A Publication of the Gregory Park SDA Church Communication Department

December 2010 Issue #4

Good Gifts God Gives

T he church was regally draped in the Jamaican colours of black, green and gold with members presenting them-selves in like colours for the Sabbath

Service. An altar with an assortment of fruits, vegetables and ground provisions was prepared. The Gregory Park SDA Church cele-brated a weekend of Grand Harvest Thanksgiv-ing celebration from December 17-19, under the theme Good Gifts God Gives, with members bring-ing gifts from the soil to be presented in thank-fulness to God for His blessings. The three-day programme started with a Friday evening vesper service presented by the always enthralling Male Chorale, under the caption When we Give Gifts to the Lord. The Sabbath School and the Advent-ist Youth Services on Sabbath emphasized the amazing health benefits derived from the foods given to us from nature. The Family Life De-partment, which conducted the morning’s por-tion of the programme, explained that fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fiber that may help protect from chronic diseases, strokes, cancers and other lifestyle diseases. The Children’s Ministry De-partment continued the theme in the afternoon

service, looking at Go, Grow and Glow Foods. The Divine Hour sermon was

presented by the beloved Pastor Na-than Jackson, who served the circuit

from 2002-2006. Pastor Jack-son’s presentation centred on

the scripture found in Mat-thew 25: 1-21, which

speaks to the well known parable of the ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom. He exhorted the congregation not to become weary in wait-ing but to know that the second coming of Jesus is at hand and we must be prepared individually, as the preparation made by one will not suffice to save another. The Harvest Sunday was indeed a Grand finale to a weekend of thanksgiving and praise. From as early as 7:00 am Sunday morn-ing, the Church courtyard was abuzz with the movements of fresh produce, the setting up of tents and stalls, bounce-a-bout for the children, preparation of cooked meals and the delivery of produce of all kind. A brief worship service began with a lusty song service by the combined voices of the praise team and the congregation. Guest speaker Elder Valbert Walker from the Waterford SDA Church, reflected on the passage found in James 1: 17-18 which states 17Every 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. 18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Elder Walker reminded the congrega-tion that it was a tradition of ancient Israel to present to the Lord the first fruit of the harvest; a tradition they anxiously looked forward to in recognition of God’s goodness and mercy to His people. He also noted that God is the only one that can give good gifts as humans in their sinful state cannot give good gifts but anything given by God is indeed good and perfect.

After prayer, the programme was taken outside the sanctuary for the Harvest portion of programme. The trading of ground provisions, fruits, vegetables, cooked meals, pastry and drinks were intertwined with a steady procession of songs and items from various groups and talents of the Church. Hosted by Lesa-Gail Rose, the festive and attentive gathering was entertained with items from the women’s choir – with a rendition of Carry mi ackee go a Linstead Market as their bandana-print skirts swayed to the rhythm, and an off-key rendition of Silent Night by the ‘chefs’ which proved why their talents where best confined to the kitchen. Other items were offered by Shantel Livingston, Alex Anderson, Hernando Henry, Kereisha Barrett, Ambiance, Jade McGann, Jeudeen Chambers and Terrence McLaughlin among others. Pastor Campbell in his Sabbath greet-

ings, as did other presenters throughout the

weekend’s programme, acknowledged that this

harvest was a mere foretaste of the grand har-

vest which is to come, when Christ shall return

to reap his children for eternity - a glorious day

for which we are to prune and prepare our-

selves.

Special 12-page

Year-end

issue

Page 2

Damian Wilson, Communication Director

Issue #4

Editorial Committee:

Tashawna Anderson Michca-Mae Bonner

Wayne Harrison Marjorie Stone

Fiona Dyer Wilson Damian Wilson

3

WOMEN’S RETREAT

Table of

5

6

‘TIS THE SEASON?

7

8

FACEBOOK ADDICTION Adventist name

9

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? THE LIGHT ADVENTIST RESOURCES

7 TIPS FOR MAKING THE TRANSITION TO A VEGETARIAN DIET

10

11

12 Harvest 2010 NEWS & NOTES

4 SCENES OF THE QUARTER

SMALL GROUP MINISTRY Publications

It is my distinct honor and privilege to share in the publication of the Gregory Park SDA Church, “The Light”. What a wonderful vehi-cle it is in motoring the Everlasting Gospel to

a dying world. I must commend the Communication Department and by extension the church for such a brilliant initiative in allowing the Light to be seen.

The Scripture tells us clearly of the condition of man without Jesus in his life: “Dead in trespasses and sin; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;” no soundness in it: we are held fast in the snare of Satan: taken captive by him of his will. (Ephesians 2:1; Isaiah 1:5, 6; 2 Timothy 2:26). Hu-manity is in the valley of the shadow of death, thus he is without hope. Thanks be to God, He sends the Light. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16, 17).

As members of the church we are so privileged to be instru-mental in reflecting the Light of salvation to the world. The Lord speaks through His servant Peter to the church: ‘But ye are a chosen gen-eration, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praise of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.’ (1 Peter 2:9). The church can only carry forth this mission through the power and presence of Jesus.

