February 18, 2022 | Codrington, Barbuda | Davin Scarborough
The Seventh-day Church in Barbuda celebrated the ordination of its eldership and deaconry on Sabbath, January 29, 2022. This special service was primarily conducted under the auspices of the South Leeward Conference’s Ministerial director, Dr. Mark Braithwaite. The service attracted the attention of both church members and community members alike, and accommodated an online viewership of close to 200 devices. While the physical attendance comprised persons residing in Antigua and Barbuda, the online viewership had persons from as far as Trinidad, New York and Boston.
In preparation for the ordination service, over the last two years, the elders were involved in thorough training facilitated by the resident district pastor, Davin Scarborough. The deaconry received similar training to the elders, though not as intense. The training was also based on commitment and consistency.
The ordination service featured the participation of ordained elders and deacons, and included prayer and scriptural meditation. As the service approached the keynote address, a captivating musical rendition (a cappella) by the male quintet, “Quintessential”, prepared the way for the sermon. Dr. Braithwaite delivered a powerful message on the importance of excellence in leadership, and the responses testified that individuals were stirred by the message.
As the service reached its zenith, Pastor Scarborough presented some brief biographical sketches of the ordinands, namely: Dorothy Joseph (first elder), Anthea Nedd (elder), Wayne Richardson (head deacon), and Candacy Harris (head deaconess). After the presentation of the ordinands, Dr. Braithwaite performed the prayer of ordination for the elders assisted by Pastor Scarborough with the laying on of hands. Afterward, the newly ordained elders were invited to take part in the laying on of hands upon the deaconry while Dr. Braithwaite performed their prayer of ordination.
The final acts of the ordination service involved the presentation of certificates to the newly ordained elders, deacon and deaconess, and the church celebrated with jubilant singing. With such a cadre of leaders, the future of the work in Barbuda looks bright! To God be the glory, great things He has done!