The Bahamas: Church challenged to be servants of the people as territory leadership is officially installed

January 18, 2010 – Nassau, Bahamas… Nigel Coke/ACUM/IAD

The leadership of the newly organized Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (ACUM) was challenged to be servants of God’s people during the Service of Consecration and Inauguration held on Jan. 15, at the Grants Town Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Nassau, Bahamas under the theme, “Revival and Reformation.”

The challenge came from Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, as he delivered the main address to the hundreds of church members, civic and government leaders at the service.

Referencing 2 Kings 20, Pastor Leito said, “this passage tells me that God has a people, and without the people there is no need for leadership, so that’s where we have to start. “

“In the context of Adventist administration, we don’t believe in a dictatorship or a presidential form of leadership. We believe that God leads His people through His people, so we are a community of believers. Some of us carry a little more responsibility than others. There is no corner for presidents in heaven. At the foot of the cross the ground is level. We are here to help God’s people reach heaven,” added Pastor Leito.

Pastor Leito, however, was quick to point out that the leadership of the Union is everyone, not just the president, directors, and executive committee.

A Call for Unity
Pastor Leonard Johnson, president of ACUM, thanked all who helped to make the service a success, paying tribute to the early pioneers and previous presidents of the Adventist movement in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Pastor Johnson, also called for unity.

“I call upon all of the field and institution leaders to let us remember that there is strength in unity,” said Johnson.” “Together we can do great things in building this Union. Our mission statement is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. We have placed it right as we enter the office, so that each morning as we come in to begin the day with worship, it will remind us that it is not about a position or title; it is about the fact that God has called us at this time to proclaim the everlasting gospel; and if we fail to do this, we would have failed.”

Religious Liberty Recognized
Prior to his main address, Pastor Leito thanked the Government of the Bahamas for their support to religious freedom.

“I would like to express the gratitude and recognition of the World Church to the Bahamian Government,” said Pastor Leito. “As we sit here with all freedom, worshiping God according to the dictates of our own hearts, with the freedom to think, assemble together, preach God’s word, to live our faith, as we do it here, don’t take it for granted. There are many places in the world today where this cannot happen. You live in a blessed country with a blessed government who allows and grants this freedom to the people, and we recognize that and thank them. May God bless the Bahamas Government, whoever is governing, that they always keep these freedoms available so God can be glorified and the people of Bahamas may grow.”

During the service, greetings were given by Pastor Everett Brown, president of the Jamaica Union Conference, along with the leaders of all the fields and institutions in ACUM.

Greetings were also done by the Right Hon. Perry Christie, Leader of the Opposition in the Bahamas and the Hon. Orville A. Turnquest, Minister of National Security, who represented the Prime Minister of the Bahamas. Both leaders commended the Adventist Church for its role in nation building, especially with the family and youth through the Church’s Pathfinder Club.

The officers and directors installed were Pastor Leonard Johnson, president; Pastor Peter Kerr, executive secretary; Brother Roderick Sands, treasurer; Dr. Cheryl Rolle, Education, Communication, and Children’s Ministries Director; Pastor Al Powell, Youth, Personal Ministries, and Sabbath School Director; Ms. Shirlene Henriques, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and Health Ministries Director; Mrs. Denise Johnson, Women’s Ministries Director ; Mr. Isaac Collie, Public Affairs and Religious Family Life Director; and Mr. Roderick Sands, Stewardship and Trust Director.

ACUM was formed on Nov. 29, 2010, as one of two Unions emerging from the former 104-year-old West Indies Union Conference. It comprises three conferences, one mission, and six primary and secondary schools located in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands with a membership of approximately 25,000. It also co-owns and operates with the Jamaica Union Conference, the largest Seventh-day Adventist University worldwide – the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) – located in Mandeville, Jamaica.