Confronted with closed schools, fear and concern for Covid-19 coupled with government issued constraints on assembly, conference administrators, pastors, teachers, students and church leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica hosted its first virtual Service of Thanksgiving and Consecration to God.
Six hundred and eighty-nine (689) students from the church’s 27 high and preparatory schools island-wide participated in the service, which was held on June 27, 2020 under the theme “Navigating the New Normal with Christ.”
Educators and students alike gave thanks to God for His leading in the church’s educational system despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic that caused the service to be done virtually through the church’s online church platform, which connected with all of the Union’s five conferences.
“The service was held to express gratitude to God despite the pandemic and invoke His blessings on our students as they matriculate to another level of their education, said Pastor Michael Henry, education director for the church in Jamaica. “We also are grateful for the fact that through technology we were able to successfully complete the academic year and give the students the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in a united way, though virtual.”
Pastor Michael Henry, education director for the church in Jamaica, makes his presentation, during the service last month. [Photo: Phillip Castell]
The Government of Jamaica ordered schools to be closed on March 13, 2020, after the first case of the coronavirus was identified on March 10. The government reports state that 10 people have died of COVID-19 and 855 known positive cases have been detected as of July 28, 2020.