The year 2010 is at its close and we are on the threshold of 2011. By the grace of God the church will be revived and mobilized following the method of Jesus - two by two, small groups, two weeks, three weeks reaping programmes, the proclamation of the word at street meetings, friendship evangelism, etc.

I implore us fellow members of the church, and friends of the church, the Light of the world is Jesus and it was given so we may walk therein and be saved – the day is fast approaching when this privi-lege will be taken from us. Let us embrace it with every fiber of our being, giving our all to Him. God will embrace us with His love and grace.

from the PASTOR

The Communication Department would like to express its gratitude to Pastor Dudley Mullings for his support, particularly to the Light.

May the Lord continue to bless you and your family as you avail yourself to the service and leadership of His Church.

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,

which he bought with his own blood. (Act 20:28, NIV)

Ordained for His Service

Blondel CAMPBELL

Pastor, Gregory Park Circuit of SDA Churches

The Light

Christmas from a Historical PerspectiveChristmas from a Historical Perspective

T here are thousands of Seventh-day Adventists with mixed

feelings at this time of the year. Many dubious and con-

fused, others inundated with guilt wanting to share in the

„traditional‟ festivities of the season- gift giving, Santa Claus,

Christmas tree and decorative lights.

E. G. White, points out that “there is no divine sanctity

resting upon the twenty-fifth of December; and it is not pleasing to

God that anything that concerns the salvation of men through

the infinite sacrifice made for them, should be so sadly perverted

from its professed design. Christ should be the supreme object; but

as Christmas has been observed, the glory is turned from Him to

mortal man, whose sinful, defective character made it necessary

for Him to come to our world.”i

Believe it or not, many of the traditions observed during

the Christmas holiday season began way before the birth of

Christ. The exchanging of gifts, decorating trees, and the burning

of the Yule log were all winter traditions that began before Christ

was born, but were eventually incorporated into the holiday that

became known as Christmas.

The word Christmas comes from the old English "Cristes

maesse" meaning Christ's Mass. The exact day of Jesus‟ birth is not

known; but it was the early Church Fathers about the 4th century

who fixed the day around the old Roman celebration of Saturna-

lia, a pagan festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and

plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th of December. The choice of

December for the celebration of Christ „s birth, also goes well with

the mid-winter festivals in ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Ger-

manic fertility festivals which also took place at this time. The birth

of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia was celebrated on Decem-

ber 25th, as was the birth of the Persian sun-god, Mithras.ii

It is from Scandinavia that most of the Yule log traditions

came. Yuletide, meaning the turning of the sun or the winter sol-

stice, has traditionally been a time of extreme importance in

Scandinavia - a time when fortunes for the coming year were

determined and when the dead were thought to walk the earth.iii

For the celebrations of these pagan gods, public gather-

ing places were decorated with flowers; gifts and candles were

exchanged and the general population, slaves and masters alike,

celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm. The pagan tradi-

tions are clearly perpetuated in the celebrations of Christmas to-

day.

In fact the first mention of the birthday of Jesus is from

the year 354 AD. Gradually all Christian churches, except Armeni-

ans who celebrate Christmas on January 6 (the date of the bap-

tism of Jesus as well as the day of the three Magi), accepted the

date of December 25th.

In the early church celebration of birthdays- even includ-

ing that of Christ - was rejected as a pagan tradition by most

Christians during the first three hundred years of Christianity. But

the matter became increasingly controversial, partly in reaction to

the claims by Gnostics that Jesus had not been mortal, Christians

began to emphasize the Nativity.

Ellen G. White postulates that December 25th is ac-

cepted by the unbelieving world and by the Christian world gen-

erally, as the day on which Christ was born. When the world at

large celebrates the day, they show no honour to Christ. They

refuse to acknowledge Him as their Saviour, to honour Him by

willing obedience to His service. They show preference to the day,

but none to the one for whom the day is celebrated, Jesus Christ.

The twenty-fifth of December is supposed to be the day

of the birth of Jesus Christ and its observance has become cus-

tomary and popular, but yet there is no certainty that we are

keeping the veritable day of our Saviour's birth. History gives us no

certain assurance of this and the Bible does not give us the pre-

cise time.

E.G. White contends that, had the Lord deemed this

knowledge essential to our salvation, He would have spoken

through His prophets and apostles that we might know all about

the matter of the date of Christ birth. But the silence of the Scrip-

tures on this point is evidence that it is hidden from us for the wisest

purposes. The birth of Christ for the Adventist should be a matter

celebrated all year through.

The Protestant Reformation in 16th century Europe was

associated with a profound rejection of the Roman Church and a

return to scripture as the ultimate source of spiritual authority.

