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By Fabia Phillips-Lawrence/JAMU Communication, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Directors at the Conference level throughout the Jamaica Union Conference are now better equipped to deal with various challenges that may surface within the scope of their duties. Not only are they now in a better position to deal with challenges as they arise, but they have been reminded about the importance of adjusting with the changing world, as they seek to share the Word of God in an ever-evolving media landscape.
Elder Nigel Coke, Communication, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Director of Jamaica union Conference. This needed training took place during a Communication, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (COMMPARL) Seminar hosted by the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (JAMU). It was held over the period September 27-28, 2016, in Mandeville, Jamaica, under the theme, “Preparing for the challenges…Telling our story in a Changing World.” According to Communication Director for JAMU, Elder Nigel Coke, “the seminar was geared towards sensitizing Religious Liberty Leaders of their role as we face the coming crisis of our right to religious freedom, and looking at creative ways in communicating the gospel.” He also added that “participants got a full understanding of how we should portray our image as a church to the various publics, and how best to mitigate against any negative publicity that may arise through effective and positive media relations.” He was also pleased with the outcome and felt the time was well spent over the two days.

Mr. Errol Vaz (right), Studio Engineer and Videographer of East Jamaica Conference (EJC) accepts a Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) plague  from Elder Abel Marquez, Communication Director of the Inter-American Division (IAD) for 23 years of faithful and dedicated service in the area of Media. Looking on at are: Mrs. Fabia Phillips Lawrence, Assistant Communication Director of EJC (partly hidden) and Elder Nigel Coke, Communication, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Director of JAMU. (photos by Phillip Castell) The packed two-day event featured several speakers who each presented on various aspect of the theme.  The Communication Director for the Inter-American Division (IAD) Elder Abel Marquez, who was present for the first day, delivered presentations on the topics: Adventist Global Identity Standard and Church Structure – “Super Communicated Church”; “Building Bridges, Transforming Lives”; and “The Vision of Being More Social.” He encouraged the communicators gathered to make an effort to reach out to persons who the Church has never thought about reaching before. “Sometimes we post pictures, sometimes we post articles that are of our interest only. We are talking to ourselves, we are trying to entertain ourselves,” he lamented. He emphasized the importance of strategizing to reach those persons who do not attend church, via our different media platforms. There were also practical sessions such as “News and Feature Writing” with Educator, Mrs. Nickiesha Marson, and “Picture-Taking” with Communication and Public Affairs Director for the East Jamaica Conference of SDA, Elder Phillip Castell. Mr. Charles Bulgin, (right) Studio Engineer and Videographer of the Central Jamaica Conference accepts a Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) plaque from Pastor Bancroft Barwise, Treasurer, JAMU for his 15 years of faithful and dedicated service in the area of Media. At left is Elder Nigel Coke, Communication Director, JAMU. Communication Consultant, Mrs. Janneth Mornan-Green delivered three presentations on the issues of Public Relations, Media Relations and Crisis Communication. The latter she described as the part of Public Relations that no practitioner likes. “We hate it, and we hate it for obvious reasons. Who wants to deal with a crisis at anytime? Nobody” she pointed out. She added that issues such as changes, crisis and confrontation affect the church like any other organization. However, Mrs. Mornan-Green feels the Church must be able to respond in an effort to protect its image and accomplish its mission. The Vice President and Religious Liberty Director for the IAD, Pastor Leon Wellington, who presented on day two of the seminar, highlighted a programme the Division would like to replicate in all the churches called the “Church Ambassador.”  Following on the heels of the presentation on Public Relations, information about who a Church Ambassador would be, tied in synonymously with who a good Public Relations person would be for a church. Pastor Wellington also delivered a presentation on the importance of a Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department. His presentation was complimented by one from the Director of the Ellen G. White Centre at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), Dr. Robert Wright, who spoke on “Religious Freedom and the Prophetic Message.”

Communicators from across Jamaica Union pose for a photo with Elder Abel Marquez (fourth from right), Communication Director of the Inter-American Division and Elder Nigel Coke (fourth from left), Communication Director of the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists after the first day of their two-day seminar in mandeville on September 27, 2016. To bring the curtains down on the two-day event, a Recognition and Award Ceremony saw longstanding media practitioners from three conferences being awarded for their faithful and dedicated service in the field of Media. They are Errol Vaz of the East Jamaica Conference (23 years), Cleveland Furze from the West Jamaica Conference (21 years) and Charles Bulgin of the Central Jamaica Conference (15 years).  Pastor Leon Wellington was also awarded for his visionary leadership in Communication at the IAD over the past twelve years. They were each presented with a plaque after a Citation was read. The seminar was co-sponsored by Lasco Financial Services.