Dave's Expressions

A Youth Camp 2007 clip

2008-01-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

Youth Camp 2007 Dance

Check out these dancers

My Experience with the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department (2002 - 2007)

2007-12-29T20:16:00.000-08:00

My Experience with the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department

(2002 – 2007)

Focus on Conference & Rally

In November 2002 I attended the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department’s annual Youth Conference and Rally for the first time. The conference is the highest decision making body of the Youth Department and should involve youth leaders from all of the Baptist Churches across the island, chiefly Youth Fellowship presidents and secretaries, Parish presidents, observers and the Youth Department Executive members. The Rally was where different groups from all over the island come to display their talents in a competition format.

The Conference was held at the Nutshell Conference Centre in Duncans, Trelawny and the Rally at the Ocho Rios Baptist Church in St. Ann. The Chairman of the Youth Department at the time was Mr. Courtney Christie Veitch. When I saw so many young Baptists from all over the island of Jamaica coming together, I gained an instant interest in this body of youths. I was at this conference in the first place because I was the president of my Youth Fellowship (Waterford Baptist Youth Fellowship). During the business meeting which was held in the night, I was nominated along with ten (10) others to sit on the executive of the Youth Department as a member at large. However out of the ten (10) that were nominated, only four (4) were going to be elected, I wasn’t one of them. I was still interested in this Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department “thingy” and I thought that I would be a good candidate for zone 2 coordinator (The incumbent person was Phillip Roberts).

Rally 2002

These are the current posts within the executive of the Youth Department:

=====

Chairman – chair meetings (officers and executive)

NATIONAL COMMITTEE - VICE CHAIRMEN

(There are 4 vice chairmen and they are each given an area to oversee and plan as well as organise events for. Each Vice Chairman of the Youth Department, is a chairman for their individual committees eg. vice chairman for youth fellowships is the chairman for the Youth Fellowships Committee)

- Uniform groups (responsible for the uniform groups through out the island eg. girl guides and boys brigade)

- Youth Fellowships (responsible for youth fellowships through out the island)

- Young Adults (responsible for young adult fellowships throughout the island)

- Student Affairs (responsible for tertiary students)

Secretary (record plans for the executive to carryout)

Assistant Secretary (Record minutes at executive meetings)

Treasurer (in charge of finances for the Youth Department)

Chairman Elect (Assist the Chairman in any and every way possible)

Immediate Past Chairman (Assist in everything or whatever assigned)

NATIONAL COMMISSION HEADS
- Camps (Organise annual camps)

- Discipleship (plan Baptist World Alliance Youth Day of prayer and other events and projects relating to bringing others to Christ and maintaining Christian beliefs and practices)

- Sports (Plan and organise sporting events for the island’s youths)

- Cultural (Organise annual Rally competitions and zone eliminations)

ZONE COORDINATORS

(all zone coordinators should plan and organise events for their parishes as well as report progress and problems of the parishes they are in charge of)

- Zone 1 (Portland, St. Thomas)

- Zone 2 (St. Catherine, Kingston / St. Andrew)

- Zone 3 (Clarendon, Manchester / St. Elizabeth)

- Zone 4 (St. Mary, St. Ann / Trelawny)

- Zone 5 (St. James, Westmoreland. Hanover)

MEMBERS AT LARGE

(They are given different arbitrary responsibilities eg. to assist a commission or committee, to form and be the head of new working committees or whatever duty is assigned to them by the executive.)

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

(They monitor the executive and lend much needed assistance to all members of the executive especially the chairman)

- Programmes Coordinator

- Associate General Secretary (Youth, Education and Training)

JAMAICA BAPTIST UNION NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVES

(They are elected by the Jamaica Baptist Union and attend the youth department meetings.)

=====
So yes I was interested in being the zone 2 coordinator. In 2003 I started to perform dub poems throughout Jamaica and served as counsellor for Intermediate 1 and youth camps. At the 2003 Conference Business meeting; I was nominated and elected to serve as the Vice chairman with responsibilities for Student's Affairs. Phillip Roberts was now the Vice Chairman for Young Adults. Earlier in 2003 I was also elected to serve as a member of the Spiritual Empowerment Conference Committee while still being the president of my youth fellowship and also the zone 2 coordinator for the St. Catherine Baptist Association Youth Arm.

Conference 2003 Participants (Patrice & Derron)

In October 2003 I some how single handedly plan a concert for the St. Catherine Baptist Association zone 2 fund raiser. I never knew I could get so many persons to gather at the church I attended, even though most of them complained bitterly about mosquitoes (which I believe was only a figment of their imagination). Everybody knows that Portmore doesn’t have many mosquitoes. :)

This event was a huge success in terms of numbers; persons came from Phillippo, Mamby Park, Bethel, Edgewater, Gregory Park and different parts of St. Catherine and Kingston. My pastor was shocked at the crowd of persons there. There was also an altar call aftewards and many persons went up. At this time I was in my third year of University and was wondering if I could manage these mammoth tasks. At the same time I started to call persons who served in the office of Vice chairman before, to ask them for suggestions.

Bethel Baptist Performance at zone 2 concert October 2003

I then started to put pen and paper together and made some plans about events I would like to have, the persons to sit on my committee as well as a budget for the undertakings I planned to have. The persons I asked to sit on my committee while being Vice chairman for the JBUYD were:

>>· Lance Fisher (University of Technology) (Brown’s Town Baptist – St. Ann)

>>· Sheree Mair (University of the West Indies) (Waterford Baptist – St. Catherine)

>>· Samantha Clarke (University of the West Indies) (Mamby Park Baptist – St. Andrew)

>>· Sheldon O’Connor (Jamaica Theological Seminary) (Phillippo Baptist – St. Catherine)

>>· Theresa Brown (University of the West Indies) (Bethel Baptist – St. Andrew)

>>· Donna lee Minott (University of the West Indies) (Stokes/Hall Baptist – St. Thomas)

We managed to plan several events over a 2 year period. This included:

- Christmas socials (December 2003 & 2004)

- Discussion on Women in leadership (April, 2004 [Bethel Baptist]) – “The empowerment of women the way forward…Oh really now!!!”

- Concert for students (April 2005 [ Bethel Baptist])

- Student Church Services (September 2004 [ Mamby Park Baptist] & 2005 [Mona Baptist])

- Student orientation exercises (August 2004 & 2005)

Student Affairs Christmas Social 2004

I was Re – elected as Vice chairman for Student Affairs at the 2004 JBUYD Conference meeting and I was also elected to serve as the Vice President for the St. Catherine Baptist Association with special responsibilities for missions.

Rally 2004 - Grace (Maypen) Performing

At this time I was in my final year of university and I was also very involved in the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) and sat on their Camps Commission. I was also the Assistant Treasurer for the Spiritual Empowerment Conference and the treasurer for my Youth Fellowship. I served 3 consecutive years as President of my Youth Fellowship (2001-2004) and then served as treasurer the following year. During the year 2004, I was at my house only 2 Saturdays for the entire year, because every single Saturday was another meeting or a performance somewhere.

UCCF Camp 2005 January

It was around this time when I was in a bus going to school and was feeling very pressured by the amount of responsibilities I have. I went to the front of the bus and sat in a seat. And there in front of me was a lady’s shirt that said “Continue Working for the Lord…the pay might not be much but the retirement plan is out of this world”. I could not believe my eyes at all. I took this message in my heart every where I went.