There was no scriptural support to be found for celebration of

Christmas, no commandment that Christ's birthday be observed

and no date of birth had been given that could be used for the

celebration. Martin Luther called Rome a modern "Babylon." Par-

allels could be drawn with the mother-goddess worship of ancient

Babylon. The birthday of Mithras and the festivals of Saturnalia for

the celebration of Christ would be symptoms of the paganism

upon which the Romans had built the Catholic Church.

In 1583 the Presbyterian Church suppressed the observa-

tion of Christmas in Scotland because there are no biblical refer-

ences to Christmas celebrations or any biblical commandments

to celebrate the birthday of Christ. The Church of Scotland contin-

ued to discourage the celebration of Christmas, which remained

a normal working day in Scotland until 1958.

There are no scriptural/spiritual traditions found in the

most common practices of Christmas:

1. In Scandinavia, a period of festivities known as Yule contributed

another impetus to celebration, as opposed to spirituality. As Win-

ter ended the growing season, the opportunity of enjoying the

Summer's bounty encouraged much feasting and merriment.

2. The Celtic culture of the British Isles revered all green plants, but

particularly mistletoe and holly. These were important symbols of

fertility and were used for decorating their homes and altars.

3. New Christmas customs appeared in the Middle Ages. The most

prominent contribution was the carol, which by the 14th century

had become associated with the religious observance of the birth

of Christ.

4. In Italy, a tradition developed for re-enacting the birth of Christ

and the construction of scenes of the nativity. This is said to have

been introduced by Saint Francis as part of his efforts to bring spiri-

tual knowledge to the laity.

5. Saint Days have also contributed to our Christmas celebrations.

A prominent figure in today's Christmas is Saint Nicholas who for

centuries has been honoured on December 6th. He was one of

the forerunners of Santa Claus.

6. Another popular ritual was the burning of the Yule Log, which is

strongly embedded in the pagan worship of vegetation and fire,

as well as being associated with magical and spiritual powers.

by Fiona DYER-WILSON

Continued on page 6

Issue #4

Music Day 2010 (Oct 9) - MELODIES FROM THE HEART. The combined and children‟s choir (top left); Pastor Mullings delivers the message (top right);

The group Chosen, from Waterford SDA Church (bottom left); the Gregory Park Youth Choir (centre) and the Male Chorale (bottom right)

Children‟s Day (Oct 16) - Four young persons presented the Divine Hour message:

Khalangi Gayle, Shekinah Morgan, Javaun Powell and Abigail Anderson; while the

Children‟s Choir delivered one of the day‟s Special Songs

The Light

Pastor Blondel Campbell with his wife Maxine take the platform for the

first time as the Pastor of Gregory Park SDA Church, Nov 6, 2010

AY Council Members kick off Youth Month, November 6, 2010

Members of the Gregory Park Praise Team conduct song service during

the Youth Empowerment Weekend at Waterford SDA Church (Nov. 2. 10)

The Chefs leave the kitchen to perform during Harvest 2010

Day of the Pastor (Oct 23). Elder Cavan Davis (right) MCs a special programme

acknowledging the work of Pastors Dudley Mullings and Waren Muir

(Harvest 2010) Pastor Nathan Jackson presents the Divine Hour Message

Issue #4

S eventh-day Adventists are called to the eternal commission to

reach others with the gospel of Christ. Small group evangelism

is a not a new approach but a divinely inspired method of evan-

gelism to fulfill the mission given to the Church.

This programme of evangelism was re-introduced to the Greg-

ory Park Church by Pastor Waren Muir who conducted an intense train-

ing programme with members of the church. Group leaders were pre-

pared and equipped with the tools to effectively establish and lead these

small groups in the various communities served by the Gregory Park

Church and have since grown in strength and effectiveness. Here is

what the Pen Inspiration has written concerning small group evangel-

ism:

―The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian

effort has been presented to me by One who cannot err1. Let there be in

every church, well-organized companies of workers to labor in the vicin-

ity of that church2. The church of Christ on earth was organized for

missionary purposes, and the Lord desires to see the entire church devis-

ing ways and means whereby high and low, rich and poor, may hear the

message of truth3.‖

When we are led by the Spirit of God we can achieve great

heights in advancing the mission. Presently, small group evangelism is

one of the most effective ways that the church is reaching the commu-

nity one person at a time. Weekly meetings are conducted in the homes

of members of the church and provides a personal setting in which

members and prospective believers can share in a structured study of the

Bible. The meetings take a one hour format that incorporates bible

study, praise and fellowship. Essentially, small groups take the church to

the community. God has wrought successes through the small group

evangelism effort of the Gregory Park Church. Many persons have been

baptized while members are encouraged to remain faithful to their call-

ing. Today, there are approximately nine small group meetings held

across the general Gregory Park/Portmore area including Caymanas

Gardens, Christian Meadows and Independence City, with an average

membership of six persons per group. Meetings are held throughout the

week at designated times at the various locations.

There is an extremely important work for God‘s people to do

in this time, let us work earnestly and join in the small group evangelis-

tic thrust. Just think of it! If each one of us truly reaches another with the

gospel of Christ what a glorious day that will be. Join a small group

today and let this be your Portal of Praise.

