Aug 16, 2024, 6:54 AMMaxine Donovan, Communications & Prayer Ministries
SEC President Oversees Special Ordination at Tottenham Lighthouse Church
Sabbath, 20 July was greatly anticipated by the members and friends of Tottenham Lighthouse Church. This was not only because it was the first day of Camp Meeting 2024, but because Elder Jacqueline Edwards was going to be ordained on that Sabbath, by none other but the President of the South England Conference, Pastor Dr Kirk Thomas.
Many might have thought this was unusual for the President to conduct the Ordination Service of an Elder. How did this happen? No, it was not because of the Guyanese connection. It was the Lord who directed Pastor Dr Jude Jeanville to be at the right place, at the right time and gave him the boldness to ask The President to come to Tottenham Lighthouse to preach. The President, who had planned to visit one of the 17 Camp Meeting sites that Sabbath, did not have a preaching appointment and said YES!
It was a joyful home-coming full of pleasant memories for Pastor Thomas. He remembered that many years ago he had conducted a campaign here. Also, seated in the audience was Kyra Pond, now nine years old, whom he had blessed as a baby.
Pastor Thomas brought greetings and thanks from the Conference Executives for our church’s faithfulness. He spoke openly of the personal burden he felt in his heart knowing that the church was still not completed. He said prayers were literally being said daily for its completion and for the unity of the church
The ordination of Elder Jacqueline Edwards was done with reverence and solemnity, yet with thoughtfulness and care. Before the start of the Ordination Service, Pastor Thomas enquired a few times of Elder Edwards if she wanted to be seated, as he did not want her to faint. Elder Edwards chose to kneel. Again, showing his concern, he reminded the Elders surrounding her that they were many and she was only one person, so they should rest their hands lightly on her. Pastor Thomas then prayed the Prayer of Commitment and after presented the newly ordained Elder with a Certificate of Ordination, a book and a ‘GO SEC’ pin. She was also presented with a beautiful bunch of flowers by Sis Pat Awotwi. Before the Ordination Service started, Sis Janine Thorpe sang beautifully, Elder Edwards’ favourite song, ‘The Goodness of God.’ Elder Edwards was very pleased to have her family present to witness such a momentous occasion.
We knew that the Spirit of the Lord was in the house when everything came together to heighten our worship experience. Sis Christine Quionquoin, who sang the Song of Meditation, ‘I Will Be the One’ gave a short testimony before singing. She had seen a woman struggling with a heavy bag and offered to help. The woman gladly accepted her offer and later confided to her that she was walking and praying for God to send her help, and He had sent her.
Pastor Thomas, who knows Sis Christine very well, said he was not aware that she was going to be at Tottenham Lighthouse. The testimony she gave complemented the message that God had placed on his heart. The title of his sermon was, ‘Creating Connections – Reaching Out Like Jesus.’ His message was about practical Christianity and he used a quote from Peter Kuzmic to drive home his point, ‘A credible message needs a credible messenger because charisma without character is catastrophe.’ We were given the charge to search our hearts to see if we were doing what God wanted us to do. What were we doing for Christ? We were reminded that when God uses us to do things for people, He makes us happy. Pastor Thomas used Ephesians 2:4 and Colossians 1:20 during his presentation. We were all blessed to have Pastor Thomas at Tottenham Lighthouse sharing the Word of God
We live in a world where evil is called good and good evil, darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20). As Christians, we have to be different. If we talk about love and reconnection, it has to be like Jesus. This is the time to follow Jesus’ example and be practical Christians. We do not want to receive the world’s approval, but Christ’s approval. We want to hear from His lips, ‘...Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ (Matthew 25:34) Let us reflect Christ to the world, as we emulate His ‘practical Christianity.’
Sabbath, 20 July was greatly anticipated by the members and friends of Tottenham Lighthouse Church. This was not only because it was the first day of Camp Meeting 2024, but because Elder Jacqueline Edwards was going to be ordained on that Sabbath, by none other but the President of the South England Conference, Pastor Dr Kirk Thomas.
Many might have thought this was unusual for the President to conduct the Ordination Service of an Elder. How did this happen? No, it was not because of the Guyanese connection. It was the Lord who directed Pastor Dr Jude Jeanville to be at the right place, at the right time and gave him the boldness to ask The President to come to Tottenham Lighthouse to preach. The President, who had planned to visit one of the 17 Camp Meeting sites that Sabbath, did not have a preaching appointment and said YES!
It was a joyful home-coming full of pleasant memories for Pastor Thomas. He remembered that many years ago he had conducted a campaign here. Also, seated in the audience was Kyra Pond, now nine years old, whom he had blessed as a baby.
Pastor Thomas brought greetings and thanks from the Conference Executives for our church’s faithfulness. He spoke openly of the personal burden he felt in his heart knowing that the church was still not completed. He said prayers were literally being said daily for its completion and for the unity of the church
The ordination of Elder Jacqueline Edwards was done with reverence and solemnity, yet with thoughtfulness and care. Before the start of the Ordination Service, Pastor Thomas enquired a few times of Elder Edwards if she wanted to be seated, as he did not want her to faint. Elder Edwards chose to kneel. Again, showing his concern, he reminded the Elders surrounding her that they were many and she was only one person, so they should rest their hands lightly on her. Pastor Thomas then prayed the Prayer of Commitment and after presented the newly ordained Elder with a Certificate of Ordination, a book and a ‘GO SEC’ pin. She was also presented with a beautiful bunch of flowers by Sis Pat Awotwi. Before the Ordination Service started, Sis Janine Thorpe sang beautifully, Elder Edwards’ favourite song, ‘The Goodness of God.’ Elder Edwards was very pleased to have her family present to witness such a momentous occasion.
We knew that the Spirit of the Lord was in the house when everything came together to heighten our worship experience. Sis Christine Quionquoin, who sang the Song of Meditation, ‘I Will Be the One’ gave a short testimony before singing. She had seen a woman struggling with a heavy bag and offered to help. The woman gladly accepted her offer and later confided to her that she was walking and praying for God to send her help, and He had sent her.
Pastor Thomas, who knows Sis Christine very well, said he was not aware that she was going to be at Tottenham Lighthouse. The testimony she gave complemented the message that God had placed on his heart. The title of his sermon was, ‘Creating Connections – Reaching Out Like Jesus.’ His message was about practical Christianity and he used a quote from Peter Kuzmic to drive home his point, ‘A credible message needs a credible messenger because charisma without character is catastrophe.’ We were given the charge to search our hearts to see if we were doing what God wanted us to do. What were we doing for Christ? We were reminded that when God uses us to do things for people, He makes us happy. Pastor Thomas used Ephesians 2:4 and Colossians 1:20 during his presentation. We were all blessed to have Pastor Thomas at Tottenham Lighthouse sharing the Word of God
We live in a world where evil is called good and good evil, darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20). As Christians, we have to be different. If we talk about love and reconnection, it has to be like Jesus. This is the time to follow Jesus’ example and be practical Christians. We do not want to receive the world’s approval, but Christ’s approval. We want to hear from His lips, ‘...Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ (Matthew 25:34) Let us reflect Christ to the world, as we emulate His ‘practical Christianity.’