January 2018 Established 1874
168 General Assembly th
New president... new theme... new executive... Dorrett R Campbell
T
he Jamaica Baptist Union 168th General Assembly, set to open in Kingston at the Boulevard Baptist Church, on Wednesday, February 21, is earmarked for the history pages: At its first clos-
ing service on Sunday at the National Arena, the Union installs its first female president, Karen Francis Kirlew, pastor of the St Ann’s Bay Circuit of Baptist Churches. Kirlew also holds the distinction of being the first female clergy to serve as vice president of the Union. JBU General Secretary Karl B Johnson told the JBR that “although every session and activity at the Assembly ought to be viewed as a vehicle through which God uses His people, the induction of the first female president will be a historic and exciting moment for all Baptists in Jamaica.”
Rev Dr Devon Dick
Kirlew, along with a new executive, will lead the 40, 000 strong denomination for the next two years, under the decade-old thematic banner and new sub-theme: Being God’s People in God’s World: Living in Partnership.
According to Johnson, the new subtheme, Living in partnership, is especially relevant in these times, where there is a need for collaboration and cooperation among denominations and between Church and State. He pointed to the long-standing partnership that the Union shares with the Jamaican education sector as an example of a solid collaboration that counts; and averred that “God has called His church to partnerships that enhance the dignity of each human being.” As a signal of the Union’s commitment to partnership, the sub-theme will be expressed in what Johnson described as a “massive Partnership Fair” slated for Friday at the Boulevard. Open to the public, the fair will see exhibitions mounted by stakeholders from various public and private sector organizations as well as information-sharing sessions from several entities in the services sector. The aim is to empower congregants and others by providing access to a range of social and financial services and related information. The Union will also convene, on Thursday evening, a Town Hall meeting around issues related to crime, security and the Church; the outcomes of which will inform the definition and development of a sustainable partnership with the security forces, Johnson explained.
Rev Karen Francis Kirlew
Rev Deonie Duncan
Rev Karl B Johnson
Rev Johnathan Hemmings
Two other major activities, which the General Secretary holds dear to his heart are the memorial and the retirement services on Saturday morning
Mr Sheldon O’Connor
under the thematic strand, mutual understanding. At the latter service three retired pastors, Anneta McIntosh, Burchel Taylor and Delroy Sittol, will be honoured; and at the former, the Union will ‘remember’ leaders who died in 2017. There will be four major worship services, commencing with the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, to be addressed by the incumbent president Devon Dick, who treats the topic, Mutual respect. On Youth Night on Friday, president of the Schools and Colleges Christian Fellowship and Scripture Union (SCCFSU) Sheldon O’ Connor will deliver the sermon, guided by the thematic strand, Mutual accountability. At the first of two closing services on Sunday, BWA Associate Director of Communication, Eron Henry preaches on the topic, Mutual dependence: Body parts, while the newly installed president Kirlew closes the Assembly with a charge on Mutual dependency: Body builders. Other major highlights of the Assembly include, daily Bible studies led by pastor of the Buff Bay Circuit of Churches, Deonie Duncan; the Biennial David Jelleyman Lecture to be delivered by Vice President Johnathan Hemmings on the topic, Trinitarian partnership, on Thursday morning; group discussions and workshops as well as the ministries of the Christian Education Department and other Auxiliaries [See Assembly agenda on page 20].
Rev Eron Henry