Visiting the congregation takes on a slightly different dimension for Garnerville Presbyterian Church's minister, Rev Richard Hill when he flies the several thousand miles to call with his members working in Jamaica.
Leonora Wasson who is an elder in Garnerville recently retired as a Presbyterian missionary in Jamaica where she was responsible for children's and youth work, lay training and the Women's Fellowship in the Cornwall Presbytery in the north of the island. She is continuing working on in the country for a time helping her former colleagues with summer camps and schools in the Mandeville, Negril and Montego Bay areas in the north and west of the island.
Also supported by the Garnerville congregation is their former minister Rev Joan Scott and her husband Malcolm who are based at Discovery Bay, just along the north coast from Mongego Bay. Joan is minister of four local congregations while Malcolm is working with the Institute for Theological and Leadership Development.
'Over the years, the Garnerville congregation, where I became minister two years ago, have been very supportive of Leonora and more recently Joan and Malcolm,' explains Richard Hill. 'We have wanted to play as much a part in their ministry as possible and members of Garnerville have been regular visitors to the Caribbean to both help and holiday, while giving practical support to our members.'
And it won't all be lying on the beach for Richard Hill. He is taking with him his various puppets that he uses in children's talks together with a supply of modelling balloons that he will use to help Leonora and her colleagues with the summer camps and activities. 'I might have to make different things with the balloons than I do here,' thinks Richard, 'but I have found that children everywhere respond well to stories when there is something visual to look at while they listen.'
Richard will also be helping another local congregation set up a small computer network and install software, donated by members of Garnerville, to establish a publishing company. 'Rev Margaret Fowler, originally from Scotland, is working with a group of former addicts who badly need employment and has had this idea of teaching them computer skills that will enable them to take on design and print jobs for the local church and community.'
The Presbyterian Church has presently three overseas personnel working in partnership with the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands in ministry and development activity.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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