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“Prayer and faith will do no what no power on earth can accomplish.”
Ministry of Healing, p. 509
Dr. Patrick Allen, President of the West Indies Union of Seventh-day
Adventist, beseeching the throne room of God on behalf of the
members present and the people of Jamaica.
These
words were brought to reality when hundreds of prayer coordinators,
seekers and ASI Prayer Band members flocked the grounds of the
Sydenham Seventh-day Adventist Church on the weekend of February
8-9, 2008. This weekend of intense intercession with the Master was
filled with the downright outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who filled
the hearts of each member present. Under the theme “Renew”,
Seventh-day Adventist Christians were reminded in profound ways of
the need to renew their commitment to God and to the mission of the
church.
The programme began with a “Quiet Church”. This segment invited each
member to become wrapped up in deep, personal and quiet reflections
and meditation for a while, as they intensified their prayers to the
Lord. Such a scene as this brought back fond memories of the Lord
Jesus who agonized with His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane on
the Mount of Olives. These ardent soldiers for Christ could be seen
at various segments of the Prayer Conference lifting their hearts
and minds heaven-ward awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The Gethsemane stop on the Prayer Trail
at the Prayer Garden.
The Mt. Moriah and alter stop on the
Prayer Trail at the Prayer Garden.
A
special feature of the Prayer Conference was the Prayer Garden. The
garden was set up to mark high points of special prayer sessions
taken from the bible and depicted in an artistic and visual way.
Stops on the Prayer Garden Trail were the Garden of Gethsemane,
Damascus, the Red Sea, Penuel, and Mt. Moriah.
Pastor Levi Johnson, Executive Secretary
and Prayer Coordinator of Central Jamaica Conference, calling all
present at the Prayer Conference to hold on tight to Jesus and keep
the prayer line connected and busy.
Pastor Levi Johnson, Executive Secretary and Prayer Coordinator of
Central Jamaica Conference, pointed out that the theme chosen,
“Renew”, was both timely and intentional. Pastor Johnson further
went on to remind each member present that this Prayer Conference
was not just an opportunity to reexamine our priorities and order
them according to God’s will but it was also an opportunity to share
the Word of our Lord.
A member of the Prayer Walk and Bible
Distribution Drive Team giving a bible to a member of the Sydenham
community.
A
major part of the Prayer Conference was the distribution of bibles
in the surrounding communities and the adult correctional centre.
Over 2,400 Bibles were purchased and planted in the homes of many
individuals who are thirsting and hungering after righteousness, in
over 19 communities. These included Spring Village, Wedgewood
Garden, Horizon Park, Villa Nova, Cromarty, Windsor Road, White
Water, Sydenham Villas, Magil Palms, Leiba Garden, Hopedale,
Willowdene, Homestead/Valdes Road, St. John’s Road, Tawes Pen,
Morgan Lane, Bushy Park, McCooks and Hartlands.
Pastor Everett Brown, President of
Central Jamaica Conference, presenting a symbol of the three hundred
bibles that would be sent to the St. Catherine Adult Correctional
Institution. Receiving the bible is Mr. David Spencer, Overseer,
with Mr. Winston Pinnock, Staff Officer, looking on.
Bibles were also presented to the St. Catherine Adult Correctional
Centre. This venture is intended to provide and establish the Word
of God in the hearts and minds of these individuals with the aid of
Bible studies and earnest prayers and ultimately giving their lives
to the Lord.
Pastor Leon B. Wellington, Vice
President of Inter-American Division of Adventists, speaking at the
Divine Hour Session at the CJC Prayer Conference.
Special guests at this year’s Prayer Conference included Pastor Leon
B. Wellington, Vice President of Inter-American Division, who
presented the Spoken Word on Sabbath, February, 9. Dr. Patrick
Allen, President of the West Indies Union Conference was also in
attendance urging the members to be praying individuals and also to
renew their plea for unity and holiness in the “body of Christ and
also the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Everett Brown, President of
Central Jamaica Conference, speaking at the Prayer Conference.
Pastor Everett Brown, President of Central Jamaica Conference, who
was also present, pointed out to the brethren, the need to become
aware of the power of prayer in one’s personal life and in
accomplishing the mission of the Church.
Pastor Glen Samuels, President of West
Jamaica Conference of Adventists, speaking at the opening service of
the Prayer Conference.
Pastor Glen O. Samuels, President of the West Jamaica Conference
shared the Word of God on the opening night of Prayer Conference. He
reminded the prayer warriors that as God’s children, no member
should be satisfied with too little. He further went on to exclaim
that God has no secret agents and that all of God’s soldiers are at
the front line in the heat of the battle, because they ought not to
be satisfied with too little.
Pastor Donnette Blake, Associate Pastor
at the Kingsboro Temple Adventist Church in the U.S.A., speaking at
the Youth Session at the Prayer Conference. She was also the
Saturday Vesper and closing session speaker.
Another special guest speaker was Pastor Donnette Blake, Associate
Pastor at the Kingsboro Temple S.D.A. Church in the U.S.A. This
devoted child of God also urged members to reach out to God by faith
believing that He will do His will within our lives. She gave the
Vesper thought to close the Sabbath, spoke at the special Saturday
night youth service and the Intercessory Prayer Seminar on Sunday.
Rev. Courtney Stewart, General Secretary
of the Bible Society of the West Indies, encouraging us to move
forward in the spreading of the gospel. The Bible Society played a
important role because they were the source most of the bibles at a
reduce cost and they also donate some bibles.
Other
special guests were Pastor Desmond Robinson, Prayer Ministries
Coordinator, W.I.U., Elder Nigel Coke, Communication Director W.I.U.,
Elder Lascelles Davis, A.S.I. Prayer Ministries Coordinator and
scores of Prayer Coordinators across the island, Mrs. Marie Halsall,
General Manager, Book and Nutrition Centre, W.I.U., Sis. C. Heavens,
Queen’s Faith Temple, U.S.A., Major Denzil Walcott, Salvation Army
Rehabilitation Centre and Rev. Courtney Stewart, General Secretary,
Bible Society of West Indies.
Mrs. Marie Halsall, General Manager of
W.I.U. Book and Nutrition Centre, bringing greetings at the Prayer
Conference. The Book and Nutrition Centre donated just under a
thousand bibles to Central Jamaica Conference for distribution.
Great
things can be done through prayer if we only reach out by faith.
Challenges will be present at each point of our lives, but a channel
for God’s wisdom to flow through us must at all times be open.
Intercessory prayer unleashes heaven’s power. His mercies and His
blessings never cease. Why not experience for yourself the
life-changing power of intercessory prayer?
“Create in me a clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.”-Psalm 51:10
- Article by Alethea Brown/CJC
- Photos by Kemar Douglas/CJC
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