ATCU Youth Leaders Commit to Dedicated Service during 2023

Adventist youth leaders, Pathfinder directors, Adventurer directors, assistants, and scores of youth from across the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) of Seventh-day Adventists came together on January 6, 2023, for the first ever joint Adventist Youth Ministries consecration service in the territory.  Coordinated by Dr. Kent Price, ATCU youth ministries director, the service sought to consecrate youth leaders anew for service in ministry and mission in 2023. 

The virtual event was punctuated with inspiring music by young persons, included past youth directors of ATCU, and featured participants from The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In his remarks, Dr Price noted that the consecration service was being held to ask the chief youth director, Jesus, for His saving power throughout the new year and to request that He gives the union youth leaders the passion for mission.  “It is the goal that all our youth leaders serve with distinction and honor, and focus on Jesus, and that not only we as youth leaders be saved, but our entire cadre of young people in the Atlantic Caribbean Union be saved when Jesus comes,” he said.

Elder Roderick Sands, ATCU treasurer, brought greetings on behalf of the administration of ATCU.  He commended the Youth Ministries Department for holding the consecration service and encouraged the leaders to consecrate themselves to God and share the love of Jesus so that many others would come to know Christ Jesus.

Youth directors from the four conferences also brought greetings and proclaimed how the youth in their respective territories were ready in 2023 to be on the move.  Leaders included Carlon Nyack, Cayman Islands Conference; Peter Watson, North Bahamas Conference; Jamaal Franklyn, South Bahamas Conference; and Elder Jermaine Reid, Turks and Caicos Islands Conference.

Pastor Al Powell, Inter-American Division youth director and the first ATCU youth director, brought the spiritual charge which was titled “Let Him Lead the Way, I Will Go.”  Pastor Powell focused on the three Cs for success: connection, commitment, and commission.   He admonished listeners to stay connected to Christ, the source of true success and encouraged all to be committed not just at the beginning of the year, but for the long term.

Referring to Jeremiah 29:14, Powell closed the charge by challenging the youth leaders to accept the commission God has for them. “God has not called you for yourself or for your own blessing, but he has called you because he Has commissioned you,” he said. “Don’t sit back and excuse yourself.  God has called you as youth for something big.”

The charge was followed by two prayers of consecration and dedication, one by Pastor Al Powell and the other by a former youth director of ATCU, Pastor Eric Clarke, president of the North Bahamas Conference.

With a membership of 28,182, ATCU, which is headquartered in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, comprises four fields, namely, the Cayman Islands Conference, the North Bahamas Conference, the South Bahamas Conference, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Conference.  In addition, Northern Caribbean University, which is in Mandeville, Jamaica, is jointly owned and operated by ATCU and the Jamaica Union.