In July 2005, a set of missionaries from Virginia and North Carolina participated in our annual youth camps. They were Aaron Lee, Karen Vassar, Dreama Montrief, Christina, Alyson Taylor, Christian Peele and Jeremiah Austin. I was asked to then serve as a missionary in Virginia for three (3) weeks where I again met up with Aaron Lee and Karen Vassar. (The details of this story may be found on my mission trip to Virginia blog at http://davecolly.blogspot.com/2007/12/missiontrip-3-usa-virginia-1.html)

I was now being tipped to be the new Chairman and even though I some how saw this coming; I was very shy and felt extremely inadequate about taking on this kind of responsibility. The main reason was that I was trying to compare myself with Stacy Lalor who was a very fluent and proper speaker as well as some one who can be called upon at short notice to do a presentation and do it very well. First and foremost, I felt more comfortable talking patois and not Standard English. Secondly, I just didn’t believe that I could manage the responsibility of planning, organising and overseeing several activities of over 4000 youths in over 315 Baptist churches in Jamaica.

In November 2005 I was nominated and elected to serve as the Chairman of the Youth Department of the Jamaica Baptist Union for the 2005-2007 year. This was while I was the Vice Chairman of the St. Catherine Baptist Association Youth Arm as well as the Assistant Treasurer for my local Youth Fellowship and the Spiritual Empowerment Conference. I was now involved at every single level of the Jamaica Baptist Union from local Youth Fellowship to top executive. This was a very rough and bumpy ride for me but I believe God was there with me all the way.

Chairing my very first JBUYD Executive meeting in January 2006

I would get depressed every now and again and many times I felt like giving up but I kept hearing in my subconscious “My grace is sufficient for you.” While being chairman of the Youth Department you are inevitably a member of the JBU executive and would sit as a proxy on about eight (8) other committees of the Jamaica Baptist Union including:

>>ü The Steering Committee

>>ü Christian Education Committee

>>ü Conference Centre Committee

>>ü Mission Agency

>>ü Worship Committee

Now, there is no way on earth I could attend all these meetings while holding a full time job. Hence, other members of the Youth Department’s Officer Corps were asked to sit on different Committees. But, I was the one who they would call to inform about meetings.

In February 2006, I was selected (after applying) to serve as a steward at the World Council of Churches 9th assembly in Brazil. (More on this story may be found on my blog about my trip to Brazil blog at http://davecolly.blogspot.com/2007/12/trip-to-brazil-world-council-of.html. Because of this trip to Brazil, I was unable to attend the JBU annual assembly in February 2006 where I would be recognised as the new chairman of the JBUYD.

My predecessor, Stacy Lalor informed me that at the executive meetings with the JBU pastors and other members, every single one of them she left with a stress head ache. I of course went to my first executive meeting in March 2006 very nervous. I was overwhelmed with nervousness especially when I knew I had to be presenting the Youth Department’s report to pastors and other persons I looked up to as a child growing up in the Baptist faith. Pastors like:

>>ü Rev. Dr. Cawley Bolt (Former Baptist Warden at the United Theological College of the West Indies and now Pastor of the Ebony Vale / Sligoville circuit)

>>ü Rev. Karl Henlin (Pastor, Gregory park Circuit of Baptist churches, President of the JBU)

>>ü Rev. Karl Johnson (President of the Jamaica Council of Churches and General Secretary of the JBU)

>>ü Dr. Burchelle Taylor (President of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship and Pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church – Half Way Tree, Former president of the JBU)

>>ü Rev. Neville Callam (Now General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, then Pastor of the Tarrant/ Balmagine, Former President of the JBU)

>>ü Rev. Dr. Roy Henry (Pastor of the East Queens Street Circuit, Former President of the JBU)
>>ü My own Pastor Rev Dylan Toussaint

However, after presenting my report and answering a few questions, that was it. To date I felt uncomfortable in only 1 executive meeting which was in June 2007 when I was questioned about the Jamaica Baptist youths involvement in the evangelism exercise of the ICC Cricket world cup event in March 2007. I honestly tried to get persons out to the workshops but the time was just too bad for them.

In July 2006 I attended a Conference in Trinidad which was the 5th Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Youth Festival (for more on this story click on my trip to Trinidad blog at http://davecolly.blogspot.com/2007/12/trip-to-trinidad-cbf-youth-festival.html

In July 2007 I went on a Mission trip to Grenada organised by the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and the Caribbean Baptist Youth. For more on this story, click on my mission trip to Grenada blog at http://davecolly.blogspot.com/2007/12/mission-trip-1-grenada.html

In July and August of 2007 I went on a mission trip to Panama. For more on this trip, visit my mission trip to Panama blog at http://davecolly.blogspot.com/2007/12/mission-trip-2-panama.html

In November 2006 at the Conference, Mr. Lance Fisher was nominated and elected as the Chairman – Elect and in November 2007 he stepped into the seat as Chairman. I know he will do well. In February of 2008 I will have to tender a 2 year report to the JBU Assembly. I had good and bad experiences being chairman of the JBU Youth Department, and I believe that these experiences aided me to become a better person.

Conference 2006

This was my short recollection of my involvement with the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department (2002 – 2007).

Conference 2007

Thanks for reading and God bless you.

Dave Collymore

Alternative Investments

2007-12-29T11:50:00.000-08:00

Alternative Investment Schemes

For some time, there has been an ongoing debate about the legality of certain alternative investment schemes operating in and outside of Jamaica. The two companies that are in the spotlight now are:

CashPlus - http://www.cashplusltd.com/ and http://www.cashplusgroup.com/

OLINT - https://overseaslocket.com/efund/main.html

While the Jamaican financial sector promises returns of between 3 to 5 per cent a year, these companies has successfully delivered returns to investors at 10 per cent a month in a macro economic environment which is seeing declining interest rates, falling inflation and greater consolidation of the financial sector. (Edwards - Observer, 2007)

Both Michael Lee Chin (National Commercial Bank - head) and Bill Clarke (Bank of Nova Scotia - Head ) seem to be on the same page - this time - in dismissing these schemes. They have said that investors will get burnt. But if you are offering me 4 per cent a year and thse companies are making my friends 10 per cent a month, each and every month, what would you do? David Smith (head of Olint) now has close to US$400 million under management despite the FSC putting the block on Jamaicans investing with OLINT. (Edwards - Observer, 2007)

Olint, so far as is publicly known, trades in foreign exchange, offering its investors extraordinarily high returns - over 100 per cent in annualised interest. The FSC and others have, to put it mildly, been suspicious of the capacity of Olint and similar institutions to pay such lavish interest.

David Smith (OLINT's head)

That is part of the reason why the FSC has sought to bring Olint and cashplus under its policing umbrella, saying that it is required to have a licence from the commission to conduct business as a trader in securities, and in providing investing advice to the public. Except that Olint says that it does not do the latter, since it is a private investment club, catering to its members.

In March 2007, the FSC raided Olint's office, having issued a cease-and-desist order on Smith and his organisation. Olint challenged the jurisdiction of the FSC to issue such an order against it. That matter was heard by Justice Marva McIntosh.

In the months since that case, several other investment schemes, offering stratospheric interest rates, have surfaced in Jamaica. Thousands of Jamaicans have put money in them. But there are concerns that some of these may be Ponzi schemes - worse. Many people worry about their viability and who would bear the cost if they collapsed. (Editorial, Gleaner - 2007).

Cash Plus Group Limited was established in 2002 by mortgage broker Mr .Carlos O. Hill.

