BOULEVARD BAPTIST CHURCH | JANUARY 2014 EDITION | ISSUE NO. 15

M A G A Z I N E

Testimony:Sis. Florence Howe

Highlights from Kingston Keswick 2014

The Church:Image or Impact?

Green Attitudes:

Composting

Is your Salvation sure?

Blessing Plan for

2014

Boulevard Baptist Church2 Washington Boulevard, Kingston 20Tel.: 905-2422, 905-0118 or 832-1522Email: boulevard.baptist@yahoo.com | Website: www.boulevardbaptist.org.jmPastor: Rev. Dr. Devon Dick

Opportunities For WorshipSundays at 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.Sunday School: 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. • 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.Prayer and Fasting: 1st Saturdays, 7:00 a.m.

Editor-in-Chief: Sophia WilliamsEditor: Claudette ReidOther Team Members: Hyacinth Brown, Carla Wilson-Redden, Francine Dallas, Simone Hull-Lloyd, Verna Edwards, Ricardo Holness, Duvaughn Dick, Petrona Faulknor and Lorna Fraser.

Mission Statement:To develop our spiritual lives,evangelize the wider communityand influence the world throughChrist by organized preaching,public and private worship, Christian education and fellowship, whileco-operating with other Christian bodies.

Boulevard Baptist Church

The only sourceof knowledgeis experience.Albert Einstein

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W E A L T H

w w w . w e a r e p r o v e n . c o m

Head Office: 26 Belmont Road, Kingston 5, Tel: 876.908.3800-2Mandeville Branch: 5-7 Ward Avenue, Tel: 876.625.0845-6 Montego Bay Branch: Unit 11, Suite B, Fairview II Shopping Centre,Bogue, Montego Bay, Tel: 876.908.3800-2 info@weareproven.com

Blessing Plan for 2014

A checklist of the Blessing Plan for 2014 from a sermon delivered to the Boulevard Baptist Church by Rev. Dr. Devon Dick on Sunday January 5, 2014.(Reference texts: Psalm 1 and Ephesians 1)

1.

• We must be blessed by God with wisdom and revelation. Divine revelation which discloses the truth of God. This truth comes to us from nowhere to deal with our situation.

• Seek divine knowledge and a better understanding of what God desires. This will help us to diagnose the problem accurately and give the right solution.

• A blessing which is not materialism. Material is good, but it is that which advances materialism as the promotion of health and wealth as the only reality. When a person commits suicide over wealth, it is saying wealth is larger than life.

• Pray to God for ministry opportunities, to be used by God, not to use God. Seek opportunities to tell people about Jesus, making Him known.

• We must have testimonies that speak of growing spirituality, soberness of mind and love, not about material gains.

• We must go to God to get forgiveness and pardon in order to enjoy his full blessings.

• Develop maturity in faith, which will manifest the great power of God working in us.

• Finally, in all we do make a difference for God.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” - Isaiah 7:14

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

As one passed the Boulevard Baptist Church on the Watch Night of December 31, 2013, and as we entered the Church compound to usher out 2013 and welcome 2014, you could not help but notice the beautifully lit cross mounted on the Church.

The joy of the cross was synonymous to the wonderful experience we had during the worship service as we embraced a brand new year. We gave awesome praise in songs to the Almighty God who took us through a year with many challenges, as was evident in many of the testimonies presented. God was a present help to us in times of trouble through the past year, and He will be there for us in 2014, reassured Rev. Dr. Devon Dick who delivered the sermon during the Watch Night service. He encouraged the large congregation to trust in the One who is reliable and who is able to save us, and assured us that when problems are all around us and we need deliverance or a miracle in our lives, there is a God who is always available, approachable and accessible.

We Watched The Night Under A Lit Cross

2.

The Boulevard Baptist Church - HEART Trust NTA Skills training Programme offers a one year course of study in Commercial Food Preparation. During this one year period the students are exposed to the theory and practical aspects of the course, as well as other subjects, making them rounded individuals for the hospitality industry.

At the last valedictory service in August 2013 fifty-eight chefs graduated from the programme. Graduates over the years have gained employment in major hotels in Kingston and on cruise ships, while some have gone on to further studies at the University of Technology and Universities overseas. Some students also had the opportunity to work at the residence of the Argentine Ambassador.

Boulevard BaptistHEART Skills Training Programme

L-R: Graduate Romaine Rookwood, Romario Atkins and Keela Dixon collecting certificate from Rev. Dr. Devon Dick

Top to Bottom: The three classes of the Skills TrainingProgramme at the last graduation exercise

3.

4.

What reminds you of a loved one who is no longer around? It may be pictures, letters, special songs, vacation spots, etc. Our memory stones can be personal. They help us to continue moving ahead; if not we cannot experience the renewal God wants for us. These were solacing thoughts expressed by Rev. Dr. Byron Chambers as he delivered his message to the relatives of members of the Boulevard Baptist Church who passed in 2013, and members who lost loved ones.