Portal of Praise: Small Group Ministry

by Elder Wayne Harrison

1 Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 21, 22. (ChS 72.2) 2 Review and Herald, Sept. 29, 1891. (ChS 72.3) 3 Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 29. (ChS 72.6)

*For more information on how you can join a small group in

your area, contact Michelle Roper-Carty, Small Group Coordi-

nator; Gregory Park SDA Church

Start 2011 with these devotional books devoted

exclusively to the subject of Bible doctrines. The daily

readings are selections from previously published and

unpublished writings of Ellen White that relate to the

basic truths of Scripture. These devotionals are both

inspirational and informative. Make your resolution to

have a committed relationship with Jesus each day.

Celebrating Christmas has been controversial since its inception.

Since numerous festivities found their roots in pagan practices,

they were greatly frowned upon by conservatives within the

Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent excesses pre-

sented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the Nativity, and

many people throughout the centuries and into the present,

condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of

Christmas.

In spite of the historical evidence of a strong pagan

background to the creation of Christmas, White further points out

that at Christmas, “let not the parents take the position that an

evergreen placed in the church for the amusement of the Sab-

bath school scholars is a sin; for it may be made a great bless-

ing.”

She admonishes the older church members to “unite,

heart and soul, with their children in their innocent amusement

and recreation, in devising ways and means to show true respect

to Jesus by bringing to Him gifts and offerings...Let the gifts you

have usually bestowed upon one another be placed in the

Lord's treasury.” iv

Let everything that you do during this season be to the

glory of God, rich, pure, holy and acceptable to God. Shall we

not have such a season as Heaven can approve?

i http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/christmas.html#Christmas is Coming

ii http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-hist.htmlarliest

iii http://www.ridgenet.org/Szaflik/history.htm

iv http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/christmas.html#Christmas is

Coming

‘Tis the season? (cont‟d from page 3)

Christmas from a Historical Perspective

The Light

Source: Official Seventh-day Adventist Website

www.advenstist.org; Used with permission

It was in 1860 that pioneers meeting in Battle Creek, Michigan

chose the name for a movement that had about 2,500 adherents in

Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Today, that

movement has more than 16 million adult baptized members and

operates the largest Protestant network of schools and hospitals

worldwide.

Regarding the name selection, Adventist Church co-

founder Ellen White later wrote, "The name Seventh-day Adventist

carries the true features of our faith in front, and will convict the

inquiring mind." „Seventh-day‟ refers to the denomination‟s day of

worship, taken from the Fourth Commandment in the book of

Exodus. „Adventist‟ refers to the Second Advent of Jesus, or the

Second Coming.

Though the name came to describe the church, it was

originally chosen for the early movement's publishing work. In

1860, leaders called a general meeting, which brought together 25

ministers, with church co-founder James White urging the formation

of an organization that could legally own a publishing house.

Without a legal name, however, it could accomplish little.

Many favored “Church of God,” including

White, but some soon found the name presumptuous. Besides, other

movements were already employing the name.

David Hewitt, a Battle Creek resident, then intro-

duced and formally proposed the name „Seventh-day Adventist,"

which would come to brand not only the publishing work, but the

movement itself.

October 1 marked the

150th Anniversary of

the ADVENTIST name

Before they adopted the Seventh-day Advent-

ist name, the first Sabbath-keeping congrega-

tion worshiped in this simple white church in

Washington, New Hampshire.

I n last quarter‘s issue of the Light, we looked at the use of social

networking sites, particularly Facebook, their overwhelming

growth and popularity of these sites as well as how Christians

should approach the use of these sites. In this article we explore

an issue raised in the last publication, a possible ‗Facebook Addiction

Disorder (FAD).‘

The notion of a literal addiction to the site has steadily

gained steam, even within the medical/psychological community.

After US psychologists began their probe into a possible FAD, an

estimated 350 million users worldwide admitted to being FB addicts.

More than 500 groups for addicts have been created on Facebook,

where members joke about their dependence on the site.1

Such persons commonly exhibit the following behavior: (i)

a desire to increase usage, (ii) reduction or cessation causes great

distress or anxiety (iii) other social interactions and communications

are diverted into Facebook and (iv) whenever persons encounter new

people they ask if they have a Facebook account, and continue ‗add

me there‘ or might say ‗see you on Facebook.‘2

A Huffington Post article lists ten other specific signs that

may indicate that you may be addicted to Facebook. These are:

1. Facebook is your home page.

2. You update your status more than twice a day.

3. You have over 500 ‗friends‘ half of whom you‘ve never actually

met.

4. As soon as you step away from your computer you‘re on FB on

your phone.

5. You are a FB stalker. You qualify as a FB stalker if you

a) click on someone‘s profile more than once a day even if they have-

n't messaged or tagged you in a photo; or actually go to a place men-

tioned on someone's page in hopes of seeing them in real life

6. You change your profile picture regularly.

7. You have checked your FB page while reading this article.

8. You clean up your ‗wall‘ so it looks like you spend less time on

FB.

