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In the year 2000 the Jamaica Baptist Union Executive caught a vision for the first decade of the new century. Our theme would be “Extending Our Commitment: Reaching New Possibilities”. Let us take a few moments to reflect on all that has happened, the challenges along with the triumphs.
Cast your mind back ten years, as the world ushered in a new millennium. Usain Bolt was a young boy of 13, Prime Minister Percival Patterson had reassured Jamaicans that the country would not enter into another borrowing relationship with the IMF, and the JBU was planning a change to their constitution.
The delegates of the 154th General Assembly ensured that history would record that a significant change took place in the life of the Jamaica Baptist Union. They voted to effect changes to the denomination’s Constitution with regard to its operational cycle, changing it from annual to biannual.
What impact has this decision made? One benefit has been that it also allows our assemblies to be shaped differently, leading to last year’s event taking place in Ocho Rios – the first time in over twenty years that we met outside Kingston and the corporate area. The change of location was thought to be a great success and as we move into this new decade we will seek to have our 2011 assembly in a location outside of Kingston.
Along with the successes, the last ten years have also brought us some challenges, as a nation and as a Union.
The assembly of 2003 saw a serious accident take place at our gathering in the National Stadium, when the staging collapsed while members of the choir were standing on it. We remember their strength of character, as many turned up at the Closing Services despite their injury.
Hurricanes Ivan and Dean came to our shores in 2004 and 2007 bringing damage to homes and churches. Brothers and sisters lost livestock, homes and livelihoods, and one church building was completely destroyed and is yet to be rebuilt.
Recent times have brought further financial turmoil, and with it unemployment, uncertainty and hard times for many of us.
However, as we reflect on the faithfulness of God and his hand of mercy upon us these past ten years, we can see that, despite the challenges, God has allowed us to have an impact in our communities and across this island. We have indeed extended our commitment and have reached new possibilities.
Since the beginning of the decade we have seen many new churches added to our number. We have increased our awareness of, and commitment to, mission. We as a union have sent three of our members to serve overseas on our behalf – 2 to Panama and 1 to Turks and Caicos, and two of our own have been called to serve the Baptist World Alliance.
One of the key mission partnerships that began in this past decade was our link with Haiti. As recently as November of last year, a JBU team sought to provide a well needed intervention, as one of the ways of restoring hope. The trip was a great encouragement to our Haitian brothers and sisters; eyesight was restored, physical health renewed and a people’s spirit revived, as a ray of hope glittered in the distance.....little did we know the sorrow that was to come.
In these past weeks we have wept with them, mourned for them, and lifted them to the Lord in prayer. Our commitment to Haiti has never been stronger. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters, for as long as it takes, daring to look ahead and hope.
From where do we find this hope? From looking back over our shoulders, seeing where we have come from and knowing that the Lord has been with us, whatever we have faced. He is faithful and true, mighty to save. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
And so as we stand at the close of one decade, and the dawning of another, we can say with certainty that we know our new theme to be true: we are God’s people, in God’s world – living in hope.
Where will that hope take us? What does it mean to hope in the 21st century? Our world needs hope like never before. Our neighbours, our friends, our communities and towns - who will we reach out to? To whom can YOU offer this most precious gift of hope?
We are God’s people, in God’s world – living in hope. What part will you play as we take hope to our nation, and beyond? Will your life proclaim the hope that is in your heart? Will you sow the seeds of hope in your community, and speak the words of hope into the lives of those around you? We are God’s people, in God’s world – living in hope. Each one of us carries that hope within us. It is ours to share.
This nation, this world, needs hope. The hope that only Christ can offer. How will they hear, if we don’t tell them? How will they know, if we don’t show them? We all need to play our part. Your involvement is crucial. It will take each one of us to give – of our time, our money, our energy, our selves.
We are ready to share hope with Jamaica. Come and join us.
By Tara Devlin
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Living in Hope