The organization primarily invests in Real Estate, telecommunications, and the gaming industry (adopted from club documents). Basically, Cash Plus has become a household name in Jamaica primarily because it has become the poor man’s financial messiah and is a way of escape for those desirous of a 10% per month financial hope. To some, it’s a ticking time bomb.

Carlos Hill (Head of Cash Plus)

If you are considering investing in Cash Plus, you must dare to ask pertinent questions - at least, the most obvious; “Is this ship going to sink with my hard earned money?” Well, I can’t say for sure. But here is some useful information :

1) Before November 2007, investors have been getting their returns. That’s important!
The Real Estate market and the telecommunication industry are two industries that possess the dollar signs now and for the future. So Cash Plus seems to be going in the right direction.
Cash Plus presents documented ‘details’ of their plans for future investment expansion/development. It might not be gospel, but it does give investors and potential investors a feel of the ethos of the organization. (Andre P. Llewellyn, Maximizing Wealth 2007 ).

Some Red Flags:
1) They are not regulated by the FSC.

2) The FSC has issued them a ceast and decist order, so no new clients can join.

3) The FSC and the Banks are really fighting to make them go down

4) Persons have not been getting their monthly interest.

5) Investors are getting worried and are now contemplating withdrawing their investment

Right now there are many more negatives than positives facing especially cashplus.

What are your feelings on this?

Financial Services Commission's List of 'Extremely High-Yielding Unregistered Investment Schemes'

Caribbean Real Estate Investment Fund (CAREIF)
World Wise Partners Limited
Swiss Cash
Higgins Warner Music and Entertainment
MayDaisy E Partner Plan Club
F 1 Investments/F 1 Holdings
A 3 Union
Wealth Builder and Associates
Right Vision E Partners Private Members Club
Strategical Alliance Investment Company
SGL Holdings
Partner Financials
Kingdom Investments Unlimited International (KIUI)
Image Consultants & Services
Nipo Farms
USIMO
Cash Plus Group
Olint Corp Limited
Overseas Locket International Corp
LewFam Investments and Trading Limited
LewFam Investments Club

The Brutal slaying of Bhutto

2007-12-27T18:05:00.000-08:00

Why did they assissinate Bhutto??

The assassination Thursday of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto threw the country's election campaign into disarray and sparked a wave of violence across the nuclear-armed nation.

Bhutto was shot to death and at least 20 other people were killed by an attacker who blew himself up at an election rally where the 54-year-old former prime minister had just spoken.
Violence left at least nine people dead Thursday. Angry supporters rioted in the southern port city of Karachi after her killing, firing shots at police, setting tires and cars on fire and burning a gas station.

UWI versus UTECH - In terms of Information Technology Education

2007-12-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

UWI versus UTECH - In terms of Information Technology Education

These comments were made on a forum from the website http://Techjamaica.com

PERSON 1
For both Univerisities, the final year allows computing students to spend time primarily on their specialisation. In this facility, UWI offers more freedom to students to take on courses as they see fit. UWI Students can actually graduate with 2 degrees in one go. For example, my cuz is majoring in Computer Science & Mathematics. UTECH does not offer this kind of freedom, but better prepares students for the working world by giving all final year courses practical hands on approaches that can be verified outside of the classroom.

The Final Thesis for both bodies are marked by the same body of individuals. In fact, there are lecturers that teach at both universities. The end product of a UWI student rests VERY heavily on the student. UWI students are more under pressure to select courses that will make their degree worthwhile. UTECH students are not. UTech students however, undergo a far more stressful course and have far less free time on their hands than do UWI students. This is because of the overwhelming content of the UTECH Comp Sci Degree.

Since the UWI degree's meaningfulness is determined by the students, managers in the real world by default explicitly stipulate in their want ads that students have a UTECH Degree or equivalent. That is because they know that no matter when a student graduates, they WILL have completed certain practical training exercises their organisation may need. They don't have that kind of guarantee of a UWI Comp Sci graduate.

This does not mean that UWI Computing graduates are looked down upon. The very idea is ridiculous. HOWEVER, a UWI computing student's usefulness in the work world is only as good as the courses he chooses to do while at UWI. So theoretically, many (if not most) UWI students graduate with very little real world skills as the courses they choose to complete are not necessarily the best ones that would make them truly marketable. It's nice to have that fancy piece of paper. But how can you back up the paper in the real world?

There are very good courses available @ UWI. What I do not like about UWI is that courses such as C programming (and a host of others) are NOT core courses. To me, that is nonsense. Furthermore, I do not like the fact that UWI stresses managerial skills for their computing FIRST degree more than TECHNICAL skills. Managers are usually the first people to loose their jobs, since everybody wants to be somebody else's boss. What is the sense of graduating from UWI with a degree that stresses managerial skills when students will NEVER get a management job right out of UWI just like that, without any previous Job experiences? That doesn't make any sense to me.

Most managers would think twice before giving a job to any young university student who only has a first degree (from any university) who doesn't have managerial skills and experience. You have to work your way up to the manager status. Start out as a programmer. Then move on to be a technical project manager. Then a Project Manager. Then after doing your masters, you take the managerial position.

However, since today's Jamaican organisations are far too top heavy (especially Government) having a practical skill is VERY VERY important. If all else fails, you can use your education to start your own business. I'm not sure all UWI students can say that - unless they choose all of the practical courses available at UWI. This is one of the reasons I have a lot of respect for GodKid. He went into a field practically no one else was even thinking of doing while at UWI. Now Godkid has his own business.

Now there's an example of a smart, no make that brilliant, UWI graduate.

Too many UWI students do the comp sci course just for the sake of completing a degree to say they have a degree in a field where they are sure to make money. UWI makes it too easy for students to leave the institution with a degree and no marketable skills. Skills are what get people paid nowadays. In today's world, it's not enough to have a piece of paper that says you have a degree. So long as you plan to work for someone else, Certifications are the THING....

....or you can just do the UTECH Comp Sci degree ;D

PERSON 2

I think we can all agree that there are pros and cons to making any educational choice. But what it boils down to is the individual. I know exceptional grads from UTECH as well as UWI. What they all have in common is a drive to excel at what they do. They never stop learning, and they have fun with their work. The institution they chose is just a stepping stone to higher heights - it does not define them.

Those are the individuals who recognize the weaknesses of whatever academic programme they are in, and find ways to compensate for it and get whatever it is they are missing (by working at a computer lab, experimenting on their own, doing additional courses elsewhere).

PERSON 3

First of all, I thought I'd comment on the UWI vs UTech debacle. I'm a UTech student, but I'm not particularly fond of the system here. However, the content that you cover in the courses is tremendous. Now, you don't ever complete what you are supposed to. But if you are motivated to do more that just pass courses you will learn a great deal of stuff. And contrary to popular opinion, you do ALOT of theory at UTech: Analysis of Algorithms, Theory of Computation, Analysis of Programming languages, just to name a few. I agreed with Keno's comments on the need for learning theory, and I think we do alot of that here at UTech too. So once again, if you are motivated you will learn to think outside the box. But don't expect UTech to teach you that. That comes from your mindset. I can't fairly assess UWI's course, but what I do know is that we do ALOT more at UTech, including most, if not all of what is done in the UWI course. We pay for it by the extra year though :-\

As for adjusting to the work world, I agree with previous comments regarding training. To become competent and usefull to any company we first need to be trained. We can't expect to come out of University fully operational with all our circuits functioning perfectly. No one expects a Doctor to finish their five year course and then throw them into an operating room :-X First, you have to do two year internship where you are no longer in the class-room. Lawyers, even after seven years in school, don't come out ready to defend Microsoft. You need traning and experience. Jamaican firms need to recognize this. To tap the full potential of graduates, they must be willing to train them. And we are willing to be trained!

