06 Apr Report from Jamaica’s National Conference Meeting

Jamaica Annual Conference was held March 15-19, using the theme “Healthy Churches–God’s Plan for Growth.” The meetings were held at the Malvern Campground, with the large final service held at a Missionary Church camp outside of Mandeville.
Rev. Winston Smith was re-elected as the leader of Jamaica National Conference, a position he has held since 2002. However, the title has changed. Instead of “General Superintendent,” he will now hold the title of “Bishop.” The national conferences in Canada, the US, and Mexico also give the title “bishop” to their highest elected leader.
Pat Jones, the US Director of Healthy Church Ministries, attended the meetings and presented seminars on issues related to church health. He submitted the following report:
“My wife, Pam, and I had the privilege of attending the 55th annual session of the Jamaican Conference. We were asked to come and teach them healthy church principles. It was a time of renewing some old friendships and establishing some new ones. Their energy and desire to learn were refreshing. Some of the key issues they discussed and acted on were:

• “Continue to take responsibility for funding their building and church planting projects. They believe they can do much more than they have. Just as in the United States, if their folks were tithing and sacrificially giving, they could do much more.
• “Change some of their procedures to free people from so many meetings so they can do the things they do well and allow others to share the load.
• “Shift from talking about and voting to do things to truly implementing them.
• “To engage the next generation in significant decision-making.

“We found that the challenges facing the church are the same around the world. I commend our Jamaican brothers and sisters for seeking to hear about principles that would help them change. They recognize that the issue is not knowledge alone, but being willing to pay the price to move from the comfort zone of what they have always done. There is an expressed desire to do so, but will there be a willful desire? Time will tell.
“Unity among them as they move ahead was a major theme throughout the conference. We pray that we may follow their example. We must joyfully and in unity do whatever it takes to effectively take the Gospel to this generation.
“We are looking forward to seeing all that the Lord is going to do in and through them in the days ahead. We believe that they are going to make a huge impact in their community for Jesus Christ.”
Follow the link below to view a number of pictures from the meeting.

Below are various scenes from the 2006 meeting of Jamaica National Conference.




Various Scenes from the conference meetings, which were held at the UB campground in Mandeville.

Angie Swanson, from First UB church in Findlay, Ohio, is serving short-term at Jamaica Bible College. Here she is joined by two Haitian students from the college, one of whom is supported by Jamaica National Conference.


During the final service, the newly-chosen leaders were asked to come to the front, and prayer was offered in their behalf.