9. You are a member of more than 10 groups and respond to every

event invitation ‗attending‘ even if you have no intention of going.

10. You change your relationship status just to mess with people.3

One website gives tips on how a self-professed FB addict

may address his/her compulsion4. As with most addictions it is neces-

sary that one acknowledges and accepts the problem which may help

the individual to monitor his or her usage and set guidelines as to

length of use and time of day. One may also consider alternative

things that he or she could be doing, and actually do them instead,

e.g. exercising, reading a book, studying, cleaning, learning a new

language etc.

Finally, if all these fail – if schedules and alternatives are

proving difficult to stick to, it may be time to either deactivate your

account or delete it completely. It may be the last resort to kicking

your FB habit, and therefore very necessary.

The Bible clearly admonishes us against alcohol, drugs

and other sexually-related forms of addiction. But other less

„dangerous‟ addictions come in various forms. 1 Corinthians 6: 12

says “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful.

“All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by any-

thing. Several passages and verses stress that moderation, temper-

ance and self-control are indispensable to the Christian walk. Let this

not be the ‗lawful‘ thing to which we become ‗enslaved.‘

1. 350 million people are suffering from Facebook addiction disorder,

posted January 28, 2010. http://sickfacebook.com/350million-people-

suffering-facebook -addiction-disorder-fad/

2. Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD), signs and symptoms

posted April 9, 2010. http://answersto.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/

face book-addiction-disorder-fad-signs-and-symptoms/

3. Help I‟m addicted to Facebook, posted February 12, 2009

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tara-stiles/help-im-addicted-to-faceb

_b_ 166726.html

4. How to Quit Facebook

http://www.wikihow.com/Quit-Facebook

ADDICTED TO

FACEBOOK?

Social Networking & Christianity

- Damian Wilson

Issue #4

Women’s Retreat 2010

T he Women’s Ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist church ‘…exists to uphold, encourage and challenge Adventist women in their pilgrimage as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of His world church.’1 The

Women’s Ministries Department of the Gregory Park Seventh-day Adventist church upholds this mission statement in all its activities. As a result its annual retreat has become a mile-stone event as women, following Jesus’ example, would usu-ally go to a serene, rustic environment for reflection, relaxa-tion, recreation and rejuvenation . From such an experience women are spiritually recharged and empowered to continue ‘uplifting Christ in the church and in the world.’1

Women’s retreat 2010 took place at the Hunny Bay Resort, St. Ann from October 17-19. A vibrant mix of youth, adult and senior women left Gregory Park Seventh-day Ad-ventist church on Sabbath morning October 16, expectant, joyful and excited. The theme for the weekend was ‘Women on the Mission for Christ’

Devotions were conducted on the bus by Women’s Ministries Director, Elder Janet Able-Simpson. She urged the women to ‘Bloom Where You Are’. After which souls were enraptured by the lusty singing of Sabbath songs and hymns. We then proceeded into the mission report and lesson study.

The women then shared in the fellowship of the be-lievers at the Ocho Rios Seventh-day Adventist church. Fi-nally we arrived at Hunny Bay Resort where we settled in and prepared for the weekend’s activities.

The first session of the retreat began at 4:30 pm under the caption ‘A Woman after God’s Own Heart’. The presentation, done by Elder Angela Chambers, was incisive and informative. The women came under the conviction that a mediocre Christian walk is no substitute for the rich spiritual experience which is God’s ideal for us. The ensuing presen-tations on Sunday were equally spirit-filled and thought pro-voking sessions which were a hallmark of the retreat. Issues addressed included: temperance, being better workers, and how to improve self-image.

Another highlight of the retreat was the banquet held on Sunday night. The talents among us came to the fore as the banquet hall was elaborately decorated, leaving even the proprietor and staff in awe of the transformation. As the ladies strolled in in their banquet attire no one could have predicted

the night of entertainment and fun that was in store. Jeudeen, Jolene and Marlene were awesome as they led the night’s

proceedings. The proprietor lingered beyond working hours to join in the festivities, as the women regaled us with some of the ‘senior moments’ they had experienced. The poets, dub poets, songwriters, dramatists, models and a new group ‘the Golden Girls’ all emerged as the night progressed. It was a night of Christian fun and laughter. The lyrics from one of the nights many performances best sum up the sentiment of the group.

….. Women’s retreat 2010

A principles we a defen’

If we stan fi de right

God wi gi wi de might

Women’s retreat 2010…..

Monday, the day of our departure, was marked by a beautiful sunrise devotional exercise on the beach, led by Sis. Gloria Williams. The retreat’s last session was a panel entitled ‘Better Christians’. In our reflection, as we prepared for departure, it was the general consensus that we had all been blessed. Hunny Bay Resort was an excellent host, pro-viding top-notch service. Above all our spiritual and social objectives had been met. Indeed we had been revived, re-charged and empowered to continue on our Mission for

Christ.

