The Seventh-day Adventist Church, Jamaica’s fastest growing denomination, received the rousing endorsement of Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie last week.

“I have always maintained and I say it without fear of contradiction that the role of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica in creating a path of righteousness and creating a path for our young people, has done more to the benefit of Jamaica than any other Christian denomination in Jamaica,” McKenzie said.

He was addressing members and delegates of the Adventist East Jamaica Conference at the opening ceremony of its Third Quadrennial Session at the Kencot Adventist Church in Kingston.

Senator challenged used the occasion to Adventists to reach the young people who seem to have lost their way.

“I challenge you over the next couple of days, as you look at issues that will continue to make the church more relevant, and look at changing the way in which you operate, I challenge you to expand your Christian net and garner more young people who seem to have lost their way in a diverse Jamaica that seem to be preoccupied with many other things than that which is good,” the mayor said.

He highlighted the 318th anniversary of the city of Kingston which was celebrated on July 22, the same day he was speaking to the Adventists, noting the significance of the Chrisitian community’s role in the development of the city.

Delegates of the East Jamaica Conference elected officers and departmental directors to lead their churches in that region for the next four years.

Pastor Adrian Cotterell who had served as president for the past four and a half years, was re-elected. His fellow officer in administration, Elder Bancroft Barwise was also re-elected as treasurer; and Pastor Devon Osbourne, who currently serves as pastor for the Meadowvale district of churches, was elected to serve as the new secretary.

Also elected to serve as departmental directors for the conference were: Youth – Pastor Ansel Drysdale; Publishing and Public Affairs & Religious Liberty – Pastor Owen Thomas; Women’s and Children’s Ministries – Loraine Vernal; Ministerial Secretary – Pastor Glenville Carr; Sabbath School & Personal Ministries – Pastor Carl Cunningham; Health and Stewardship – Pastor Leonard Steele; and Trust Services – Elder Bancroft Barwise.

A Service of Consecration for the newly elected officers and directors was held yesterday, at the Kencot Adventist Church.

Pastor Derek Bignall, president of the Adventist Church in the West Indies Union chaired the 23-man nomination committee which elected the new team of workers in EJC.