Member Care and Baptisms During Stewardship Week
Just about 15 preachers participated in the April 29 to May 6, 2023, Stewardship Week in Dominica where they preached in the 11 pastoral districts, visited with 302 Adventist families and baptized six persons.
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Dr Elias F. Zabala, Sr., Atlantic Union Conference (AUC) treasurer speaking during the convocation at the Roseau Seventh day Adventist Church in Dominica on Sabbath, May 6, 2023. Image by Kendell Berrie
Just about 15 preachers participated in the April 29 to May 6, 2023, Stewardship Week in Dominica where they preached in the 11 pastoral districts, visited with 302 Adventist families and baptized six persons.
Dr Elias F. Zabala, Sr., Atlantic Union Conference (AUC) treasurer was among the ministers and elders who traveled to Dominica to join with local pastors for a full week of activities.
Speaking on the final day of the convocation held at the Roseau Seventh day Adventist Church, Zabala challenged members to “go and invest. Every man has been given a second chance in his life to rewrite his own story,” he said. “Whatever you want people to say about you, make those changes now. Every person must do something for themselves. Have some special interest. Do something about yourself. Be a philanthropist. Go beyond generosity and serve,” Zabala said.
Dr. Gandalal Samlalsing, Stewardship Director of the Caribbean Union Conference, Dr Elias F. Zabala, Treasurer of the Atlantic Union Conference and Pastor Anthony Hall, ECC President, were among the list of speakers who presented in the districts during the stewardship holy convocation week in Barbados. Image by Kendell Berrie.
The event was a first for the island of Dominica and the second for the year in the East Caribbean Conference (ECC). According to the organizers, the convocation was held in response to the mandate found in Joel 2:15-16 to call a sacred assembly, consecrate and receive the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill the mission and prepare a people for the Second Coming.
“We from the East Caribbean Conference administration realize the value of this initiative to the members of our constituency,” said Pastor Anthony Hall, ECC President. “Since the program came to Barbados the level of commitment and the level of giving has improved,” he concluded. Hall was actively involved as one of the speakers for the week.
The convocation, organized by the Caribbean Union Conference stewardship ministries department, was intended to equip pastors to better understand stewardship principles and their role in strengthening revival and reformation for every member.
Several members gathered at the Roseau church on Sabbath afternoon May 6, 2023 to receive reports from the districts on the ministry impact during the week April 29 to May 6, 2023. Image by Kendell Barrie.
“It’s about keeping a balance between spiritual revival or constant communion with God and the mission to get involved in reaching unbelievers,” said Dr. Gandalal Samlalsing, Stewardship Director of the Caribbean Union. “In reality, mission is the result of the communion with God.”
Pastor Rawle Jackmen, Stewardship Ministries Director of the East Caribbean Conference, agreed. “The more faithful the church member is, the more generous and involved he or she becomes in the mission of the church,” he said.
Meanwhile, church administrators held a one-day stewardship symposium at the St. Joseph Seventh day Adventist Church to solidify the stewardship principles of the church as well as encourage church pastors to build on the platform already established.
Pastor Anthony Hall, ECC President; Dr. Gandalal Samlalsing, Stewardship Director of the Caribbean Union Conference; Dr Elias F. Zabala, Treasurer of the Atlantic Union Conference and East Caribbean Conference Pastor Rawle Jackman. Image by CARU Media
In addition, there was a special workshop held on May 7 for all Head Elders, Head Deacons, Treasurers, Church Auditors, and Stewardship Leaders. The facilitators for the workshop were Dr. Gandalal Samlalsingh and Sister Valerica Harrison-Dottin. The focus was on the members, membership care and the management of their financial resources.
“There’s no doubt that being good stewards will result in greater blessings for the church in the Conference. “We are convinced…that Christian stewardship and the spirituality of the church is vital in fulfilling the mission year-round, especially in the times that we are living in,” Dr. Samlalsingh said.
“We don’t have an ongoing fundraising program in our church but our mission is to let members understand how stewardship works based on biblical principles so we must put the member in the center of spiritual initiatives to motivate him or her to remain in spiritual revival and active in constant mission outreach,” he concluded.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has developed a strong presence in Dominica with 23 Adventist churches, five companies, three primary schools (Ebenezer Primary, Western District SDA Primary, and Temple SDA Primary), and two secondary schools (Dominica Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School and Arthur Walden SDA Academy).