President of North East Jamaica Mission, Pastor Arlington Woodburn (left), accepts the leadership pledge from Pastor Patrick Allen, president of West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. At centre is Pastor Derrek Bignall, executive secretary of West Indies Union Conference.

Pastor Arlington Wood-burn was installed as President of the North East Jamaica Mission (NEJM), the newest field in West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, during the service of consecration held at the Dover Church in St. Mary last Saturday.

The over one hour of heavy rains did not stop hundreds from packing the 60 by 150 feet tent to capacity, as officers, directors, field and institutional leaders, church members and well-wishers, came from all over Jamaica to witness the historic occasion.

With over 17,000 members, 90 churches and three schools (Portland and Port Maria High, and Buff Bay Preparatory), the NEJM, under the leadership of Pastor Woodburn, is mandated to grow the mission through baptism, the planting of new churches and the development of its educational institutions and facilities.

In accepting the call to lead the NEJM, Pastor Woodburn said, "We will build on the foundation set by our pioneers, who knew what the church taught, knew what they believed, were not swayed by secular trends and did not water down their beliefs to accommodate human weaknesses."

Added he: "In renewing our commitment, we will use the Bible as our term of reference for empowerment, that is, to know what to do and how to do it; to know where to go and how to get there; and, to hear the Voice - this is the way, walk he in it. We, therefore, invite all our members to be stakeholders in our new constituency to promote stewardship, health and education, evangelism and family life which are all necessary for the growth of the church and its impact on the society."