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Antigua Hosts First Full W.H.C Conference of the Caribbean
http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/220/1/Antigua-Hosts-First-Full-WHC-Conference-of-the-Caribbean/Antigua-Hosts-First-Full-WHC-Conference-of-the-Caribbean.html
 SC Admin
 08/18/2006
 
Antigua, August 18, 2006...The historic First Full Conference of the Wesleyan Holiness Church in the Caribbean with 76 delegates from nine countries was launched yesterday in the Hibiscus Conference Room at the Jolly Beach Resort.
Antigua Hosts First Full W.H.C Conference of the Caribbean
Antigua, August 18, 2006...The historic First Full Conference of the Wesleyan Holiness Church in the Caribbean with 76 delegates from nine countries was launched yesterday in the Hibiscus Conference Room at the Jolly Beach Resort.

Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer in delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony noted that the church had a decisive and enviable role to play in securing the nation’s future and building strong nations. According to him the Wesleyan Holiness Church and by extension the Christian Church in the Caribbean has demonstrated that through the imparting of ideas and biblical values, the church is a valuable partner in nation building.

“It is popularly recognised that the foundational materials used in building a nation are not only bricks and mortar, not only a strong treasury, or strong army, though they are important. To be a strong nation, any society requires unity, an executive, a constitution, common law, means of viable transport and communication. The Christian Church that is involved in building a nation is deeply concerned by these constituents but also the most foundational aspects – values and respect. A nation is primarily built on sound principles. A nation is built on righteousness or destroyed by its absence,” he said.

According to Mr. Spencer, the Christian vision and commitment must be the building up of a participatory and sustainable nation with the church focussing clearly on the fostering of moral and ethical values such as kindness, integrity, love, patience, joy and reconciliation.

General Superintendent, Rev. Carlston Christie also speaking at the opening ceremony noted the manner in which Caribbean societies seem to be on a downward spiral with escalating crime and gang activity which makes challenging the duty of ministers of the gospel. He called on his fellow Christians to have a radical commitment for reaching their communities since the Church seemed not to be doing as much as is needed.

“We must not fiddle in Rome while the city burns. We must not be at ease in Zion while Zion is crumbling. The Church’s basic function is to influence communities that lifestyles change, that behaviours change, that persons become more productive healthy citizens… we are called upon to do this by God,” he stressed.

The Conference represented the First Full Conference since 1974 when the Wesleyan Holiness Church in the Caribbean before the Caribbean became a district unto itself and was attached to the District of the Americas. Delegates attending the conference came from Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Curacao, Jamaica, St. Vincent, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and the Virgin Islands. The conference is slated to last until 20 Aug., with the installation of newly elected officers taking place during a service at the Ottos Wesleyan Holiness Church at 10 a.m.

Source: Antigua Sun