Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter

Rev Fitzroy Thomas

Sunday, January 13, signalled a new chapter in the life and witness of the Jamaica Evangelistic Mission (JEM) churches islandwide as that denomination convened its dedication and investiture service for its new chairman, the Rev Fitzroy Thomas. The dedication and investiture service was held at the Brown's Town Tabernacle Church, St Ann.

Rev Thomas, 39, succeeds the Rev. Joseph A. Prendergast who, with his wife, Lorraine, is in the process of establishing a church in south Florida.

Rev Thomas comes to the helm after many years of active leadership at various levels of this small, though influential denomination.

The Jamaica Evangelistic Mission has 28 churches islandwide and membership of about 2,000. JEM is a founding member of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals, for which Rev Thomas is now a vice-president.

The new chairman also succeeds Rev Prendergast as pastor of the Brown's Town Tabernacle - the flagship church of the denomination with a membership of 442. He took over responsibilities there earlier this month.

Armed with passion

Rev Joseph A. Prendergast (left) enrobes Rev Fitzroy Thomas during the service of dedication and investiture for the new chairman of the Jamaica Evangelistic Mission. - Contributed

Armed with passion, zeal and vision, Rev Thomas believes that despite his relative youth, his experiences in the pastorate and work at the denominational level for many years have properly prepared him for chairmanship.

He has been in the sacred ministry virtually all of his adult life. His first pastoral charge was at the Kingston church which met in a basic school; then he served as pastor in Sturge Town, Philadelphia, and St D'Acre before accepting his present charge.

At the denominational level, he has served on every major committee and was for six years vice-chairman of the JEM.

His ministry experience includes a stint as president of the ministers' fraternal of churches located in the Alexandria region of St Ann. While president, he established a relationship with the Alexandria Police Station. He and later others in the fraternal would go there and conduct devotions on a regular basis. That opened the door for him to do personal ministry to the lawmen, and also their prisoners.

He comes to the task of leading the denomination with enthusiasm. He believes such enthusiasm is infectious and it will help him to motivate others towards fulfilling his vision.

"One of my basic philosophies is that I am to bloom wherever I am planted. Wherever I am, I do my best. I love people. I love God. I believe in excellence. I believe in getting the job done. I believe if people are sold out on a vision, they will give their fulsome support," said Pastor Thomas in an interview at the Gleaner's North Street head office in Kingston.

"Wherever I have served, God has enabled me to serve well. I believe excellence is highly appreciated. I have got full support in the past and I expect the same in the future," he said.

He spoke highly of the youth movement within JEM, which he said is "experiencing a revival". The denomination, he explained, is blessed with youth leadership that genuinely loves God and are devoted to prayer and service and are willing to do bold things. He believes, too, the denomination's camp ministry has played a role to spurring the revival.

Steering young people

The Rev Fitzroy Thomas (back row, left) and wife Burtine with their children, Samantha and Matthew. - Photos by Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

Though he acknowledged that the contemporary youth are harder to reach with the Gospel than earlier generations, he believes that skill in communicating the message of the Gospel, faithfully complemented with multimedia and other technology, will go a far way to steer young people along a Christian path.

Born in Chapelton, Clarendon, Pastor Thomas was the sixth of seven children born to his mother. After he was born, his mother, Marie Facey, declared to God, "Let him be like Samuel (of biblical fame)," he was the only boy born to his mother. Though born in Clarendon, he grew up in St. Ann. As a youngster he attended the St D'Acre Tabernacle church, where many years later he returned to become its pastor.

His secondary education came at José Marti Comprehensive High School where he boarded. It was there that he became a born-again Christian largely through the work of the Inter-Schools Christian Fellowship (ISCF). He speaks highly of the influence of Grace Coley, the ISCF sponsor who was also the principal's secretary.

After high school, he enrolled at the Jamaica Open Bible Institute where he did diploma studies. Then came the beginning of his pastoral career.

After some years of ministry under his belt, he enrolled at the Jamaica Theological Seminary where he graduated with the Bachelor of Arts in theology with a minor in guidance and counselling. At JTS he became the Students' Council president and in the minds of many, he had a highly successful term.

He lists among his chief mentors the Rev Alfred Stewart, the Rev Joseph A. Prendergast from JEM, and the Revs Alston Henry and Hugh Neil from the Church of the Open Bible.

Founded by Baptist and Brethren missionaries, JEM churches are concentrated mainly in St Ann. There are few parishes where the church does not have a presence. These are Portland, St Mary, Manchester and St Elizabeth. Pastor Thomas will be promoting church planting in those parishes without a JEM witness.

Not every congregation, however, has its own pastor. Most pastors, however, serve two congregations.

'Stands stoutly on the Word'

Rev Fitzroy Thomas poses with his Bible following the service of dedication and investiture which was held at the Brown's Town Tabernacle Church, St Ann. - Contributed

From the outset, JEM, Pastor Thomas said, has had a "strong doctrinal base" and it "stands stoutly on the Word". One of its distinctives, he said, is "our absolute belief that the Word of God is our sole guide for faith and practice".

Rev Thomas' term of chairman is for three years. He is eligible to serve for a second term, but not a third, as the denomination's constitution is strong on term limits.

He is married to Burtine, a guidance counsellor at the Aabuthnott Gallimore High School. "I have one of the best wives in the world. I believe she is the wife every pastor dreams of. She is a singer, she is gifted. She is into drama, puppet ministry, Sunday school teacher," he said. The couple have two children: Samantha, seven, and Matthew, five.

Pastor Thomas fully expects to leave a stronger and more vibrant denomination for his successor. He anticipates that within five years he would have accomplished much of his goals and that the denomination would have grown spiritually and numerically.

Send feedback to mark.dawes@gleanerjm.com.