1 General Conference's Women's Ministries Department,

http://adventistwomensministries.org/

by Marjorie Stone

The ‘Golden Girls’ in Action

The women are all smiles as Women’s Retreat 2010 winds down

The Light

S asha-Shae Shaw (there‘s a dose of

tongue twists for you), left Jamaica

and the Gregory Park SDA Church in

2003 to complete her studies in the

United States. There she excelled

academically and recently graduated from the

prestigious Andrew‘s University in Michigan.

She completed her undergraduate studies in

July 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Visual Arts.

Since migrating, Sasha has remained

an active worker for the Lord, joining the

fellowship of brethren at Solid Rock Seventh-

day Adventist Church, Far Rock Away, New

York. She has served in a number of offices in

her church, including AY Secretary and

Assistant Sabbath School Teacher for the

Cornerstone class. A former member of the

Gregory Park Youth choir, she has continued

to sing praises to the Lord at her current

church as a member of the youth choir. She

was also a member of her University choir.

Recounting her memories of

Gregory Park, she says, ―I haven't been back

to Jamaica, since leaving, I do keep in touch,

however, with friends from the church, like

Sherika, Karen, Kajha, Tavia, Terence and

Wayne to name a few. I do plan to visit, God's

willing when the time and funding will allow.

I absolutely miss the worship experience at

Gregory Park. While services here are great, I

do miss the GP Youth Choir, the Retreats, the

AY programs and overall the fellowship with

the members.‖

Sasha maintains that her experiences

while studying at University have been

memorable and enjoyable. She has started and

designed her very own blog, (a shared online

journal); this she states is a ‗passionate

hobby‘. The name of the blog site is

Afroniquely You (http://afroniquelyyou.com).

Sasha uses this blog to highlight and address

topics including lifestyle, natural hair care,

and in essence, ways of taking care and

viewing one‘s self in a positive light. ―The

response to the blog has been excellent‖ she

says. ―What started as just documenting my

hair journey has now become a way to share

methods, tips and more with others. It's now a

community, chock full of information useful

not only for hair, but for lifestyle.‖

She also enjoys spending her time

volunteering, both in school, church and

community projects. ―I have volunteered at

my church working with the VBS and other

departments, also at school, I volunteered at

various benefit concerts/fashion shows,

community projects around the area, and

ministering in a sign language group,‖ she

explains.―What's best about volunteering is

that, you get so much back than you give, that

is happiness and a deeper appreciation for life,

it's the little things in life that counts.‖

In the near future, Sasha-Shae

envisions herself establishing community

based service projects that would help students

who are unable to afford the cost for tertiary

education. This is a cause that is dear to her

heart as she can relate to her own personal

challenge in financing her education but the

Lord has seen her through it all and she prays

that this vision will become a reality . In addition to this goal, she

continues to strive for excellence in her

career field of Visual Arts and Design and of

course, you will definitely find her ―blogging‖

on Afroniquely You. Sasha says ―Overall I'd

like to be one change in the world that not

only gives back something positive, but one

who gives all my energies to the cause of Lord

to help others be ready as we prepare for His

soon return.‖

communications.gpsda@gmail.com

If you haven’t received last

quarter’s issue of The Light via

email, please see any member of

Editorial Committee or email us

at the address below.

If you are also inter-

ested in submitting material to

THE LIGHT for publication,

you may also contact any mem-

ber of Editorial Committee or

email us.

Please send your comments,

opinions or feedback to:

Central Jamaica Conference

■ http://www.centralja.org

Vibrant Life Health Magazine

■ http://www.vibrantlife.com

Advent Source

■ http://adventsource.org

Three Angel Global Networking (TAGnet)

■ http://home.tagnet.info

Elders Digest Magazine

■ http://eldersdigest.org

It is Written Ministries ■ http://itiswritten.com

RESOURCES

Below are links to some important sources

where you can find information related to the

Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Where are they

Sasha-Shae Shaw

HEALTH AS A LIFESTYLE Issue #4

My girlfriends and I were having lunch

recently, chatting about our husbands and

families, when we got into a conversation

about vegetarianism. My friends faced a

challenge: they knew a vegetarian diet is

beneficial for optimal health, is great for

the environment, and can add years to your

life; but how could they make the transition

to a vegetarian diet smooth and painless for their families? .

As we chatted I shared practical

suggestions I‘ve learned from personal and

professional experience, a few tips to make

the process easier:

1. Get support. First things first: if you

are attempting the transition to a vegetarian diet, it is best to have a support group. Why

go it alone? Recruit your friends, family, or

coworkers to help keep you faithful. It‘s

much easier to stick to the transition if you

have people supporting you. Although your

family might not like the idea of switching

from a meat-lover‘s pizza to a veggie-

lover‘s, do your best to gain their support.