PERSON 4

as a student currently doing a computer science degree @ UWI I can say for a fact that what you are taught is the science not the technical part of things but the opportunity is there for you to get a job as a lab tech and get some hands on network training and there's more than enough exposure to programming and operating systems in the end we have limited resources but if a person desired the knowledge it can be had right there on campus i might add.

PERSON 5

I did my degree @ UWI the courses in your final year are more practical (Database, Networking etc) however I would recommend that in the summers you do some certs and try get some of the lab tech positions on campus....coming close the summer the dept of management studies always looks for lab techs and the things you learn in that lab particularly make you ready to be a network admin. However even if you dont get one of those jobs do Network+ cert or some others. The certs can be done in the summers and will make you a well rounded techie.

Making a switch after two years is gonna add alot of expense to your education and at the end of the day you may still need to do certs with a UTECH degree some employers want to know for a fact that you do have the skills (Certs) rather than knowing you're supposed to cause it was in your syllabus

What Do you "Technocrats" have to say??

Life at University of Technology, Jamaica

2007-12-26T16:39:00.001-08:00

Life at University of Technology, Jamaica (UTECH)

(Sept 2001 - May 2005)

Took a chance by leaving my job at Life of Jamaica to go to UTECH in order to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Comuting and Information Technology.

It was a long road of sleepless nights over the 4 years as well as some glad Cs. I notice that all the courses that had an "A" in it when abbreviated, I got a C grade in it.

COA (Computer Organization and Assembly) "C -"
A of A (Analysis of Algorithm) "C "
AP (Advance Programing using JAVA) "C- " (a di bwoy Andrew cause dis)
NA (Numerical Analysis) "C- "
CA (Computer Architecture) "C"
AI (Artificial Intelligence) "C+"

Oh how can I forget the time when I was in a math class and my friend Sheldon Scott was meeting me for the first time, and no one could have told me that this guy wasn't from the USA.

What about when Andrew Dennis was trying to learn to swim and had to switch his elective.

Dwayne's car bruk down in the rain why?? Because of a single woman. Where was he travelling from clarendon?

Many others I cant remember right now.

Thank God for these friends I met there though, who I believe will be life long bredrins and sistren.

Did University prepare you for the world of work any at all ?

Israel / Palestine Conflict

2007-12-26T16:01:00.001-08:00

International Debate 1

Israel / Palestine Conflict

Is it a fact that the Israel really belong to the Palestinians and not the current Israelis occupying the territory? Discuss

This article was retrieved from http://www.secession.net/israel-palestine-confederation.html

Author unknown.

From a decentralist position, the best to way to look at the Israel-Palestine conflict is from the perspective of the a) rights of individuals to their freedom and their justly acquired property and b) the right to self-determination of the communities they have created. Zionism from its inception recognized that because native Arabs already inhabited most of the arable land, Israel could only be created by driving Arabs off their land. As the graphic below shows, through its 57 years Israel has managed to do just that. (Even more land has been confiscated since 2000.) The Arabs who have chosen to call themselves Palestinians have been trying to "secede" from the imposed state of Israel and regain their confiscated property since 1948.

Map retrieved from http://www.secession.net/israel-palestine-confederation.html

Yet according to decentralist theories of self-determination, Israelis also have a right to live in Palestine on their justly acquired (or if necessary, justly compensated) lands, which today might be 10 percent, including land that truly was previously unowned. Of course, given that so much of that land was stolen and Arabs ethnically cleansed from the area, many Palestinians and their supporters would disagree. However, those Palestinians willing to make some compromises do frequently point out that most Israelis live in cities near the sea anyway and do not occupy most of the Palestinian villages they emptied and destroyed in 1948. West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem land confiscated since Israel's 1967 war of aggression, of course, would have to be returned. Trying to resolve these issues in terms of collective rights of ethnic and religious groups is driving us now to the verge of a regional war as Israel ramps up war against Iran before it obtains the technical ability to produce nuclear weapons. Such a war could rapidly lead to regional or even world nuclear war. See StopTheWarNow.Net Workable solutions probably would have to be more radical decentralist, more based on case-by-case analysis, like those advanced at Secession.Net. Such radical decentralist prescriptions below highlighted in underlined italics. Decentralist solutions certainly would not look like the defacto "bantustans" that the Israeli government has been trying to force upon Palestinians since the Oslo accords, and including George Bush's "road map." The offical Palestine Liberation Organization position is that Palestinians are willing to accept Israel if it retreats to its June 4, 1967 borders--a demand long made even by the United Nations (Resolution 242)-- and recognizes the right of return. Israel refuses to give up the territory and recognize the right of return -- which would soon turn Israel into a majority Arab state -- and continues to threaten nuclear retaliation in "self-defense" of these confiscated lands. (See Israeli nuclear threats page.) Perhaps only a transcendent political solution like one or more confederations, arrived at through nonviolent negotiation, can resolve this conflict. (See a nonviolent plan for resolution from Nonviolence International's Mubarak Awad Eight Steps to Israeli Palestinian Peace.)

This information was retrieved from http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA (Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

According to the Official Gazette, No. 1 of the 5th, Iyar, 5708 (14th May, 1948).

THE DECLARATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL May 14, 1948
On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The new state was recognized that night by the United States and three days later by the USSR.

ERETZ-ISRAEL [(Hebrew) - the Land of Israel, Palestine] was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.

After being forcibly exiled from their land, the people kept faith with it throughout their Dispersion and never ceased to pray and hope for their return to it and for the restoration in it of their political freedom.
Impelled by this historic and traditional attachment, Jews strove in every successive generation to re-establish themselves in their ancient homeland. In recent decades they returned in their masses. Pioneers, ma'pilim [(Hebrew) - immigrants coming to Eretz-Israel in defiance of restrictive legislation] and defenders, they made deserts bloom, revived the Hebrew language, built villages and towns, and created a thriving community controlling its own economy and culture, loving peace but knowing how to defend itself, bringing the blessings of progress to all the country's inhabitants, and aspiring towards independent nationhood.

In the year 5657 (1897), at the summons of the spiritual father of the Jewish State, Theodore Herzl, the First Zionist Congress convened and proclaimed the right of the Jewish people to national rebirth in its own country.

This right was recognized in the Balfour Declaration of the 2nd November, 1917, and re-affirmed in the Mandate of the League of Nations which, in particular, gave international sanction to the historic connection between the Jewish people and Eretz-Israel and to the right of the Jewish people to rebuild its National Home.

The catastrophe which recently befell the Jewish people - the massacre of millions of Jews in Europe - was another clear demonstration of the urgency of solving the problem of its homelessness by re-establishing in Eretz-Israel the Jewish State, which would open the gates of the homeland wide to every Jew and confer upon the Jewish people the status of a fully privileged member of the comity of nations.

Survivors of the Nazi holocaust in Europe, as well as Jews from other parts of the world, continued to migrate to Eretz-Israel, undaunted by difficulties, restrictions and dangers, and never ceased to assert their right to a life of dignity, freedom and honest toil in their national homeland.

In the Second World War, the Jewish community of this country contributed its full share to the struggle of the freedom- and peace-loving nations against the forces of Nazi wickedness and, by the blood of its soldiers and its war effort, gained the right to be reckoned among the peoples who founded the United Nations.