They were reminded of the promises and the presence of God in death, declaring that there is nothing to fear because of death, as they are safe in the arms of a comforting God. He is the substance of our lives, and believers are invited to run in

God’s race and not to spend the rest of our lives mourning (Hebrew 12:1-3). This is an encouragement for us, explained Rev. Byron Chambers who himself has lost a wife. This is, so we do not lose faith or hope, he added.

The Methodist Minister concluded that our loved ones are earthly winners; they have run the race, gone through trials and tribulations and they have won. Not that we forget them, but we must carry on with the race. Jesus ran a race that led him to a cross, consider Him.

The Boulevard Baptist Church family was saddened by the passing of fifteen of its members, while forty members including our pastor mourned the loss of loved ones.

Memorial Service 2014

‘Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4)

- Sophia Williams

5.

Active: 550 C temperature (ideal temperature for decomposition). Faster (takes weeks), requires very little maintenance. Temperature above 60° C kills bacteria.

Passive: 300 C (ideal temperature for decomposition). Much slower (may take months). May develop anaerobic conditions, releasing odour and greenhouse gases (e.g. methane).

Items Required:Pitch fork, garden hose, machete, shredder, pruners, thermometer, metal pole (to test the heat), organic wastes, manure.

The Composting Process:Main Components: Organic matter includes plant materials and some animal manures. It should include a mixture of brown organic material (dead leaves, twigs, manure) and green organic material (lawn clippings, fruit rinds, etc.). Brown materials supply carbon, while green materials supply nitrogen. The best ratio is 1 part green to 1 part brown material.

Suitable Ingredients:Some yard waste (grass and leaves), vegetable and fruit scraps and peels, coffee and tea bags (are fine), egg shells, nuts and shells, small amounts of paper, plain napkins.

What NOT to Compost:Plastic, styrofoam, glass, metal, Branches, newspaper, Dairy Products, Meat Scraps, Animal Fats, Bones, Vegetable Oils, Rice, Breads, and Pastas, anything cooked in oils. These are not good for compost, also will attract vermin.

Moisture Content:Water is the key element that helps transports substances within the compost pile and makes the nutrients in organic material accessible to the microorganisms for their survival.

Oxygen Flow:Composting bacteria are AEROBIC, or oxygen-loving. Exposing the pile allows decomposition to occur at a faster rate than anaerobic conditions. Excess oxygen can dry out the pile and impede the composting process.

Particle Size:Grinding, chipping, and shredding materials increases the surface area on which the microorganism can feed. If the particles are too large, they will prevent air from flowing freely through the pile; the smaller the better. Don’t expect a big tough coconut husk to break down as quickly as chopped banana peels.

Composting promotes higher yieldsto agricultural crops.

Compost information courtesy of the NSWMA

CompostingGreen Attitudes:

Compost is the end product of the decomposition of organic matter. There are two types of composting:

By: Dorrett R Campbell

6.

Testimony:Sis. Florence Howe

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those

in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

It was during a family reunion in December 2012 that I started experiencing a low feeling and a lack of appetite. This mood I felt was as a result of my worry about my sister with whom I was very close and who was ill.

This lack of appetite and a general ill- feeling persisted to the point that I decided to seek medical help. Tests were done and based on the results I was told that I was in a bad shape and surgery could not be delayed. There was a hole in my digestive tract. Any spill of food from this hole would have been life-threatening.

While this surgery was about to be performed, I practically gave up on life; just never thought I could make it through the operation. By God’s grace and his will I came through. But after the surgery and while laying on the bed the doctor who performed the surgery, with his back turned, looked around at me and shook his head. I tried to ascertain from him why he did that. His said I was not expected to be alive, because ninety five percent of persons who have done this type of surgery never made it.

After surgery I could not walk for weeks being confined to wheelchair, and I have lost eighty two pounds. I thank God for the people around me – church, family and friends, who prayed for me, called, made visits and took care of me in my state of weakness.

7.

Procrastination is called, “the thief of time.” Another adage that runs close to this is, “opportunity comes but once.”

Many persons say we do get a lot of opportunities therefore that adage is not necessarily true. Probably the best way to validate this saying is that the more we put off or delay things, it is the more we will lose out on many things in life. That time, or that opportunity is lost forever and cannot be recovered. The next opportunity will not be the same as the first.

When we put off God each time we are risking the eternal life. We may have seen loved ones reaching death’s door and promised faithfully to give their lives to the Lord once they are out of the situation, but as soon as they are well again that promise is all forgotten or never fulfilled.

A young lady who was diagnosed with a terminal

illness, gave her word that as soon as she was discharged from the hospital she would be ready for baptism. She procrastinated until close to that moment when baptism was to eventually take place she died. She lost the opportunity.

Reflect on this tract:God offers Pardon, Peace, Prosperity, Purpose, Protection, Power and Purpose. God sees what you are experiencing and cares enough to help you. Jesus understands what we are going through. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15).

He helps by offering you blessings in the form of pardon for sins, his constant presence with you, peace in all circumstances, protection from the evil one, power to live the full life. He provides the necessities of life, gives you a new purpose in life so that you can prosper in body and soul.

Is your salvation sure?PROCRASTINATION

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• Petroleum represents 88 percent of Jamaica’s total imports.

