Head of the Adventist Church in Jamaica, Pastor Derek Bignall, is reminding congregations across the island to set aside August 1, 2009 (Emancipation Day), to seek the Lord’s face on behalf of the nation in light of the relentless crime, violence and economic woes.

“God made Israel a promise which we must claim for Jamaica,” a news release from the church quoted Pastor Bignall. “If we would turn from doing wickedness and give our lives to God, He will hear our prayers and He will heal our country. We need to fulfil our side of that contract. We who believe in the power of prayer and the ability of God to reconcile us to Himself must petition His throne ceaselessly on behalf of our nations.”

The church, through its central region covering St Catherine, Clarendon, and Manchester, is planning to have a special outreach in the afternoon of August 1 in Central Village near Spanish Town which, over the past week, has seen an increase in gang-related violence.

“Our purpose is to seek to unite the people in Central Village through various means,” said Pastor Levi Johnson, secretary of the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “In addition to visiting and praying with families in the community, we will present them with ‘Hope Packages’ which will include a copy of the Bible and other Christian literature. Entertainment, which forms a part of the community’s life, will also be touched through the distribution of religious CDs to clubs and bars in order to encourage the airing of these types of music. Also, 12 unofficial sport clubs have been identified and these will be given footballs as a starter.

“Later in the afternoon, after the walk through the community, members of the church and community will gather at the main entrance to the community for what is dubbed a ‘Prayer Explosion’.

“We hope that through this special outreach, the faith of members of the community will be strengthened in this time of fear,” Pastor Johnson added.

The church said that Pastor Bignall was very forceful in his declaration that we need the sincere fervent prayers of every Christian.

“Crime, violence and the economic recession are threatening to engulf all of us,” he said. “It is going to be a weekend of prayer because while we will be praying on Sabbath, other Christian organisations will be praying on Sunday. May God indeed hear and answer our prayers.”

The church said it has broadened the scope of the annual ‘Day of Prayer’, which had its genesis four years ago, to include the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Cayman Islands – the other territories comprising the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Each territory will conduct the service in respect of its particular needs.

Each congregation is expected to organise its own service in line with the objectives of the ‘Day of Prayer’ with the main church service for Jamaica to be held at the Andrews Memorial Church in Kingston. Pastor Bignall will be the main speaker.

The Day of Prayer for the Nation is an annual event of the Adventist Church in West Indies Union, in collaboration with other Christian denominations, in a call for nation-building.