Inter-America launches Year of the Pastor with special online ordination ceremony

Pastor Hector Sanchez (left), ministerial secretary for the church in Inter-America, presents the freshly ordained ministers and their wives from Inter-America during the church’s launch of the 2015 Year of the Pastor online ceremony as opening to the Mid-Year Executive Comittee Meetings, in Miami, Florida, May 19, 2014. Images by Libna Stevens/IAD

May 20, 2014 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD

Celebrating the pastor and his work will be a major focus next year throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America. The declaration came as top Inter-American Division (IAD) administrators launched the Year of the Pastor during its opening business meetings with a special ordination ceremony carried online last night from Miami, Florida.

Pastor Hector Sanchez, ministerial secretary for the church in Inter-America, challenged ordination candidates to remain loyal to God and the church. “You are an integral part in motivating and inspiring church members to fulfill the mission of the church,” he said.

Through a prerecorded video message, Adventist World Church President Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson challenged ministers to be “shepherds after God’s own heart.”

“You must know your God, keep close to Jesus, experience the Holy Spirit, love God’s people, feed the people with the Word and stay close to your family,” emphasized Pastor Wilson to the more than 150 executive committee members and online viewers.

Pastors Michael Anthony Parkins of Jamaica, Wilkin Manuel Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic, Julian Andres Ruiz of South Colombia, and Amos L. Tousseul of Haiti, were among the four pastors who, accompanied by their wives, were presented before the ordination service.

“God has chosen you and wants you to be loyal men to Him and to His church,” said Pastor Hector Sanchez, ministerial secretary of the church in Inter-America, as he addressed the ordination candidates.

“Being a pastor is a lifestyle from the moment God calls you until the moment He calls you to rest, so you must remember that your love for your sheep must be so that you get down from the pulpit too and know where your sheep are, know where your missing member has gone,” said Sanchez.

The ordination climaxed with the prayer and charge by outstanding retired ministers who served beyond 40 years in the church in Inter-America. Pastor Jose Castrejon, age 99, who served in Mexico, said the ordination prayer. Pastor Caleb Walter Clayton, age 90, who served in Jamaica, pronounced the charge to the young ministers.

Pastor Jose Castrejon, Age 99, from Mexico who served the church in the IAD for more than 40 years pronounces the ordination prayer during the special ceremony on May 19, 2014.

Both veteran pastors were honored along with their families for their continued service with a commemorative plaque. Pastor Elie Henry, age 88, who served in the church in Haiti, was honored in absentia since immigration issues prevented him from attending the event. Pastor R. S. Arismendi, who served in Venezuela, was scheduled to attend but passed away last week, at age 99.

“You are our heroes,” said Sanchez. “Thank you for being a great example for others to follow.”

“Our ministers are important,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America. “We value them, we take care of them, we appreciate them and we want to encourage our membership across the territory to honor their calling by supporting them and remember that the Lord has called them for a great work.”

That clear message is what church leaders are expecting to reach the rest of the church levels as the new year begins.

Veteran Pastor Caleb Clayton, Age 90, stands with his family as IAD President Pastor Israel Leito honors him with a special plaque commemorating his loyal service to the church in Inter-America.

Pastor Leito explained that many activities will follow as soon as 2015 begins and one reason to vote it now is for union leaders to vote it during their union executive committee to ensure that the church is aware and prepared to participate in the series of territory-wide events to honor the more than 2,300 pastors across the IAD.

“The pastor plays an integral part in motivating and inspiring church members to fulfill the mission of the church and with this ceremony we wanted to set the tone across our territory for special activities to come,” Sanchez said.

Among the events planned early in 2015 include an online week of prayer for the pastoral family, a massive territory-wide live ordination service from the Dominican Republic and across the territory, online councils for district pastors as well as graduating theology students, and more.

For more on Inter-America’s 2015 Year of the Pastor, visit us at interamerica.org

To view a photo gallery of the opening ceremony, click HERE