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More
than a quarter-million Seventh-day Adventists in the West Indies
Union have new leadership. Pastors Derek Bignall and Glenn O.
Samuels took office as president and secretary of the union
conference in a ceremony held at the Andrews Memorial Church in
Kingston, Jamaica, on Feb. 28, 2009.
It’s probably the only time Bignall, 61, will follow his immediate
predecessor into the same job: Dr. Patrick Linton Allen, ON, the
former union president, is now Jamaica’s Governor-General, or chief
of state.
Newly elected president of the West Indies
Union of Seventh-day Adventists Pastor Derek Bignall (left) and
Secretary Pastor Glen O Samuels, affix their signatures to the
pledge they had made earlier during the installation service for
both officers at the Andrews Memorial Church in St Andrew. (Photo:
Nigel Coke)
Responding to the rhetorical question of whether he was ready to
lead, Bignall said, “No. We have one leader, and that’s the Lord
Jesus Christ. I am ready to serve.”
Bignall told the capacity crowd at Kingston’s Andrews Memorial
Seventh-day Adventist Church that he was not taking office “to mark
time, but to march forward.”
He challenged his audience to “help one person everyday,” and noted,
“what a world it would be if the 263,000 Seventh-day Adventists in
the West Indies Union would intentionally help one person each day.”
Bignall also said his administration would be marked by an emphasis
on the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy writings of Ellen G. White,
a pioneering co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist movement.
Pastor Wendell McMillan (with microphone),
Field Secretary of West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists prays the prayer of consecration for newly elected
president and Secretary of West Indies Union, Pastors Derek Bignall
(right) and Glen O Samuels (second from right). Occasion was the
Installation Service for both Officers of the Union held at the
Andrews Memorial Church in Kingston yesterday. [photo: Nigel Coke]
His
remarks were preceded by comments from Samuels, who comes to the
Union from the presidency of the West Jamaica Conference. In his
remarks, Samuels praised Allen, and said, “To us has been bequeathed
a legacy of a rare vision that has challenged us. … We believe God’s
church must grow no matter what the odds may be.”
In what he noted was “my first speaking opportunity in the church
since last week,” Governor-General Allen, past president of the
Union, spoke warmly of his successor and the new executive
secretary.
“I commend them to you as gentlemen of honor and worthy of your
support,” Allen said. “I know they will serve you well. We extend
our best wishes, [and] I believe we have a good administration in
the West Indies Union.”
Dr. Herbert Thompson, president of Northern Caribbean University,
said he was “proud that our Union leadership are all graduates of
NCU,” and that Bignall “must wake us up again” while in leadership.
His Excellency, The Most Honourable Dr.
Patrick Allen, commend the new leaders to members of the church in
West Indies Union.
Bignall served as Union secretary since 2005, following more than 34
years of denominational service. A graduate of West Indies College
(now Northern Caribbean University), and of Andrews University,
Berrien Springs, Michigan, Bignall holds a Bachelor’s Degree in
Theology and a Master’s Degree in Education. He is currently
pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at NCU. He is married to Yvonne and
they have one daughter, Shelli-Gaye Simone, who is currently a NCU
senior.
Pastors Glen O. Samuels (left) and Derek
Bignall (third from left) with wives Durcella (second left) and
Yvonne.
In
the West Indies Union, which comprises the territories of Jamaica,
the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands, there
are more than 262,000 members worshiping in more than 735
Seventh-day Adventist congregations.
- Source: West Indies Union Conference:
http://wiunion.org/ |
