Seventh-Day Adventists Encourage Participation In Gender Equality Referendum

As of Thursday, April 28, 2016



THE Seventh-day Adventist Church said it believes and advocates that all Bahamians have the right to exercise with equality their privileges and freedoms as citizens.

“As it relates to the issue of gender equality, the Seventh-day Adventist Church views both males and females as having been created in the image and likeness of God as noted in Genesis 1:27,” the church said.

“Given this fact, the Adventist Church commends the bi-partisan vote of Parliament as it sought to address the obvious gender inequality in the constitution of the Bahamas. Furthermore, the Adventist Church affirms its support for the fundamental principle of treating all citizens (male, female, young, old, religious, non-religious, of whichever socio economic or ethnic background) as equals under the law.”
Notwithstanding some concerns expressed by some of its members regarding aspects of the bills, the Seventh-day Adventist Church said it continues to believe in the objective of addressing the present inequalities relating to men and women in this country.

“Additionally, the Seventh-day Adventist Church urges all involved to present, discuss, and educate our citizens without any hint of politicising this critical national issue. Accordingly, while encouraging support for participation and discussion in the upcoming referendum slated for June 7, 2016, the Seventh-day Adventist Church respects the rights of its members to exercise their God-given and constitutional freedom to choose based on the dictates of their conscience,” the church said.


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Tropical Storm Cristobal forms near Bahamas; risk to Florida unclear

Posted on Sunday, 08.24.14




The southeastern Bahamas remained under a tropical storm warning as Cristobal heads northwest at about 9 mph.

Tropical Storm Cristobal


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Track the storm

BY JENNY STALETOVICH
JSTALETOVICH@MIAMIHERALD.COM


Tropical Storm Cristobal blossomed from a messy system trudging through the Caribbean early Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Cristobal, the third named storm of the season, packed 45 mph winds extending 140 miles from its center. Forecasters warned the storm will continue strengthening, possibly becoming a hurricane in the next three days. The storm may pose a risk to Florida, but tracking the messy storm has proved tricky.

On Sunday, hurricane center forecasters said the storm is likely to turn, dodging the coast. They expect the storm to slow down today and turn to the northwest as the storm encounters a trough in the mid to upper atmosphere. Over the next 48 hours, they expect Cristobal to turn east again, away from the coast, as the trough clears out.

Early tracks had pointed the storm away from the U.S. coast. But on Saturday, most tracks shifted the storm west, with some making the turn more gradual or not at all. On Sunday, most of those models also turned the storm east away from the U.S. as it approached Nassau in the Bahamas.

A Hurricane Hunter plane sent to investigate the storm early Sunday detected maximum winds at 45 mph as the storm trudged along about 120 miles from Long Island in the Bahamas. A tropical storm warning, issued Saturday, remains in effect for most of the southeast portion of the island chain.

The storm’s east side has become its messiest side, with heavier winds extending in that direction, forecasters said.

Cristobal had been cruising quickly across the Atlantic, but slowed to about 9 mph Sunday, a decrease in speed forecasters predicted as it passed Hispaniola and arrived in warm Bahamian waters.

The messy storm has been packing heavy rain. Forecasters warned it may dump four to eight inches in the southeastern Bahamas and up to a foot in Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. With its denuded countryside, Haiti is vulnerable to deadly flooding and mudslides. In 2012, Isaac and Sandy killed 100 people when the hurricanes sideswiped the country.

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Cruise ship diverted to Bahamas port after fire

By Marlena Baldacci and Jason Hanna, CNN
updated 1:04 PM EDT, Mon May 27, 2013

The Grandeur of the Seas was damaged in an overnight fire.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Ship was on seven-day trip; CEO headed to Bahamas to meet guests
A fire began on Grandeur of the Seas about 2:50 a.m. with 2,224 guests and 796 crew aboard
Two faintings and a sprained ankle reported but no medical emergencies, company says
The ship was diverted from CocoCay to Freeport, both in the Bahamas

(CNN) -- A Royal Caribbean International ship was diverted to a Bahamas port Monday after an early morning fire sent guests to the decks with life jackets under the night sky.

The Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship, under its own power but escorted by the U.S. Coast Guard, arrived in Freeport hours after the fire, which the company said began in a mooring area about 2:50 a.m. and was extinguished just before 5 a.m.

The ship, with 2,224 guests and 796 crew members, initially was headed to CocoCay, Bahamas, but was redirected to Freeport for evaluation, Royal Caribbean said.

Two guests were treated after fainting, and medical staff also responded to reports of high blood pressure and an ankle sprain, Royal Caribbean said.

Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said she didn't have further information about the medical reports, "but the ship has told us that there are no medical emergencies onboard."

Video captured by passengers Danielle Miller and Katie Coleman shows guests gathered on a deck, wearing orange life jackets.

"We're on deck right now, 3 a.m., in our life jackets. Not a drill, not a joke," a narrator in Miller's video says.

The fire started on the aft mooring deck and spread to the fourth deck at the crew lounge area before it was extinguished, Coast Guard spokeswoman Marilyn Fajardo said. Information on the fire's cause wasn't available, she said.

The ship arrived at Freeport about 10:15 a.m., Royal Caribbean said. Throughout, the power, propulsion and communications systems were uninterrupted, the company said.

Cruise passengers get bill of rights

"In an abundance of caution, the captain deemed it necessary to muster all guests at their assembly stations during the incident," the company said in a news release. "All ... guests and ... crew have been accounted for, and guests have since been allowed to return to most staterooms and public areas.'

Passengers will be able to get off the ship at Freeport if they choose, Martinez said. The company's president and CEO, Adam Goldstein, and other Royal Caribbean officials were heading to Freeport on Monday morning to meet guests, she said.

Grandeur of the Seas departed Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday for a seven-day trip with scheduled port calls to Port Canaveral, Florida; CocoCay; and Nassau in the Bahamas, the company said.

CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's "private island paradise" in the Bahamas, according to its website.

The 916-foot-long ship was launched in December 1996 and refurbished in May 2012, the company said.

A number of cruise ship incidents have made headlines in the past year and a half.

In January 2012, 32 people died when the Costa Concordia capsized off Italy's coast.

In February this year, an engine room fire left the Carnival Triumph adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, with passengers reporting overflowing toilets and human waste running down the walls in some parts of the ship.

On a March cruise, the Carnival Dream lost power and some toilets stopped working. And this month, authorities say, a man and a woman on the Carnival Spirit fell overboard off Australia's coast; they are presumed dead.

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Red Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral

From thebahamasweekly.com - Bahamas Information Services Updates By Kathryn Campbell Jan 10, 2011 - 8:47:05 AM Nassau, The Bahamas Members of the legal profession attended the annual Red Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral on Sunday, January 9. The Most Rev. Patrick Pinder, archbishop, presided over the service. Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham, Prime Minister; Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett, The Hon. John Delaney, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Court of Appeal President Anita Allen were among those in attendance. Archbishop Pinder said the day is to set aside and invoke the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit on members of the legal profession in recognition of the role they play in ensuring order in the community. In his message Archbishop Pinder said the primary agents of law enforcers are not the police or the courts, but the ordinary citizens in their civil demeanor. He said it is important to realize that the abandonment of civility initiates the lack of respect for law and order, breaches respect for neighbors and leads to blatant criminality. Civility, he said, speaks to one's respect for individual differences, boundaries and protecting the rights of others. Archbishop Pinder urged those in attendance not to be motivated by favoritism of any sort. Doing good must be the compass by which we navigate the challenges of our sojourn in this world. Missions must be aimed toward healing, restoration and rehabilitation, he added. Roman Catholic Archbishop Patrick Pinder says a special prayer and gives a special blessing to members of the legal profession on Sunday, January 9 during the annual Red Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. (BIS Photo/Peter L. Ramsay)

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PM CALLS FOR 'CULTURE OF PEACE'

Published On:Monday, October 31, 2011
By DANA SMITH
dsmith@tribunemedia.net


PRIME Minister Hubert Ingraham called for Bahamians to promote "a culture of peace" in his speech yesterday at the opening of the new headquarters of the Atlantic Caribbean Union of Seventh Day Adventists.