On the 29th November, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel; the General Assembly required the inhabitants of Eretz-Israel to take such steps as were necessary on their part for the implementation of that resolution. This recognition by the United Nations of the right of the Jewish people to establish their State is irrevocable.

This right is the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State.

ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ERETZ-ISRAEL AND OF THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL AND, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL AND HISTORIC RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

WE DECLARE that, with effect from the moment of the termination of the Mandate being tonight, the eve of Sabbath, the 6th Iyar, 5708 (15th May, 1948), until the establishment of the elected, regular authorities of the State in accordance with the Constitution which shall be adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly not later than the 1st October 1948, the People's Council shall act as a Provisional Council of State, and its executive organ, the People's Administration, shall be the Provisional Government of the Jewish State, to be called "Israel".
THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

THE STATE OF ISRAEL is prepared to cooperate with the agencies and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the resolution of the General Assembly of the 29th November, 1947, and will take steps to bring about the economic union of the whole of Eretz-Israel.
WE APPEAL to the United Nations to assist the Jewish people in the building-up of its State and to receive the State of Israel into the comity of nations.

WE APPEAL - in the very midst of the onslaught launched against us now for months - to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.

WE EXTEND our hand to all neighbouring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land. The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.
WE APPEAL to the Jewish people throughout the Diaspora to rally round the Jews of Eretz-Israel in the tasks of immigration and upbuilding and to stand by them in the great struggle for the realization of the age-old dream - the redemption of Israel.
PLACING OUR TRUST IN THE "ROCK OF ISRAEL", WE AFFIX OUR SIGNATURES TO THIS PROCLAMATION AT THIS SESSION OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE, ON THE SOIL OF THE HOMELAND, IN THE CITY OF TEL-AVIV, ON THIS SABBATH EVE, THE 5TH DAY OF IYAR, 5708 (14TH MAY,1948).

What do you have to say???? Was it fair for the Palestinians (arabs) to be driven out? why were they driven out really?

further reading:
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/14/israel.lebanon.timeline/index.html

Trip to TRINIDAD - CBF Youth Festival

2007-12-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Youth Festival - TRINIDAD
(July 2006)

Over 60 persons were present at the seventh (7th) Caribbean Baptist Youth Festival in Trinidad (July 18-23, 2006) and the delegation from Jamaica was approximately 25. The theme was “Lord I’m available to you”. Eight (8) other participating countries were present, and these were: Trinidad, St. Vincent, Grenada, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Turks and Caicos.

The Rev. Emmett Dunn, director of the BWA Youth was a key note speaker, while Rev Jeffery Shuttleworth was the bible study presenter. The speaker for the closing night was Rev. Donald Lawrence, former president of the Baptist World Alliance Youth Department.

We had several workshops and breakout bible study groups throughout the week. We also went to a road show at San Juan Prominade and did a brief tour of Trinidad.

Dr. Michael Taylor was elected to serve as the President of the Caribbean Baptist Youth Fellowship.

MissionTrip 3 - USA (Virginia 1)

2007-12-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

World Camp / Impact Virginia (2005)

(July - August 2005)

I was asked to represent the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department in July 2005 to go on a mission trip to Virginia. This was known as World Camp 2005. While on the Plane heading for Virginia, I had no clue that I was supposed to stop off in Baltimore, Maryland first. So I proceeded to ask a lady if this flight goes straight to Washington Dulles airport in Virginia and the lady said no its going to Baltimore Washington Airport. So I told her she was on the wrong flight because this plane is in fact going to Virgina..She then said Sir, there is no flight that goes from Jamaica to Virginia. I said nothing more for the remaining portion of the flight.

I eventually got to Baltimore Washington and had to call the person who I would be staying with in Virginia (Mike Haywood). He told me that some one would be picking me up and they are 30 mins away from me. I had to tell him what colour shirt I was in and everything because the person to pick me up had no idea who he was picking up. I eventually found him (Pepper Ailor) and another guy (Pastor Aaron George from Grenada) and we took the 4 hour journey from Baltimore, Maryland to Virginia. We ended up at the Peninsula Baptist Association building. By the way there are over 30 Baptist Associations in Virginia alone, all of which are some what similar to our Jamaica Baptist Union.

I eventually went to Mike Haywood’s home where some other persons from Austria were. We all visited his church (Hampton Baptist) and for the first time in my life, I experienced being at a church that has only white people as members.
We were all eventually transported to a campsite known as East over.

Each day at the camp which lasted 1 week, we would go out in teams where some built houses, others painted and others remodelled or built windows, doors etc. My group was given the task to rebuild a Ramp. This was another culture shock for me as again for the first time in my life I was surrounded by over 500 white persons while Me, Pastor George, Mr. Lalsee and a girl from Italy were the only Black persons in the entire camps.
Eventually I started to feel comfortable and I got the chance to perform several dub poems and sold over 50 of my CDs at the camp site.

After the camp we all spent 2 weeks conducting sports camps, vocational bible School and visiting old age homes in the days, while visiting a church in the night.
The churches we visited were:

· Hampton Baptist (Morning worship Service)
· Parkview Baptist (Performed, worship service, VBS)
· Providence Baptist (Sports camp)
· Orcutt Baptist (Performed)
· Ivy Memorial Baptist (Performed)
· Liberty Baptist (Viewing) (Mega Church)
· First Baptist – New Port News (Performed, worship service)
· Tabernacle Baptist (Sports Camp)
· Langley Baptist (Pizza Party)

This overall was a wonderful experience as I met persons from Austria, Italy, Grenada, China, Brazil and of course the USA.

Mission Trip 2 - PANAMA

2007-12-26T13:24:00.001-08:00

MISSION PANAMA 2007

(July - August 2007)

The Mission Trip to Panama was one to remember.
From the get go at the airport in Jamaica it was a rush, straight until we got to our final destination at the home of the Hartley's family. The eight of us (8) who stayed at the Hartley's were greeted warmly.

We would have devotion each morning and share expectations and/or concerns with each other.
For the second and third days in Panama we did some amount of shopping (Clothes in Panama is very very cheap).

Through out the other days in Panama, we found ourselves participating in various ways, through several activities at the First Isthmian Baptist Church. These included:

- A Childrens Rally (Sat, July 28) - where we all facilitated several groups of children
(ages 6 - 14)

- Worship service (Sun, July 29) - where I performed and Sophia preached.

- Tour / Youth Revival Night 1 (Mon, July 30) - We toured an area in Colon where we saw the figure of the "Black Christ" in a Catholic Church. Legend has it that this statue washed up a shore over 200 years ago. It is also said that the statue heals the sick. Thousands of people would therefore walk from Panama City to Colon, only to see this image each year on October 21 which is called the "Black Christmas".

Several of us acted a skit in Spanish and Rev. Oral White preached.

- Youth Revival Night 2 (Tues, July 31) - Performed in the Night service and Rev. Oral White gave the message.

- Visit old age home / Youth Revival night 3 (Wed, Aug 1) - We visited an old age home and worshipped with them. At the final night of the Youth Revival, we all acted in a skit and Rev. Oral White preached in Spanish.

