East Jamaica Conference

Communication Department

74 Constant Spring Road P.O. Box 181 Kingston 10 Jamaica W.I. Tel:(876) 924-1061-3, Fax (876) 924-0263. E-Mail: ejccommunication@ejcsda.com website: http://ejcsda.com

December 13, 2013 To: All Pastors, Elders, Leaders and Church Members Sincere Christian greetings! Please see important dates and events of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists below.

(1) Camp Meeting 2013 Gets Off To A Great Start The much anticipated Camp Meeting 2013 started off with energy, fan fare and a larger crowd on the opening night than in former years. The event got underway at the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Church on Wednesday December 11, 2013. (Click here to read more) See the Latest News section of our website for other news items

(2) Camp Meeting 2013 Continues Camp Meeting continues on Friday evening December 13, 2013 at 6:00 pm and climaxes on Sabbath December 14, 2014 is designed especially for you the members of the church and will provide information, inspiration, fellowship and education, among other things. This is your special invitation to attend. Come early as a large gathering is expected. This years Camp Meeting was planned and executed by the Laity. Please contact the Pastor who leads your zone for further information. (3) EJC Appoints New Assistant Director of Communication The East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has appointed Fabia Phillips-Lawrence to the post of Assistant Communication Director. Mrs. Phillips-Lawrence started in this position on December 9, 2013. The position was recently made vacant when former Assistant Communication Director Adiese Jonas, accepted a position at Northern Caribbean University NCU. Mrs. Phillips-Lawrence is a former Broadcast Journalist with CVM TV and HOT 102 FM and has over 10 years of experience in Broadcast Media and Communication. Her experience in Media, Public Relations and Communication has been enhanced with work done with several private sector groups as Communications Specialist.

Mrs. Phillips-Lawrence holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication and an Associates of Arts Degree in English (Writing Emphasis) from Northern Caribbean University - NCU. Fabia comes to this position with a strong Christian background and Seventh-day Adventist heritage. She is a former member of the New Haven SDA Church where she served as Youth Ministries Leader and Communication Team member with distinction. She now worships at the Old Harbour SDA Church in St. - 2-

Catherine. She is happily married to husband Dwayne Lawrence. The East Jamaica Conference welcomes Mrs. Fabia Phillips-Lawrence and looks forward to the contribution she will make to the Church achieving its mission of bringing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. (4) Final Elders' Association meeting Set for December 15-2013 The East Jamaica Conference Elders' Association will be having its final meeting for 2013 on Sunday December 15, 2013 at the East Jamaica Conference Office Board Room at 10:00am. The keynote Speaker at this meeting will be Pastor Adrian Cotterell, President - EJC who will address Elders/Pastors on the topic "Preparing the Elder for Service 2014". Following this address there will be a panel discussion on "Ethical and other Issues facing the Elder/Pastor Team in Building the Kingdom of God". All Elders, Leaders and Pastors are invited to make a very special effort to attend.

(5) Youth Congressoree 2013 - December 20 & 21, 2013 Youth, Youth leaders, Pastors, Parents and friends its Youth Congressoree time againDecember 20 & 21. Friday night @ Half Way Tree Church and on Sabbath @ the Karram Speid Auditorium, Merl Grove High. Guest speaker will be Pastor Keith Morris from the USA. Plan to be there!!! (See flyer below for details).

(6) Youth Awards Banquet 2013 Venue: Hotel Four Seasons, 18 Ruthven Rd. Kgn 10. Cost: $3,000. Each church is asked to sponsor a youth to this banquet which may be the individual nominated for an award. Tickets are available from your youth leader and at EJC. Only a few more to go as we have limited spaceDont be left out in the cold, get your ticket now!!! (7) EJC Office Closure Notice The East Jamaica Conference Office will be closed on Thursday, December 19, 2013 and will reopen for business as usual on Thursday January 2, 2014. We use this opportunity to wish you and your family a safe and peaceful holiday and a happy and prosperous new year when it comes. (8) Notices from the Sabbath School / Personal Ministries / Comm. Services Department 1. We use this opportunity to encourage each member in our churches to continue soliciting Harvest Ingathering Funds and that all Treasurers do a weekly remittance to the Conference. 2. Personal Ministries leaders are encouraged to make frequent and consistent (weekly) evangelistic reports to the PM Dept. of the Conference including your project (in your cluster) for the Week of Generosity/Day of Kindness, celebrated October 12-17, 2013. (Please include pictures where possible). We are requesting your Small Groups updates. 3. All Sabbath School Superintendents are reminded to ensure the implementation of the Parent Care Group (PCG) & Operation Reclamation and to register the relevant names to the MM14 Initiative. 4. Belated birthday greetings to our seniors, born January to November & happy birthday to our December celebrants; wishing you good health and long life. -3-

(9) Youth Ministries Department Update 1. PATHFINDER JAMBOREE 2014: All Pathfinder Clubs get ready to spend your Easter Weekend with hundreds of youth from Jamaica Union @ Pathfinder Jamboree 2014. Details to come later on. 5. JAMU E-News: The Jamaica Union is now inviting youth to submit news items, testimonials, clean Christian jokes, stories, significant happenings in your area and other articles to the EJC Youth Department for inclusion in its upcoming E-Paper. Submission should be sent to ejcyouth_dept@yahoo.com.

