REV Rennard White, a former president of the Missionary Church Association in Jamaica (MCAJ), was Saturday honoured at a gala banquet held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston.

Rev White, who is widely regarded as an elder statesman of the Jamaican Christian community, was lauded for more than 40 years of faithful ministry to his denomination and the wider Christian community.

He was also lauded for his “exemplary leadership to various Government bodies”.

He has done two tours of duty as president of the MCA — during the period 1990 to 1996 and later from 2008 to 2015. While serving as MCA president, he also held office as chairman of the Jamaica Theological Seminary, a wholly owned subsidiary of the denomination.

In the wider church community, Rev White served on a number of occasions as president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance (formerly Jamaica Evangelical Association); chairman of the National Religious Media Commission, owners and operators of Love 101 FM; chairman Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches; a member of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast, and treasurer of the Evangelical Association of the Caribbean (EAC).

Most notable in his public service has been his stewardship as chairman of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) and the advisory board of the Administrator-General’s Department. In addition, he is a former chairman of the Balcombe Drive All Age School, and a board member at Penwood High School.

Rev White, who is also a volunteer chaplain at the Olympic Gardens Police Station, thanked Blossom, his wife of more than 40 years, for her unfailing support throughout the years. He also thanked his three children for their kind support and various denominational leaders for their support and mentorship.

He told the packed gathering, that that service to God was the highest possible human endeavor and as such mediocrity ought to have no place in the life of Christians.

The Rev White, who is in his mid-60s, said he has sought to give himself generously to Christian ministry.