The North Caribbean Conference (NCC) held its year-end Executive Committee Meeting from December 4th to 5th, 2019, in order to review the operation of the Conference during 2019. The President of the Conference, Pastor Desmond James, welcomed the lay and pastoral representatives from around the field to the final committee meeting for 2019. More than 23 committee members representing the 10 islands of the Conference gathered for the meetings at the NCC headquarters in Christiansted, St. Croix.
Pastor Johnson Frederick, the Executive Secretary of the Caribbean Union, motivated the committee members on the first meeting day. As the General Conference and world divisions re-position members under the theme I Will Go, Pastor Frederick urged the committee members to learn to trust God as did the Biblical character, David. He emphasized, “Evangelism is very challenging now but we have a commission backed by your faith. As leaders we must be faithful. You will do a great work but the glory belongs to God.”
Pastor Desmond James stressed his gratitude to fellow administrators, directors, office staff and institutional leaders for their unwavering support to the Conference in 2019. He said, “It’s been an awesome year as we continued to follow our strategic initiative and move from good to great. There is new vibrancy around the Conference. We are not there yet but there is an obvious recapturing of the evangelistic thrust among the Conference and we thank God and our workers for their tremendous effort.”
In reference to the Conference’s goal of baptizing more than 400, Pastor Desmond James stated, “We are a vibrant Church in this Conference. We are coming to the very end of time and we need to see more people coming to the Church. We will not rest on the victories of 2019. Hence our embracing of the General Conference theme, I will Go.” The Conference surpassed its 2019 evangelistic goal, as set by the Caribbean Union (CARU).
On the second day of the meeting, Dr. Claudius Morgan, Special Assistant to the CARU President for Evangelism, said, “As you work on evangelistic initiatives for 2020, as you utilize ministries, as you engage our people in soul-winning activities, as you promote small group evangelism, realize that God will show us enormous things we have never imagined.”
In her financial report to the members of the Executive Committee, the NCC Treasurer, Ms. Sanida McKenzie credited God for His blessings, “We wish to acknowledge our dependence on God for His continuous presence, guidance, and sustaining grace.” She added, “Results could be better. Gross tithe and offerings remain steady. There are no major fluctuations and fiscal discipline (expenditures and allocations) is maintained. Liquidity levels are way past denominational standards. It offers us a better opportunity to face the challenging future that awaits us.”
Pastor Claudius Morgan joined his counterpart at the NCC to review preparations for the Impact 2020, which will be held from March 6th to 14th, 2020. It is hoped that this will be the most exciting evangelistic thrust in the Caribbean Union. Pastor Morgan commented, “This is the third one we are having so we are experienced at what we need to do and do it better.”
Acknowledgement was given to the contribution of Pastor Pedro Alicea-Figueroa who paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life during 2019.
Committee members voted to adopt departmental reports for 2019, the 2020 Calendar of Events, the NCC app, and a phased approach to the new platform for online giving.
The meeting ended with this resolution “As we await the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we, as an Executive Committee, will continue to support the Administration of the North Caribbean Conference, to implement policies and programs throughout the Conference in order to carry out its missions, which is to make disciples of all men and to get them ready for the coming of Jesus.”