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Pastor Everett Brown, president of Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Pastor Aston Barnes, former Treasurer of West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists are among 130 individuals who have been accorded national honours for 2018 The appointments became effective on Independence Day, August 6, 2018, and the awards will be presented to them by His Excellency, the Governor General of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Patrick Allen, at Kings House on National Heroes Day, October 15, 2018. [caption id="attachment_8988" align="alignnone" width="300"] Pastor Everett Brown[/caption] Pastor Brown will be conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for outstanding contribution to Religion, while Elder Barnes will receive the Order of Distinction in rank of Officer (OD) for contribution to the Ministerial Fraternity and to Social Development, Welfare and Philanthropy. Pastor Everett Brown was born in Ramble, Manchester, and served for more than 33 years in pastoral ministry.  Over this period, he served the Church in the Central Jamaica Conference in the following areas of ministry:  District pastor and evangelist (1984-1995), Youth Ministries Director (1989 – 1995), Executive Secretary (1995-2000), and President (2000-2010). He has led the Central Jamaica Conference (comprising the parishes of St. Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester) in its transition after it was reorganized in 2002, and has witness the tremendous growth that has taken place in all areas of the Conference especially in the number of persons baptized, the increase in tithes and offerings, the development of the infrastructure of Camp Verley and the Willowdene Group of Schools. [caption id="attachment_8987" align="alignnone" width="300"] Elder Aston Barnes[/caption] Since November 2010, he has been serving as the President of Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, overseeing a membership of over 300,000, in 738 congregations islandwide, along with various educational and health institutions, to include one University, eight High Schools, nineteen preparatory schools, Early Childhood Centers, one hospital and two clinics. He also serves as Vice-Chairman for the Bible Society of the West Indies, and is a Voluntary Chaplain for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and a Justice of the Peace for the parish of St. Catherine. He attended May Pen High School and Northern Caribbean University where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Theology, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). He also completed the course for the Master of Arts in Religion from Andrews University. Elder Aston Archibald Barnes has served the Adventist Church in various capacities over the past 65 years. He served as teacher, auditor, Stewardship Director of West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (WIU) and Treasurer of WIU from 1976-1980. In 1966, with the assistance of Pastor H.S. Walters from Central Jamaica Conference, Pastor Walton J. Brown, Educational Secretary of the Inter-American Division, and Pastor Gariety of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Aston Barnes was instrumental in getting the conferences and missions in the Union field to give a percentage of their income to West Indies College (now Northern Caribbean University). As a devout Seventh-day Adventist and moved by the passion, Aston Barnes conducted successful evangelistic campaigns in areas of Spalding, Clarendon and Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland.   On November 24, 1984 he was ordained as a Minister of Religion in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1989, after fifteen years of designing, negotiating and seeking approval, Pastor Barnes was able to implement and manage his brain-child—the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Capital Development Fund.  The Fund operated throughout the Union Field and created an interest in other Unions in the Inter-American Division.   This Fund still stands as a beacon in Jamaica Union (formerly West Indies Union) providing funds for capital expansion and improvements at low interest rates for its churches, medical and educational Institutions. Full of practical knowledge and a passion for seeing to the adequate financing of the Mission, Elder. Barnes was inspired to author the book: “Church Financing: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”  This book offers a solution for financing education and health care in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and is marketed both local and overseas. In recognition of his many outstanding contributions to the Church and its institutions, Northern Caribbean University bestowed on him an Honorary Doctorate (LLD) at it Graduation Exercises in August 2000.  Prior to this, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award 1996. In November 2000 he retired from active service, but has established the United Trust Fund Limited where he serves as the Chief Administrator. Elder. Aston Barnes is a philanthropist and a man of vision.   During his active work life, and even now into retirement, he continues to reach out in compassion and friendship to many persons and is a committed supporter of the deprived and underprivileged. As an active member of his home church in Campbell’s Castle, South Manchester and a strong advocate and supporter of Christian education, the Campbell’s Castle Primary and the West Indies College Preparatory schools are proud recipients of his personal generosity.