The Rev. Carrington Morgan (kneeling) was last Sunday ordained as pastor of the Kingston City Church. Officiating in this ceremony were (from left): Bishop C.B. Peter Morgan, his father and head of City Life Ministries; Rev. Dr. Merrick 'Al' Miller, senior pastor, Fellowship Tabernacle Church; Rev. Christopher Morgan, associate pastor of Covenant Church of Pittsburgh; Bishop Herro Blair, senior pastor of Faith Cathedral.
-Contributed photo
Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter
A DIFFERENCE in the vision of where the Covenant Community Church group ought to be going triggered the decision of Bishop C.B. Peter Morgan to leave the family of congregations he has led for more than two decades.
Rev. Morgan, 60, who was
consecrated to the Bishopric last January explained how he sees this ecclesiastical office.
"Firstly, when I was consecrated, the definition of my work, linked me first and foremost to my home church, which at that time was Covenant Community Church. Secondly, I related to a number of churches many of them coming out of the Renewal (Charismatic Movement) located mainly in Kingston and Montego Bay. Thirdly, I relate very closely to a number of new churches within the Caribbean region. I am very Caribbean-oriented in my thinking. Then, fourthly, I am also involved in the disasporic Jamaican communities.
"So the only area that has been affected is the Covenant Community body. That, in a sense, has been replaced by the new home church and home ministry."
Bishop Morgan came to prominence in the church community during the 1970s as one of the leaders of the Charismatic Movement also known as the Renewal Movement. Out of that movement Covenant Community Church was born and registered as a church in 1983.
HIT BY LAWSUIT
In 1991, the church, which then met at 97 Old Hope Road, Kingston, was hit by a lawsuit. The courts ruled that it was a breach of the covenantal use of the property for a church to be functioning there.
Accordingly, the church took a decision to divide itself into seven smaller churches spread throughout the Corporate Area and Portmore.
Bishop Morgan explained the decision to leave the Covenant Community Church family in this way:
"It really comes down to the understanding of the structure and organisation of leadership and the governmental rule of the church.
STIFLING GROWTH
"There is a system of leadership that I built. Sometimes we describe as plurality and co-equality in leadership where we all lead together and we are reluctant to give single individuals the handle of leadership."
"But I have really come to a point in my own life and ministry where I believe that it is stifling. I think it is stifling for the church, and it is one of the reasons why I believe our churches have not grown. I think growth and impetus in the ministry, especially when you are cutting-edge ministry, depends on individuals, the insight of individuals and in a sense the risks you take in the leadership of individuals.
I have now come to a point where my understanding of leadership from a Biblical perspective demands that there be what we sometimes call 'point leadership' where the individual who is the visionary and the individual who bears the burden of the work, that they really be given greater executive power and authority and leadership."
"I was directing my church to move in that direction. But I think over the years, I would say in certain quarters of the leadership of the church there was resistance to it. I had to make a strong decision about myself, about my family.
"So rather than remain in there and create too much friction within the church, I felt that it was better and more responsible on my part to leave it (the Covenant Community Church group) intact as it is and move on in developing the other aspects of the work. So Covenant Community Church (group) continues.
"I have been sharp in my separation it is difficult with the people (who remain). A lot of them don't really understand why and what is happening, and indeed, some feel I have abandoned them. But I feel in the long run, it will be understood. I think it is the safest way to preserve the church and the image of the church."