- Mission visits (Thurs, Aug 2) - we visited the four 1st Isthmian Baptist missions in Costa Abajo, where Perryn and Melissa conducted interviews with some members of the Church missions. the name of the Church missions are:

Piña
Palmas Ballas
Que Brada Lyon
Buena Ventura (Only accessible by boat, which is a 30 minute boat ride)

Presentations at 1st Isthmian
- Leadership (Monique Savage)
- Technology in worship (Perry Smith and Melissa Gayle)
- Using the arts in worship (Matthew Deitritch and Rosheen Roper)
- Concert night
>Kelly danced
> I did poems

Overall this mission was a delightful one for most of us. We ministered and were also ministered to. The people were warm and friendly and I personally would be willing to go back at any time the opportunity presents itself.

Many of the pictures may be found at...

http://picasaweb.google.com/davecolly/TravelsPANAMAJULYAUGUST2007

Mission Trip 1 - GRENADA

2007-12-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

IMPACT GRENADA 2007

(July 2007)

Personnel
On arriving in Grenada on July 20, 2007, we were all placed in separate groups with names like:
Ginger snaps and Coral reefs
There were six (7) of us from Jamaica, six (6) males and one (1) female

Danneille Townsend (Leader)
Daniel Golding
Ian Taylor
Orane Shaw
Ade Brown
David Bonner
Dave Collymore

There was also one person from St. Vincent, Quacy

In total there were over 90 mission volunteers including the staff from the Virginia Baptist Mission Board.

Theme
The theme was WHATEVER…based on the scripture passage Colossians 3:17, 23 & 24 (KJV)

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Some groups mainly conducted Vacation Bible School while others mainly did construction.

On the opening morning of the mission, we worshipped at the Grand Anse Baptist Church. This was also where the opening service of Impact Grenada was held later on in the evening. Several items were rendered including one from the Jamaican delegation who was decked out in their Jamaican colours.

We began each morning with breakfast then a brief devotional exercise which was lead by a musician from Tennessee.

We would then get in our groups and head out for our worksite or church for VBS. Some groups did both VBS and construction. We then head back on campus where we rested, have dinner, then evening devotion and service.

Each night in these devotional exercises some persons would tell of their "whatever moment."

In a general sense, the persons were warm and it felt really good assisting others who were in need of help. I believe we were all touched in some way or another on this mission trip to Grenada.

All Pictures from the Grenada mission may be viewed at the link below

http://picasaweb.google.com/davecolly/TravelsGRENADAJULY2007

Trip to Brazil - World Council of Churches 9th Assembly

2007-12-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

World Council of Churches 9th Assembly - Brazil (February 11 - 26, 2006)

I gained the priviledge of being selected to attend the World Council of Churches 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre , Brazil, February 2006.

This is a brief synopsis of what transpired at the World Council of Churches 9th Assembly from the eyes of a steward. Stewards were workers in the assembly who were assigned special duties. All stewards were between the ages of 18 – 30 and were drafted from all over the world, based on their church involvement, age and area of specialisation amongst many other criteria.

The World Council of churches 9th Assembly was one of great joy and glee for the stewards who attended. It was definitely a memorable experience for me. The theme was "God in your Grace Transform the World".

Pre assembly (Feb 11 – 13)

Stewards arrived from all over the world on the very first day; they were two of us from Jamaica, myself and a Moravian Minister, Jermaine Gibson. All stewards were randomly placed in hotel rooms, some with other stewards who barely spoke English. But the warmth from every one around was felt from the very first day of being a steward, despite the language, race or denomination. There were approximately 140 stewards there.

We had a hectic schedule even for the three (3) day pre assembly meetings (Feb 11 – 13) where we had to get on the hotel bus by 6:30 am (baring in mind that at this time Brazil is 3 hours ahead of Jamaica) to the University campus where the assembly was kept, then back to the hotel at 7:30pm to eat. Then there was always a closing event every evening beginning at about 9pm and may go on until a possible 1am. There were sessions and presentations each day of the pre – assembly and we were also divided into 18 groups which were termed “Home Groups”. In these home groups we would have bible study together and just share our concerns etc.

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia a Methodist Minister from Africa, addressed us in the Pre assembly where he mentioned that we are the future of the World Council of Churches and that this assembly is also termed as a “youth Assembly”, as never before was there an assembly which involved over Seven Hundred (700) youths from all corners of the earth.

On the second day of the Pre assembly we had an intercultural night where each region did a cultural presentation. I performed a dub piece there. In total there were only eight (8) youth participants from the Caribbean.

Jamaica(M/M) - 2(Stewards)
Antigua (F) – 1(Steward)
Trinidad (F) – 1(Steward)
Bahamas (M) – 1(Steward)
Purto Rico (F) – 1(Steward)
Cuba (F) – 1(Delegate)
Greneda (F) – 1(Delegate)

On the final day of the Pre assembly we were placed in our work Groups and was given my first choice to work in the computer area. The Caribbean along with Latin America performed the closing prayer and the Steward from Antigua did a dance.

Assembly (Feb 14 – 23)

The assembly started on February 14 and continued to February 23, 2006. Many of the stewards including myself didn’t get a chance to participate much, directly in the life of the assembly, as we had to be working to make sure that the assembly go on. My responsibility along with three (3) other stewards was to maintain the computers on two blocks (not too close to each other) and if any go down we should try to fix the problem. However we were released from work to attend a few special meetings some days. These meetings I will speak about in more details below.

Ecumenical conversations – Feb 16 – 18 there were about Twelve (12) Ecumenical Conversations covering different topics for eg. Justice, technology, war, etc. I chose the group “Youths Transforming the Ecumenical landscape” and participated in the discussions.

Brazil’s President – The President of Brazil, LULA DA SILVA came and spoke to the assembly, he thanked the WCC for choosing Brazil and also mentioned a few things that he plan to do for Brazil and what he had already done (Politics).

Regional Meetings – All regions had a meeting and those who could attend did so. Approximately 50 people were present in the Caribbean regional meeting. The participants claimed that some churches are not sending enough delegates and also that they (the WCC) need to put Haiti high on their agenda. There was only 1 representative from Haiti and there should have been three more. They also mentioned that other issues affecting the Caribbean should be brought to the WCC’s attention including, Natural disasters, HIV, Violence and Crime, Refugee situation and deportation amongst others. They also touched on how CARICOM / CSME can get involved.

Confessional Meetings – Approximately 60 people attended the Baptist meeting. Denton Lotz, the General Secretary for the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) chaired the meeting where we discussed about getting the Baptists more involved in the life of the WCC. Denton Lotz mentioned that of the over 200 Baptist Churches in the BWA only 21 are members of the WCC. He also mentioned that many Baptists around the world aren’t very ecumenical and that many see us as people who don’t really care to listen to what others have to say.

Also worth mentioning is that there was a minor protest of some youths in the assembly which included some stewards. This was because there was a decision by the central committee of the WCC to make 15% of the youths be on the Central committee but the youths wanted 25%. So many youths wore kerchiefs around their mouths and had placards saying things like “our voices need to be heard” and “Why is this called a youth assembly?” etc. There was also a daily newspaper for each day of the assembly.

Post Assembly (Feb 24 – 25)

There wasn’t really a time table for the 2 final days except evaluating the assembly and discussing the way forward. There were a few short exercises done and on Saturday the stewards did the closing prayers. I did the prayer for the Caribbean region. After this final prayer, many stewards were seeing drying tears.

Overall the experience was one I don’t think I can ever forget in this life time. It was a tremendous experience interacting with people of different cultures, denominations and countries, worshiping one God. If I could do it all over again I would. It actually broke my heart when it was time to leave, as we would be going back to our different lives all over the world. This experience was definitely a blessing and has given me a deeper understanding about what is really going on in this world.

