December 10, 2021| St. John’s, Antigua | Linden Elliott
It was with great excitement that the Men’s Ministries department of the South Leeward Conference of Seventh-day Adventists embarked on a week of spiritual renewal from November 21 - 27, 2021, under the theme “Men and their Health.” The Family Ministries director, Dr. Mark L. Braithwaite, was instrumental in coordinating this event and making it a reality. The week was inspiring and informative, a delicate balance that was needed to enrich the spiritual experience of men.
The atmosphere was permeated with great expectancy as Dr. Andy Manzano, a lecturer in the School of Theology at the University of the Southern Caribbean, discussed the importance of family health. The story of Job brought new insight as it was shown how this mere man was so closely connected to God that even though he lost everything, his integrity and trust in God remained steadfast. The momentum was intensified as Dr. Curtis Fox, a licensed marital and family therapist and a certified family life educator, took the baton and spoke about the emotional health of men. Given his years of experience and competence, he skillfully chartered a clear path, encouraging the 21st century Christian man to be balanced.
Each night brought an array of critical insights for the spiritual development of men. Dr. James Daniel, assistant to the president of the Inter-American Division, unraveled the financial health of men by showing how important it is to be prudent in financial matters. There was a practical element attached to his presentation, where he outlined that, in planning, there should be consideration for future generations.
The vibrancy of Dr. Sujay Gore, medical practitioner, added spiritual alertness and practicality as he ably discussed the physical health of men. It was clear that a significant danger looms in delay when men shy away from taking their medical checks. As a result, men were encouraged to carefully consider that the well-being of their families could be negatively impacted if their health fails. On the final night, the men were graced with the presence of Dr. Peter Joseph, Personal Ministries director of the South Bahamas Conference, who carefully echoed the importance of spiritual health in the life of men.
On Sabbath, November 27, Dr. Peter Joseph featured one more time and presented a sermon entitled, “For God’s Glory and for our Good!” It was a powerful exhortation which reminded all that no situation in life, positive or negative, is a wasted experience. God uses all experiences for His glorification and for our good! The curtains came down on Sabbath afternoon with a men’s forum at the Tindall Seventh-day Adventist Church in Antigua. This forum was facilitated by Pastor Holford Brown, Pastor Charles Heskey, Elder Garfield Joseph and Dr. Jerry Simon.