He said material wealth has had a "debilitating influence" on Bahamians, stating: "Far too many among us in the Bahamas have forgotten the true purpose of our lives, to love God and our neighbours as ourselves.

"We must rediscover and strengthen positive attitudes which earlier typified our people, and reinforce the spirit of volunteerism and giving among our people."

Mr Ingraham claimed the Bahamian people have a mission to "promote a culture of peace and non-violence, a culture of mutual well-being and fellowship, (and) a culture of life and respect for the Giver of Life."

The Prime Minister said the Seventh Day Adventist church has "long been a beacon of faithful service and Christian stewardship in our country", praising the church for its "support of healthy family life and healthy lifestyles".

He applauded its members, stating: "Seventh Day Adventists in The Bahamas continue to live model lives of service and integrity."


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Tropical Storm Irene nearing hurricane strength and Puerto Rico

Tropical Storm Irene Sunday Update (Added: August 21, 2011)
Storm Team 2 Meteorologist Joey Sovine discusses the latest on Tropical Storm Irene (more)

By: Joey Sovine
Published: August 20, 2011
Updated: August 21, 2011 - 10:53 PM


Tropical Storm Irene continues to grow stronger as it approaches the Puerto Rico.

As of 11 PM, Irene is currently located 50 miles east of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Tropical storm conditions are beginning to spread across eastern Puerto Rico.

Irene has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and is moving to the west-northwest at 15 mph.

Hurricane Warnings are in effect for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

A Hurricane Watch is up for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Central Bahamas.

There is a possibility that Irene could make a landfall either in the Gulf coast, Florida or Southeast coast by Friday or Saturday.

All residents of the South Carolina coastline are urged to closely monitor the progress of Irene over the next several days.

The exact track of this storm will play a huge role in what kind of impacts are felt across the Lowcountry.

Stay with Storm Team 2 for the latest!

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Bahamas - Conference Session 2010

Watch Live Online

13th Conference Session

Watch Live on ATV53 Cable Bahamas Adventist Television


Note: The last Conference Session was held in January 2007. Therefore, the normal time slated for the next Session would have been January 2011 (every four years). However, since the development of the Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission (voted at GC2010) the date of the Bahamas Conference Session has been moved up two months to facilitate a smooth transition for the new Union Mission

DATE: Sunday, November 7 to Tuesday, November 9, 2010 Be there.
PLACE: Hillview Seventh-day Adventist Church, Harrold Road, Nassau, The Bahamas

Opening Session
Sunday,
November 7, 2010 12 Noon to 5:00 PM: Registration
5:30 Opening of Session -Business Session Begins
6:30 Service with invited guests, President's Report

Monday,
November 8, 2010 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. Devotion Live Online
9:00 A.M. to 12:10 Business Session Not Online
12:10 to 12:30 Spiritual Nugget
12:30 to 2:00 P.M. Lunch
2:00 to 6:00 P.M. Business Session


Tuesday
November 9, 2010
7:00 P.M. Installation Service for Conference Officers, Directors, and Executive Committee Members

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Seventh Day Adventist Movement

Published On:Thursday, March 04, 2010

By JIM LAWLOR

The beginning of the Seventh Day Adventist Movement is attributed to William Miller (1782 - 1849) an American Baptist preacher. In the 1830s, he interpreted Daniel 8.14: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," to mean that the cleansing of the sanctuary represented the Earth's purification by fire at Christ's second coming. The Adventist movement and its observance of the Sabbath was transformed from an obscure, regional movement into a national campaign.

