusual thoughts and behaviors may

alienate friends, co-workers, and family members. Sticking

to a treatment plan can reduce social isolation. One form of

therapy focuses on forming and nurturing interpersonal

relationships. In addition, support groups or family therapy

can help loved ones better understand the illness.

People with schizophrenia are much more likely

than the general population to abuse drugs or alcohol.

Some drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, can make

symptoms worse. Drug abuse can also interfere with treat-

ments for schizophrenia. Patients with a drug problem may

benefit from substance abuse programs specifically de-

signed for people with schizophrenia.

Most drugs used to treat schizophrenia have no

known risk for increasing the risk of birth defects, but deci-

sions about medication treatment for schizophrenia during

pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor.

Schizophrenia can be confused with other mental

health disorders so a careful evaluation is key. It can also

be difficult to convince someone with schizophrenia to get

help. Treatment often begins when a psychotic episode

results in a hospital stay. Once the person is stabilized,

family members can help prevent a relapse by encouraging

the person to stay on medication and tagging along on fol-

low-up appointments

Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD on April 5, 2014

www.webmd.com

5 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Relying on Crash Diets Determined to lose 10 pounds fast, you turn to a crash diet. Perhaps your plan calls for nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup each day. You slash your daily calories to fewer than 1,000, and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories more slowly, and you usually regain the weight.

2. Skipping Breakfast Skipping breakfast seems like a simple way to cut calories, but it can make you hungry the rest of the day. This may lead to unplanned snacking at work and eating a supersized por-tion at lunch, making calorie counts soar. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber can curb hunger throughout the day. In fact, studies show people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

3. Losing Track of Your Snacks Maybe you count calories at every meal, but what about all those nibbles in between? There's the bag of pretzels at your desk, the little slice of cake at a party, the taste of your son's ice cream cone. All of this mindless munching adds up and could sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet. If you're seri-ous about counting calories, you may want to use your smart-phone or a notebook to keep track of each bite.

4. Sipping Too Many Calories When counting calories, many of us tend to overlook what's in our drinks. This is a big mistake when you consider that some beverages have more than 500 calories. Even the calo-ries in fruit juice and soda can add up quickly. What's worse is that liquid calories don't curb hunger. You're not going to eat any less after a high-calorie drink.

5. Drinking Too Little Water This is one of the simplest diet mistakes to fix. Water is es-sential for burning calories. If you let yourself get dehydrated, your metabolism drags, and that means slower weight loss. So try adding a glass of water to every meal and snack.

Reviewed by Michael Smith, MD on May 9, 2014

www.webmd.com

Issue #21

News continued on next page

The Light shares the following news stories on religion from across the world, for the information of readers. Opinions ex-

pressed in these reports/stories do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Light, the Gregory Park SDA Church or the

Seventh-day Adventist Church

I n an effort to improve attendance, and to increase the

percentage of members involved in evangelism, the lead-

ers and members of the Family of God Church (St. Cath-

erine) are exploring a new format of worship for Sabbath Ser-

vices.

This new format (the first of which was held on Sab-

bath, March 21) saw the Divine Worship service as the first

service of the day, starting at 8:30 a.m. The service was con-

ducted by Pastor Lorenzo King, senior pastor of the Family of

God District of Churches with Pastor Levi Johnson, president

of CJC as the Divine Service speaker.

During his sermon, Pastor Johnson commended the

church and its leaders for this innovative move. He also said

that he is awaiting the evaluation to see the impact of this

new format.

According to Pastor Johnson, “Worship is more than

outward observance. Unless there is an inward experience

with God there is no true worship.” He also said that, “Pastors

are fulfilling the highest duty of their calling when they prepare

themselves and God’s people for worship . . . the fundamen-

tal purpose of worship is to seek God. Therefore, when you

come to worship, it should not just be because you are partici-

pating, but because you need God.”

The divine worship service was followed by Sabbath

School and Personal Ministries activities. After a short break,

Bible Class and Adventist Youth Service ensued. All these ser-

vices ended at 1:00 p.m. so that members could use the time

following for lunch, fellowship and to conduct visitations in the

community. Service for the day resumed at 4:30 p.m. for Ves-

pers that is evangelistic in nature.

Members are encouraged to invite their neighbours

and friends to this special vesper service. According to Pastor

Lorenzo King, “this vesper service is designed to have the

church involved in evangelism all year round.”

Family of God Church explores

new worship format

Damian Chambers

Central Jamaica Conference Website

www.centraja.org

March 22, 2015

110-Year-Old Man Baptized in

Guatemala

The Light

...Continued

A 110-year-old man in Guatemala could well be the old-

est man baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist

Church and an example, church leaders said, that it is

never to late to accept Jesus. Joaquin Tzoc and his new

wife, Petronilla, 98, became the first people in their large fam-

ily to join the Adventist Church when they were baptized in the

mountainous town of San Andrés Sajcabajá near the border

with Mexico .

“Church leaders reminded those witnessing the bap-

tism that it is never too late to give your life to Jesus,” said

Gustavo Menendez, communication director for the Adventist

Church in Guatemala .

Adventist Church cofounder Ellen G. White was still

alive and would continue writing and preaching for another

decade .

Church members visited Tzoc many times in his re-

mote mountainous home over the years, but he always

brushed off the idea of baptism or marrying his common-law

wife, with whom he lived for decades. He said it was too late

to get married because they were so old. Then he got sick

and lost his sight.

“The brethren said God used his circumstances,”

Menendez said. “So he got married, and together they were

baptized.” .