My Mission Trips (A) - Jamaica

2007-12-26T08:17:00.000-08:00

Portland - March 2004
(Belle Castle Circuit of Baptist Churches)

CHURCHES - Hepzihbah, Long Road, Belle Castle, Top Moro

Pastor at the time - Rev. Lessley Saunders

This was the very first effort of the Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department to reach out to the other Baptist churches in various parishes in Jamaica to give information and encouragement. It is known as our "PARISH INTERVENTION" where we are placed in different teams within a circuit in a parish for a weekend. Portland was our first parish and the theme of the Youth Department at the time was "Faithful to God's Unchanging Word...in our Ever Changing World". The chairman of the Youth Department at the time was Stacey Lalor formerly of the Moneague circuit of Baptist Churches. My team member was Trisha Daye - Williams. We managed to have a get together with all churches in the circuit at the end of the day even though the 4 churches were all a bit distant from each other.

============================

St. James - January 2005
(Salter's Hill/Providence Circuit of Baptist Churches)

CHURCHES - Salter's Hill, Providence

Pastor at the time - Rev. Jeffery Shuttleworth

My team member on this trip was Leroy Dawkins who is a member of the church I attend (Waterford Baptist). All of us who went to St. James from Kingston had to take the bus down to Montego Bay which was a 5 hour Journey but took 6 hours because of Traffic. We all got to Montego Bay at approximately 10:30 pm (22:30). My team managed to have a brief concert after interacting with both churches.

============================

Manchester/St. Elizabeth - April 2005

(Christiana Circuit of Baptist Churches)

CHURHES - Chudleigh, Litchfield, Christiana

Pastor at the time - Rev. Clement Clarke

On this trip, me and my team members stayed at the pastor's house and he was grateful enough to drive us around to the different churches. My other team members were Ronn Albert and Mercaldro Folks. It was on this trip we realised that there are "Youth Fellowships" that have members up to age 50. As a matter of fact, the president of one of the Youth Fellowships was 50 years old. All persons in the fellowship were 40 and over.

============================

St. Thomas - June 2005

(Seaforth Circuit of Baptist Churches)

CHURCHES - York, Seaforth, Whitehall, Middleton

Pastor at the time - Rev. Agorum Diké

On this trip the pastor was also very willing to carry my team member and myself around. My team member was Mr. Fray from Montego Bay. When we got to where the pastor resided, he decided to show us a few DVDs of him preaching all over the place. We found this strange as it was after 10pm in the night when we were tried. Even though this circuit have 4 churches, they were all within a relatively close proximity of each other. It is alleged that the Middleton Baptist Church was the church where our national hero Paul Bogle was a Deacon. At this intervention, it so happend that the Parish was holding its annual Parish Convention which was held at the Yallas Baptist Church. Another co-incidence was that we the members on the Parish Intervention were asked on short notice to be the members of the choir. But what can I say? The Lord has called us to avail ourselves, whether you can sing or not.

============================

St. Mary - April 2006

(Annotto Bay Circuit of Baptist Churches)

Epsom, Clonmel, Annotto Bay

Pastor at the time - Rev. Kenneth Kirby

By this time I was the Chairman of the Youth Department and out theme was "Touching Hearts...Changing Lives". My team members on this trip were Ronn Albert and Adli Lewis. again we stayed at the pastor's manse and we were again blessed to be carried to the different churches by the pastor. The churches weren't too far away from each other, however the road or lack there of to get to Epsom Baptist can take up to 45 mins to an hour or even longer if another person is driving from the opposite end. I had to commend this pastor for his patience and dedication over the years. After the intervention we went to the Parish banquet where the speaker was Rev. Dr. Vivian Panton, the niece of Rev. Kirby's wife.

St. Ann - February 2007

(Moneague Circuit of Baptist Churches)

Waltham, Coultart Grove, Harmony Vale, Moneague

Pastor at the time - Rev. Delroy Sittol

This trip was also another co-incidence as I ended up going to the circuit where my mother and her family grew up in a tiny house. The house wasn't so tiny anymore as they added on a balcony and upgraded the entire area. To go up there you have to encounter a very very very steep hill which was once a track. thanks to Digicel, a road is now there because they placed a pole right up there. My team member on this trip was Adrian Jackson and I must admit that this circuit was a difficult one as the 4 churches weren't too close to each other at all. My cousin was the one who drove us around to the churches in the area. If it wasn't for them, we would probably have to take taxi to the different churches where we had no idea how to find. Me and my team member ended up preaching on the Sunday morning, me at Waltham Baptist (The church my mom grew up in) and Adrian at Harmony Vale Baptist.

Westmoreland - June 2007

( Sutcliffe Mount Circuit of Baptist Churches)

Cornwall Mountain, Grace Hill, Mount Peto, Petersfield, Sutcliffe Mount

Pastor at the time - Rev. James Peart

The very first thing I took note of when I was placed in this circuit, was that all except one of the churches in this circuit had either the word "Hill" or "Mount" in it. I started to wonder if the persons incharge of placing us into circuits (Youth Fellowships Vice Chairman and others) wanted me to be in the more difficult circuits but anyway.... This team had to be split in two because of the size of this circuit. This team involved myself, Donalee Townsend and Camara Grant (team 1) as well as Lance Fisher and Corrine Cooper (team 2). Unfortunately, on this trip we did not have enough drivers and that caused some minor problems. Problems like the three churches I was supposed to go to (Cornwall Mountain, Grace Hill and Mount Peto) were not very close to each other, hence me and my team members ended up going to only one which was Grace Hill. Grace Hill indeed, as you needed much grace to get up to that hill.

Overall it was a good trip and we even ended up going to a river in Petersfield but unforunately rain started to fall along with some serious lightening and clapping thunder. We all ended up being soaked because we had to walk back in the rain to our destination which was about 30 mins away by foot.

Other Local Mission Trips

St. Catherine

While I was the Vice President of the St. Catherine Baptist Association Youth Arm (2005-2006), I was given the responsibility for organising mission trips. Among the churches we visited were:

Angels Baptist - January 2005 (At the time Linstead Circuit, now Eltham/Angels Circuit)
Mount Refuge - March 2005 (Bellas Gate Circuit)
Calvary (Watermount) - April 2005 (Point Hill Circuit)
Sydnom Baptist - May 2005 (Gregory Park Circuit)
Redwood Baptist - January 2006 (Jericho Circuit)
Eltham Baptist - March 2006 (Eltham/Angels Circuit)
Mount Hermon Baptist- April 2006 (Mt. Hermon Circuit)
Hellshire Mission - May 2006 (Greater Portmore/Hellshire circuit)

Church Related - 2

2007-12-26T07:36:00.001-08:00

Why do we celebrate Christmas when it has pagan origins?

Wittmann, 2002 exerted that Few people realize that the origins of a form of Christmas was pagan & celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Jesus Christ.

No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th?
The answer lies in the pagan origins of Christmas. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.
In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.
In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian Worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.
Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.
The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees.
In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.
Christmas (Christ-Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany, though Catholics and Lutherans still disagree about which church celebrated it first. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.”
The controversy continues even today in some fundamentalist sects.

http://de.essortment.com/christmaspagan_rece.htm

What are your feelings on this?

Poetry 1

2007-12-25T06:19:00.000-08:00

We Should Love

We should love each other
because all of us are sisters and brothers
we should always be caring in every weather
God will let our burdens light like a feather.

When we praise God, it brings happiness
It will make us feel better, and have less stress
If you don't love God, your life will be a mess
this is the truth I must confess.