Reassure them that a vegetarian diet isn‘t

just salads and vegetables, but a wide vari-

ety of foods that are full of flavor. Once you have recruited a few people, you‘ll be

able to offer each other encouragement,

share recipes, and try new foods together.

2. Transition slowly. The majority of the

time, change doesn‘t happen overnight. It‘s

easy to get discouraged and burned out if

you try to change too much too quickly. Often the people who try to go it all at once

end up quitting because they think it is too

hard. Begin with eating a vegetarian

meal Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and

then work up from there. Two to three

vegetarian weeknight dinners is a great

place to start and, as you will discover, is

usually not a drastic change. Week by

week, as you feel comfortable, you can

increase the frequency of vegetarian meals,

and in no time you will be eating vegetar-

ian meals every day of the week. No one

ever said you have to do it all at once.

3. Get the staples. Stocking your pantry

with staple items is a must for making a

smooth transition. Begin with a variety of

beans and legumes. Canned or dried beans

(garbanzo, kidney, black, pinto) make a

hearty main or side dish for any vegetarian meal. Bulgur wheat, quinoa, brown rice,

oats, barley, and whole-grain pasta are also

convenient, healthy, and hearty must-

haves. Your spice cabinet is also ex-

tremely important and will add the flair

your taste buds need. Who wants boring

food? Cumin, coriander, chili powder,

curry powder, and turmeric are just a few

of the spices that can add flavor to your

food. Experiment a little, and the people at

your dinner table will be fascinated with an array of exciting dishes that are colorful

and flavorful.

In the refrigerator keep a supply

of the fruits and vegetables your family

likes. As part of the transition, look up new

ways to cook those favorites, beyond the

u s u a l b o i l i n g a n d f r y i n g .

If you keep items that are essen-

tial to a vegetarian diet on hand, then it will

be much more convenient to prepare meals

in a flash.

4. Go shopping—for cookbooks. Treat

yourself to a few great vegetarian cook-

books. Having the same food every meal

will become mundane for your family, so

make it fun and experiment with new foods

and recipes. Order a few books from the

Internet or ask for recommendations at your local bookstore. If you have vegetar-

ian friends, they will probably be glad to

share a few suggestions—and a few recipes

of their own—as well.

5. Make a plan. Meal planning is one of

the most important aspects of transitioning

to a vegetarian diet. It‘s important to plan

ahead, because when you don‘t know what to make, you‘ll end up not making any-

thing at all, preparing your go-to meat dish,

or just eating out. It may not feel natural at

first, but schedule a time, perhaps on a

Sunday afternoon, to sit down and figure

out your meals for the week. Get out the

cookbooks, recipes, and magazines and

plan four to five weeknight meals. Go gro-

cery shopping that day, and you‘ll be set

for a week of scrumptious vegetarian

meals.

6. Explore your local market or food

vendor. If you are looking for the freshest

in-season produce, head to your local mar-

ket or food vendor. Since there is no pack-

ing and shipping involved, the produce at

local markets is able to stay on the vine

longer and fully mature before being sold.

In contrast, supermarket produce can be picked weeks before it ever ends up on the

produce aisle. Another bonus; you will

enjoy your food more if it is fresh and har-

vested at its peak.

7. Be creative. Being a vegetarian should

not be drab. There are more resources

available to vegetarians than ever before—so use them! Keep it interesting and excit-

ing by trying new fruits and vegetables,

cooking flavorful recipes, and remember-

ing that variety is key.

April Hamilton is an avid vegetarian and

cofounder of a nutrition business. She

enjoys trying new recipes and writing

about health from Wilmington, North

Carolina.

The Vibrant Life, Review and Herald

Publishing; Posted July 1, 2010

Article and images used with permis-

sion

7 Tips for Making the Transition

To a Vegetarian Diet

The Light

The Church Manual states that “the local elder must be one recog-

nized by the church as a strong religious and spiritual leader, and

must have a good reputation…and by precept and example must

continually seek to lead the church into a deeper and fuller Chris-

tian experience.” The Gregory Park SDA Church believes these

qualities can be found in these four persons. Sharon Bonner, An-

gela Chambers, Janet Able-Simpson and Wayne Harrison were or-

dained as elders in a special Divine Hour service on October 30,

2010.

The ordainees were led into the church after the prelimi-

naries, by an ordained elder currently serving the church. The pro-

cession of ordainees was led by Sharon Bonner who was accompa-

nied by Elder Donavon Smiley, followed by Angela Chambers ac-

companied by Elder Cavan Davis, Janet Able-Simpson escorted by

Elder Edward Chambers and Wayne Harrison escorted by Elder

Jamsine Stubbs.