The cause of the Seventh Day Adventists was advanced by Ellen G White. She was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts who lived most of her life during the nineteenth century (1827-1915), yet through her writings she is still making a revolutionary impact on millions of people around the world. During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books

As a Christian church, Seventh-day Adventists are a faith community rooted in the beliefs described by the Holy Scriptures. Adventists describe these beliefs in the following ways:

God's greatest desire is for you to see a clear picture of His character. When you see Him clearly, you will find His love irresistible. Scripture is a road map. The Bible is God's voice, speaking His love personally to you today. Jesus is the one who never changes in a universe that always does. Jesus is Creator, Sustainer, Saviour, Friend, God's Son, and God Himself! God's vision for you is life as He lives it! God loves you, and wants to give you the highest quality of life imaginable. In the heart of God is a place you can experience as home. God loves you, and wants to spend time with you personally, one on one, as two close friends.

Eternal life, peace, purpose, forgiveness, transforming grace, hope: Everything He promises is ours, because He's offering it and He's shown we can trust Him to do exactly as He promises. Accept His gifts, and you immediately become an active part of His family, and He joyfully becomes part of yours.

In 1893, Seventh Day Adventist Missionary, C H Richards and his wife came to the Bahamas which he reported had a population of about 50,000 - one third of the population was Caucasian and the balance with shades from yellow to black. Richards implied that the Bahamas was a virgin territory and that "no one of whom so far as we know, fully understands and obeys the (Sabbath) truth for this time."

In March of 1895, Mr and Mrs C. F. Parmele, also literature evangelists, under the directive of the Foreign Mission Board, succeeded the Richards in the Bahamas.

Charles Antonio, a shoemaker was the first Bahamian to accept the Seventh-day Adventist message. His son, Brother William W Antonio, was among the first Bahamians to serve on the Bahamas Mission of Seventh Day Adventist Executive Committee.

Pastors Silas N McKinney and Neville E Scavella, were the first Bahamians to train for the ministry. In 1956, upon completion of their theological studies they were employed by the Bahamas Mission. Silas McKinney (1964 - 1976 ) became the first Bahamian President and was followed by Leslie V McMillan (1976 - 1980), Hugh A Roach (1980 - 1986) Silas N McKinney (1986 - 1990), Jeremiah Duncombe (1990 - 1996), Keith D Albury (1996 - January 10, 2003) and Leonard Johnson - January 10, 2003 - to date).

Great things come from humble beginnings. The oldest Adventist Church in The Bahamas is Centreville Church which started on Shirley Street but relocated to the corner of Collins Avenue and 5th Terrace.

The Hillview Seventh-day Adventist Church began as far back as 1942 - Haddassah Poitier then, a member of the Grant's Town Seventh-day Adventist Church invited all of the children in the neighborhood to Friday evening vespers and Branch Sabbath School classes on the following day. In 1952 under the leadership of Elder Mote, Mission President, the company was organised into a church. Charter Members included Haddassah Poitier, Jane Brown, Pearl McMillan and Hamfreth Rahming from the Grant's Town Adventist Church.

The Breath of Life Seventh Day Adventist Church came into being in 1993 following a six-week crusade, held by Dr Charles Brooks, at the H. D. Colburn Auditorium, Wulff Road. Pastor Leonard and Denise Johnson were chosen to lead the fledgling church.

Thus from humble beginnings, the church in the Bahamas began. Today, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the fourth largest denomination in the country. The total of the Bahamas Conference Membership as of November 5, 2009 was 15,020. There are 44 Adventist Churches and Companies in the Bahamas Conference. Twenty-four are located in Nassau, and 20 are on eight of the central and southern Family Islands. The Islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini, and the Berry Islands, constitute the Northern Bahamas Conference.

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Source:http://www.tribune242.com/03042010_jimlawlor_features_pg33
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