Love doesn't let us feel pain, it won't hurt
It won't let us lose our self worth,
God showed us true love from Jesus' birth
even if you are poor and cant afford a shirt.

Lets come together and unite
this is a must not maybe not might
We need peace we must not fight
once there was darkness, He said let there be light

In God's presence, its all about love
we should always be humble and calm as a dove
because when we praise God there is blessings from above
thats why this poem is entitled, we should love.

Dave Orville Collymore

Church Related - 1

2007-12-24T17:25:00.000-08:00

Why are Pastors in some denominations called Reverend?
by Dave Collymore - Jamaica (Dec 24, 2007)

What are your views?

According to Todd Clippard

This question as submitted was "should a pastor be called reverend?" The REAL question is, "should a preacher be called a pastor?" This practice is common among most religious bodies today, yet is complete foreign to the Bible. In response to the original question, no person should be called reverend. Matthew 23:1-12 forbids the use of religious titles to elevate one man above another.

http://www.housetohouse.com/hth/biblequestions/archive/question0293.htm

The origin of the use of religious titles. Such titles as "Reverend" have not gone without question and challenge, even among denominational people. Consider the meaning of "Reverend," "Worthy to be revered; entitled to reverence. Pertaining to or characteristic of the clergy" (The Random House College Dictionary, pg. 1130). Of course, "reverend" is a biblical word. Notice the only occurrence of "reverend" and how it is used: "He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverent is his name" (Ps. 111: 9). God deserves to be called reverend because of his essential nature and deeds. However, it is audacity in the extreme for man to arrogate to himself such a term as reverend (the milder of many of the religious titles used today). Consider the warning issued by the Baptist Standard regarding such titles.
"Some of the words used by the Baptists of today in their preaching, writing, and conversation are altogether alien to the verbiage of the early Christians. Who could imagine Onesimus going to Philemon and talking to him about 'The Reverend Paul?' Who could imagine Gaius writing to the 'Reverend John' to give him a good report about the 'Reverend Demetrius?' Yet modern Baptists use the term 'Reverend' every day in speaking of preachers or writing of them….If the Baptists of the medieval age could hear it today they would cry against the use of this title which has been borrowed from an ecclesiastical hierarchy that would draw a line between the laity and the ministry. When the word 'Reverend' is used in the Bible, it refers to God, for He alone is to be revered." (Baptist Standard, April 9, 1955, Editorial Section, pg. 2.)
Hence, such titles of self-praise had their origin in the vanity and carnal ambition of men.
The use of "Reverend" among churches of Christ. Shortly following the Civil War, the term Reverend began to be used by some in churches of Christ. Isaac Errett was the first preacher of popularity to use Reverend. History tells us that when Errett began preaching for the church in Detroit, he had a silver doorplate inscribed with "Rev. I. Errett" on it. In defense of the use of Reverend, J. S. Lamar reasoned:
"…It is (the word Reverend, dm) coming to be more and more widely understood that the Saviour's words (referring to Matthew 23, dm) do not prohibit the use of any designation which simply makes known the fact that the man to whom it is applied is a preacher….The word Reverend before a man's name is universally understood to indicate simply that he is a minister of the gospel. It bears no significance to personal superiority or official eminence" (Memoirs of Isaac Errett, by J. S. Lamar, Vol. 2, pg. 278).
It was fortunate that while a number of preachers in the church of Christ followed the example of the influential Esaac Errett, there were those who did challenge and refused the use of the religious title Reverend.
In all honesty, there are terms that are not normally religious apellatives that can be used as religious titles. Brother, Pastor, Elder, Preacher, and Evangelist are sometimes used as distinguishing and elevating modifiers. "May I introduce to you Pastor Smith," is such an example. Such a use of "Pastor" also often intimates the "pastoral system" of church government (the preacher in charge of the local church). I must again stress, though, that some terms are by their very nature religious titles, while other terms become titles by use. For instance, John refers to himself simply as "The elder" (2 Jn. 1). "Elder," in this case, just means John the aged.
Religious titles and the clergy concept. Religious distinctions of ascendancy reflect the clergy/laity concept that is so common. As a matter of fact, "clergy" in the sense of a group of ordained persons (preachers) enjoying a lofty position over the "laity" is not in the vocabulary or concept of the scriptures. However, the Greek word kleron (plural of kleros) is found. Kleron is translated "God's heritage" in I Peter 5: 3. Peter is instructing elders (not preachers, as such) not to be lord's over God's heritage, the church. The interesting point is our English word clergy derives from kleros, the word the Spirit used to designate the people of God in general (what man calls "laity") and not a select, distinguished group.
It is often the case that not only do some crave special recognition, but also they are not even content with their titles of prominence. The title "Reverend" has been given degrees in an effort to develop gradation of distinction. There is "Reverend," "Very Reverend," "Right Reverend, and "Most Reverend." On still another occasion, the disciples were involved in strife as to who was the greatest among them (Lk. 22: 24 ff.). Jesus said, "…But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve" (vs. 27). The real rule of greatness is, "…for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great" (Lk. 9: 48). The greatest man to have ever lived said of himself, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20: 28). The use of religious titles such as described and discussed in this material reflect a pride and haughty spirit and create sinful distinctions of elevation.------------------------
January 17, 1997 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The following is by the late E.G. Cook (1898-1987) --
So far as I am able to learn, the title "reverend" was never used in connection with a mere man for at least 1,400 years after all those elders were ordained in New Testament times. The word "reverend" in Psa. 111:9 comes from the Hebrew Word "yare." This word is used more than 300 times in the Scriptures, but only one time is it translated "reverend." Other meanings of this word "yare" are "dreadful," "feared," and "terrible." The title "terrible" would seem to fit some preachers I know better than "reverend."
According to the Oxford Universal Dictionary, the title of "reverend" was first applied to persons of age and character in 1449. In 1485, the deans in the Catholic Church were given the title of "Very Reverend" and the bishops were called "Right Reverend." God's title was "Reverend," so in order for the deans and bishops to be more highly honored than God, they used "Very Reverend" for the deans and "Right Reverend" for the bishops.
It would seem that by this time man would have been satisfied to just leave God this far behind. It appears, however, that there is no limit to man's carnal desires; not only to be like the Most High, but to go beyond Him. In 1642 the Arch-Bishops began to be called "Most Right Reverend." Just how much more reverend can you be than that! Three years later, in 1645, just exactly 200 years before the Southern Baptist Convention was born, the title of "reverend" was applied to the clergy as a whole.
The Catholic Church had already taken over the matter of saving people. They just dash a little water on a person's head, and there you have it. That is so much more comfortable than hanging on a tree for six hours, by means of nails through the hands and feet.
The matter of forgiving sins had already been taken care of as well. If you have the money, I understand you can have the sins you have already committed forgiven, and even the ones you plan to commit next weekend. Surely they have the most convenient religion in all the world.
Now that they had taken over God's function in the matter of saving people and forgiving their sins, it was only a little thing for them to take over His title. All this will culminate in the man of sin in 2 Thess. 2:3-4. If you notice in Revelation 19:20, our Lord does not even go to the trouble of killing that old rascal. He just casts him into the lake of fire alive. ...
It seems to me that if Baptist preachers would investigate the origin of their title, they would prefer the one given to them in God's Word, rather than one given to them by the Catholic Church. If Baptists would discard all the junk the Catholic Church has sold them through the centuries, they would find they have a lot more room for Bible truth. --copied from The Historic Baptist
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