Officiating Pastor, Dudley Mullings, presented a charge to

the ordainees under the caption, „Keeping the main thing the main

thing.‟ He used passages from 1 John 1: 5-7 and Isaiah 61: 1-2, to

speak to the responsibilities of elders – maintaining the unity and

faith of the church as well as showing concern for the poor and

oppressed. Pastor Mullings also added that “the important thing in

the meantime, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is to try and

„keep the main thing…the main thing!‟ That is why, in the midst of

all our business and confusion, nothing must get in the way of our

basic spiritual disciplines as Christian people – daily prayer and

Bible study, witnessing and leading the church into greater experi-

ence.” After the message, and prayer of ordination, each Elder

was presented with a Certificate of Ordination. They were then

warmly welcomed into the fellowship of the Board of Elders, by the

ordained elders of the Church, with amorous embrace and words of

encouragement and congratulations.

The newly-minted Elders also officiated in their first service, joining

the Pastor and other elders on the platform where Elder Harrison

led out in the closing song while Elder Able-Simpson offered the

benediction to conclude the service.

Meet the Elders

Elder Sharon Bonner

Elder Bonner accepted the faith in 1970 through baptism at the

Shortwood SDA Church. She has been married for 29 years to

Osphy Bonner and the union has produced one daughter. Her fa-

vorite passage, taken from Psalm 46:1 simply says, “God is our

refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” This she says

holds a lot of comfort for her, especially during difficult times. Her

areas of church service have included Health Ministries Leader,

Sabbath School Teacher and Women‟s Ministry Leader.

Elder Angela Chambers

Elder Chambers was baptized in 1969 at the Gregory Park SDA

Church but rejoined the congregation in 1991 after relocating to St

Ann. She has been married for 25 years to Edward Chambers and

has one child. She gives her favorite passage of scripture as Prov-

erbs 3: 5-6, because she says that „when you acknowledge God

and he is leading your life…you can rest assured that he will come

through for you.” She has served as Adventist Youth Leader, Sab-

bath School Superintendent, Deaconess and Family Life Director.

Elder Janet Able-Simpson

Elder Simpson heeded God‟s Call in 1969 and was baptized at the

Race Course SDA Church in Clarendon. She has however been a

member of the Gregory Park congregation since 1995. She has

been married to Linton Simpson for over 10 years now. The pas-

sage which she holds dear is Matthew 7:12 which reads “Therefore

all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye

even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”. The „Golden

Rule‟ she believes is a “guiding principle for good social relation-

ships.” She also believes that how we treat others enhances our

walk with God. She has served as Personal Ministries Leader,

Church Clerk and Vacation Bible School Leader among others posi-

tions.

Elder Wayne Harrison

Elder Harrison has the distinction of being the youngest and lone

male of the group. He was baptised in 1988 at the Granville SDA

Church in Montego Bay. Elder Harrison and his family resided in

the United States from 1989-1998 before joining the congregation

he now calls home in 1999. He holds up 1 John 5:4 as his favour-

ite passage of scripture, which states that “For everyone born of

God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the

world, even our faith”. His areas of service to the church include

Adventist Youth Leader, Small Group Ministry Leader, Sabbath

School Teacher and Assistant Sabbath School Superintendent.

(L-R) Newly ordained Elders: Janet Able-Simpson, Wayne Harrison,

Angela Chambers and Sharon Bonner (above)

Pastor Mullings offers the Prayer of Ordination (below)

FOR

HIS

News and Notes

Three young persons have been selected to serve the Gregory Park SDA Church as Elders in training. These are Kajha Brown, Jean Mark Davis and Lalford Treasure. All three are also members of the current Advent-ist Youth Department.

Three to serve as Elders in training

L-R: Pastor Milton Gregory - Secretary, Pastor Everett

Brown - President and Elder Bancroft Barwise - Treasurer

New leaders of the Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) announced

at the final quinquenial session of the West Indian Union Confer-

ence, November 29, 2010 at the Northern Caribbean University

Dr. Herbert Thompson was re-elected president

of the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) for a

fifth consecutive five-year term during a meeting

of the University‟s Board of Governors, Decem-

ber 13, 2010. He is the longest serving head of

the Seventh-day Adventist owned and operated

university. .

“I am pleased, grateful and humbled to have been asked to

lead the University for another five-year term,” said Dr. Thompson. “I

pledge full commitment to the team of administrators, faculty and staff

as we work to enlighten, mold and prepare our students to meet the

challenges, which awaits them.” .

Presently, NCU is co-owned and co-operated by the Jamaica

Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (JAMU) and the Atlantic

Caribbean Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (ACUM), which

both came out of a reorganization of the former West Indies Union

Conference on November 29, 2010. On that day the various stake-

holders of the 104-year-old institution, signed „the NCU Accord‟, for-

malizing their commitment to its sustainable growth and development.

NCU, the largest Seventh-day Adventist University world-wide,

has an enrollment of approximately 6,000 students from 23 countries

on six campuses across Jamaica.

Dr. Thompson Re-elected for a

Fifth Consecutive Five-year Term

Source: Nigel Coke, Official JAMU Website. Posted 14 Dec 2010. Used with Permission

Members turn out in their black, green and gold on Harvest Sabbath

Bro. Valbert Walker presents the charge on Harvest Sunday

Sale time at Harvest 2010