GCI: GCI Churches and Work in the Caribbean
For Caribbean nations, see
the website: http://caribbean.gci.org/
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Charles Fleming
is the Missions Director for the Caribbean region. Within the region, the
desire is to see each congregation become missional – joining other WCG
congregations as well as Christians from other denominations in sharing the
love of God with those around them. For those looking for mission partners,
here are three values that shape who we seek to become:
- Mission
is personal service. Experiencing God’s patient yet insistent determination to
set our denomination free from self-imposed legalism has left us with a desire
to patiently, but persistently serve others with the hope that they too will
come to know the life-changing love of God. We wish to partner with those who
understand that mission involves entering into personal relationships with the
people we serve. - Mission
is part of life’s daily rhythm. Recognizing that Christ’s life was a life on
mission, we wish to make mission a natural part of the rhythm of our lives –
individually and as congregations. We wish to partner with others for whom a
mission is a sustainable part of their own life-rhythm. - Mission
is joint-effort. Having experienced the way the diverse gifts of the Spirit
come together in the Body of Christ to express God’s love, we welcome opportunities
to do ministry with committed Christians of different denominations.
We have 23 congregations in 15 of the 27 nations that make up the region. For those
interested in joining Caribbean congregations of the WCG in mission work, here
are a few of our current mission-efforts.
- In
the Bahamas, in June 2007 a group upgraded the Bahamas church building to better serve members
and the community. A summer VBS camp was held for two weeks in July 2009.
On-going activities: the Nassau congregation is involved in a weekly soup
kitchen to the local community. This ministry especially focuses on members of
the Haitian migrant community. The church is also involved in refurbishing the
facilities of the Simpson Penn School for Boys. There is a sustained effort to
reach out to youth in the community, and an annual basketball tournament has
been a popular feature. - In
Trinidad our campus has become a service center to the larger body of Christ.
Dozens of Christian groups – from a wide range of denominations – along with
para-Church agencies – rent the facilities for seminars, retreats and
celebratory activities. The campus is one of the official training centers for
Evangelism Explosion and for Kids’ EE. It is also the base for the United
Methodists ‘Walk to Emmaus,’ a retreat weekend committed to strengthening the
discipleship process of local churches. It is also a site for training persons
involved in Prison Ministries. On-going activities. There is a major effort to
serve economically challenged families in a nearby community, addressing family
needs and providing educational opportunities.