6. YOUTH CONGRESS, Guatemala 2014: Registration cost: $US 80.00. Apply now, Limited space!!! Please see below for cost: Youth Congress, Guatemala 2014 Total costApproximately $126,000.00 1. This includes accommodation for six (6) nights................................$48, 000.00 2. Registration..............$8,000.00 3. Airfare on AA thru Miami................$70,000.00 (requires US Visa) 4. Airfare thru Panama......$88,000.0 (no US Visa required
but difference in price approx $18,000.00)

(10) Notices from the Children's Ministries Department

1. Come hear child preachers Brandon Daley (Penwood), Jerome Miller (Constant Spring), Shereece Hall (New Haven), and Marje Mayne (Johnson Town) as they Lift up the Trumpet for Jesus, at the Year of the Laity Camp Meeting this Sabbath, December 14 @ 4:00 p.m. Parents of other child preachers this is an event you should not miss. Kindly take the children along. 2. Bible Spell-a-thon Awards will be held on Monday, December 16, 2013, in the EJC Boardroom beginning at 4:00 p.m. Kindly be seated by 3:40 p.m. The charge will be given by Pastor Romaine Smith. A special invitation is extended to all Pastors, First Elders, Directors and Parents of zone finalists and all 2012 first place winners and parents of the zone finalists. The 2012 Bible Spellathon first place participants were Kaycia Walker (Woodford) Mathu Wallace (Balcombe Drive), Lee- Jae Gordon (Meadowvale) and Nathan Jones (Albion) 3. An appreciation exercise for all 2013 Childrens Ministries team members will be held on Sabbath, December 21, 2013 beginning at 4 p.m. Venue - EJC Board Room. You are asked to be seated by 3:40 p.m. 4. ASI/IAD Mission Preachers get ready to preach the word in the Metro Mission 2014 Childrens Crusade. Invite your friends and watch them give their hearts to God. 5. Coming soon Child Preachers/ Children in Discipleship Training Graduation. Kindly make sure that all assignments are completed. 6. Get ready. ASI/ IAD 2014 July Mission Crusade will be held in Belize. Contact the Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Murlena McKenzie for further information. Book your ticket early and save. - 4-

(10) Notices from the Women's Ministries Department 1. All GEMS are asked to report for usher duties at Kencot Church this Sabbath, December 14, 2013. The event is our annual camp meeting which is being led by the Laity. Your attire is black skirts and GEMS tops. 2. An appreciation exercise for all 2013 womens ministries team members will be held on Sabbath, December 21, 2013 beginning at 4 p.m. Venue - EJC Board Room. Shades of pink, navy blue, lavender & purple are the preferred colors for the occasion.

3. Graduations for Soft Skills and Leadership Certification Training exercises have been postponed until further notice. 4. Womens & Childrens Ministries Zone 4 Commitment Service will take place on January 11, 2014 at the Morant Bay SDA Church. Dress code/ preferred colors- Childrens Ministries shades of pink & navy blue; Womens Ministries shades of lavender & purple. Kindly take a fruit to enhance our fruit luncheon meeting. 5. Womens & Childrens Ministries Zone 4 Commitment Service and luncheon will take place on January 18, 2014 at the Kencot SDA Church. Childrens Ministries -shades of pink & navy blue; Womens Ministries-shades of lavender & purple are the preferred colors to be worn on that day. Kindly take a fruit to augment our fruit luncheon meeting.

(9) Special Events Happening in our Conference TruPurpose Ministries in association with East Jamaica Conference Youth Department invites you to their Gospel Concert on Saturday December 21st at 7pm by the Karram Speid Auditorium (Merl Grove High School). The concert will begin right after the end of the EJC Youth Congressorree which starts at 9am at the same venue. The programme will feature: Odayne Rhoden (New York), Carey Sayles, George Gordon, Jewel Osbourne, Adiel Thomas & Ministry, Acapella Group Assure and many more. Please see your notice board for more details. For more information call 877-2417.

(10) Notices from the Communication Department 1. All Communication Leaders are asked to submit the list of Church Officers for 2014 to the EJC Secretariat & Communication Department. The information should be forwarded to eastcon@ejcsda.com or ejccommunications@gmail.com. The deadline for this is January 1, 2014. 2. The official Facebook Page for MetroMission14 is up and running and we have started to post there messages of hope that you can share with your friends. Tell your friends about it. Visit the page regularly and send an invitation every time to someone you know. Go to the page now and "Like Us". By doing this more people will become aware of MetroMission14. Follow this link to MetroMission14 Facebook Page. -5

(11) Schedule of Upcoming Conference Dates and Events

Dates -2013
Dec 11 - 14 Dec 15 Dec 15 Dec 20 - 21 Dec 22 Dec 23 Jan 12

Event
Camp Meeting Adventist Health Volunteers & Health Min. Awards Elder's Association Final Meeting Youth Congressoree Youth Awards Banquet JEWELS Botanical Retreat Metro Mission 14 Road march

Location
Kencot SDA Church EJC Board Room EJC Board Room H-W-T & Karam Speid Auditorium Hotel Four Season Half Way Tree

Phillip E. L. Castell Communication Director