Dozens of people from the Agostadero Adventist

Church crowded around a pool as pastor Anibal Perez and

another church member helped Tzoc into the crystal-blue wa-

ter in late January. His wife was baptized the same day.

The couple has five children and 20 grandchildren.

A t least 10 Seventh-day Adventists were among the

148 people slain when four Islamist militants stormed

a Kenyan university last week in an attack against

Christians, church leaders said Wednesday.

Among the dead is Eric Nyumbuto, leader of the stu-

dent-led Adventist church on the campus of Garissa University

College, a public school in northeastern Kenya.

“Words can’t describe how horrific this event was to

experience,” said Philmon Okal, one of the first police officers

to respond to the attack and the Sabbath School superinten-

dent at the local Garissa Adventist Church.

“But this attack reminds me that the second coming

of Jesus is very near,” Okal said. “We must continue to look

for that day when violence, death and destruction will be no

more.”

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group based in

neighboring Somalia, has claimed responsibility for the Thurs-

day, April 2, attack. The group, which says it wants to “liberate

Muslim lands from occupation,” has staged other attacks

against Christians but none as brutal as last week.

Stanley Rotich, a member of the Garrissa Adventist

Church, said he was in a nearby building when he heard gun-

shots. He immediately called Nyumbuto, the Adventist student

leader, by cell phone. The conversation abruptly ended when

the phone was disconnected. He later learned of his friend’s

death.

Nearly 600 students managed to flee the campus

during the hours-long assault, and about 80 were injured,

some seriously.

Kenya’s president has promised to bring the attack-

ers to justice and ordered bomb strikes against al-Shabab

targets in Somalia. Investigators have detained five suspects

on suspicion of supplying weapons to the attackers.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church on Wednesday

expressed condolences to the loved ones of those who died

and said it mourned with them.

Members of the Garissa church, many of whom were

acquainted with the 10 slain students, said they were

“heartbroken.”

“We are heartbroken by this senseless loss and so-

licit your prayers for all of the victims of this terrible tragedy,”

the church said in a statement.

10 Adventists Killed in Kenyan University Massacre

Adventist News Network

http://news.adventist.org/



University students join a demonstration condemning the

gunmen attack at the Garissa University campus, in the

Kenyan coastal port city of Mombasa



Issue #21

Wed-Thur 1-30 Launch of Singles’ Club in Local Churches

Thur-Mon 2-6 AY Federation Campores

Fri 3 Good Friday

Sab 4 Missionary Magazines

Sab 4 Personal Ministries Day

Sab 4 Vision One Million Celebration - Conference-

wide

Mon 6 Easter Monday

Wed 8 Executive Committee

Fri 10 1st Quarter Reports due at CJC Office

Sab 11 Adventist Mission Emphasis (offering)

Sab 11 Youth Spiritual Commitment Celebration

(Northern Hemisphere)

Sab 11 Stewardship Day – Conference-wide

Sun 12 Communication Workshop – Conference-

wide

Sun 12 & 19 Disaster Preparedness Training

Tue 14 Launch of International Sabbath School

Teachers’ Association – JAMU Chapter

Thur 16 Fruit, Vegetables & Grains Day

Fri-Sun 17-19 Parenting Conference (Conference-wide) –

Palmer’s Cross Church

Sab 18 Literature Evangelism Rally

Sab 25 Christian Education Day

Sab 25 Spiritual Revival Emphasis

Sab 25 Spiritual Emphasis - Educational Institutions

Sab 25 International Evangelism

Sun 26 Commencement of IICM Training – St. Cath-

erine

Fri-Sun 1-31 Children’s & Adventurers’ Month

Fri-Sun 1-31 Drug Awareness Month

Fri-Sun 1-31 Parish/Federation Sports Days

Sab 2 Community Services Evangelism

Sab 2 Children’s Emphasis & Baptismal Day

Sab 2 Children’s Convention (Linstead Church)

Sab 2* Day of the SDA Books (IADPA)

Sab 2* Disaster & Famine Relief Emphasis

Sab 9* Tell the World: Big Cities

Sab 9 Children’s Convention (Portmore Church)

Sun 10 Mother’s Day


Sab 18 Children’s Convention (May Pen Church)

Sab 18 Youth Day – Conference-wide

Sab 16* Sabbath of Hope


Sab 23 Schools of Prayer in IAD Territory

Sab 23 Children’s Convention (Mandeville Church)

Sab/Mon 23(25) Labour Day

Sun 24 Five K-run/Walk (O-SAY) for Better Commu-

nities

Mon 25 Federations Labour Day Projects

Sab 30 Children’s Convention (Sydenham Church)

Sab 6 Bible Correspondence School Emphasis

Sab 6* Women’s Ministry Emphasis

Sab 6 Personal Ministries Day


Sab 13 Adventist Laypersons Service & Industries

(ASI) Day

Sab 13 Men’s Day of Prayer

Sun 14 Young Professionals’ Brunch – Versalles

Hotel, May Pen


Sab 20 Launch of Lay Workers’ Museum

Sab 20 Youth Day – Conference-wide

Sab 20 Elders’ Appreciation Day

Sun 21 Father’s Day

Sab 27 Vision One Million Baptismal Day

Sab 27 13th Sabbath Offering (Northern Asia-Pacific

Division)

April

May

June

*Programme provided by the General Conference or by the Inter-American Divi-sion

**One week before each “Mission To The Big City/Town Outreach” all night prayer meeting

on the Saturday night at the main church

+Worldwide Offering. Special offerings are included in the systematic plan of the Division

# Organized Baptisms are conducted and recognition of those baptized during the

quarter

Central Jamaica Conference, Second Quarter

Documents

The Light Issue #21