• Jamaica is highly dependent on imported petroleum as its primary source of energy in particular for its bauxite/alumina industry, which is highly energy intensive.

• Jamaica is the fourth largest producer of bauxite.

• Over 90 percent of Jamaica’s electricity is supplied by imported petroleum-based fuel.

• In 2007, Jamaica imported about 25 million Barrels of Oil Equivalent (BOE) for approximately US$2.6 billion distributed as follows: 40 percent- bauxite, 25 percent- electricity, 25 percent transportation sector, remaining 10 percent - shipping, aviation and lighting industries combined.

• As of 2008 Jamaica consumed 75,000 barrels of oil per day (bbl/d).

• The GOJ has formulated a set of policies focusing on energy savings for the country which includes implementing energy efficiency (EE) and energy conservation (EC) programmes in the public sector.

• The National Water Commission accounts for over 50 percent of energy expenditure in the public sector.

• The EE and EC programmes will contribute to the target 25 percent reduction in public sector electricity consumption by 2015.

Additionally, information can be derived from the Ministry of Mining and Energy/IDB Energy Conservation Project document.

8.

Jhana Downie

9.

Jhana asked how she could help with the purchase of equipment for the Bustamante Hospital for Children. She had a desire to help the Children at the Bustamante Hospital, and this was the motivation behind her participation in the recently held LIME Foundation 6K Run. Jhana who currently runs on the track team at her school at St. Andrew Preparatory, placed second in her race, in the 11 to 14 years category. Interestingly, the long distance is not Jhana’s pet event nor is it one of the events she participates in at her school.

placed second in LIME Foundation 6K Run

The ExperienceJhana expressed that she was quite confident and excited about the run and being involved. She thoroughly enjoyed the race, the post celebrations and of course the collection of her trophy. Her goal was to at least finish the race, but added that she was surprised at her second place. One other goal was to make the least number of stops (if any) during the race. She said that her classmates were surprised that she ran.

PreparationJhana prepared for her event over nine days during the Christmas season by slowly running long distances and building up the distance covered for each training session. For each session she increased on the number of laps.

Sport EnthusiastA sport enthusiast, this 11 year old sixth grader also plays table tennis and football. Jhana has no concrete plans about running in the long distance events, but there is a possibility that she may enter a few more of these events for the experience.

Jhana poses for the camera with hertrophy and second place prize.

10.

Many may have a difficulty making a connection with joy and suffering. How can one suffer and experience joy at the same time? The experienced would say, “Been there done that.” Is it that you have to go through long suffering to have joy? Getting to the truth of “Long-suffering Joy” Rev. Dr. Devon Dick on Christmas Sunday, December 27, 2013 provided some credible evidence as he delivered his sermon to the Boulevard Baptist Church.

Long-suffering Joy

• Think about the wise men who took the long hard journey to find Baby Jesus. When they went to Bethlehem Jesus was not there. The search caused them great grief, but as soon as they saw the star they were cheerful. The wise men were overjoyed even before seeing the Messiah.

• Testing of our patience produces joy. It will be beyond our expectation, over and beyond the grief.

• You can have joy beyond the mundane, dull, monotonous, unexciting things and daily grind of life. Rev. Devon Dick referred to track star Usain Bolt and the rigors of training he had to endure in order to achieve the type of success he now enjoys.

• Becoming a Christian makes better sense. We can endure the daily grind because of the joy we can get in Christ Jesus. Our grief can come to joy through the Holy Spirit. We get joy in the resurrection of Jesus.

• God chastises us but He loves us, so joy comes in the morning.

• The joy of Salvation, hope in the life of come. This is joy not destroyed in death. Ultimately it is joy forever. Joy above and beyond the grave.

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy – John 16: 20

11.

SERMON

OBITUARY

Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else. Someone’s passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person’s share of work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or meeting to attend, one name was on everyone’s list, “Let Someone Else do it.” Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results, “Someone Else can work with that group.” It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in the church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference. Someone Else was a wonderful person, sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth be known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do. Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did? When you are asked to help this year, remember—we can’t depend on Someone Else anymore.

12.

The main speaker of the Kingston Keswick Convention 2014, Dr. Woodrow Kroll, used the attributes and accomplishments of the 1st century Church to demonstrate how the 21st century Church can impact the world today as the believers in the earliest Church did.

He took an in-depth look at the Book of Acts. Dr. Kroll asserted that the 1st century Church made more of an impact than one of being a Church of image. They were successful because they were empowered by the Holy Spirit; they were Prayer empowered, Salvation empowered, Unity empowered, Balanced empowered and Mission empowered.

The early Church added thousands of believers to their numbers daily. Impact was more important to them than image.Dr. Woodrow Kroll brought into focus the pre-modern, the modern and post-modern world. He pointed out that the modern world no longer exists, and we are now living in the post-modern world. This world he indicated is one where outward appearance is more important, and style is preferred over substance. It is a world asking you to tolerate everything, even if the Bible says it is wrong.

He explained that it is not possible for us to replicate what the 1st century Church did as they have already accomplished that. We would be regressing in the faith rather than progressing. He pointed out that God has gifted us with technological advances today and therefore we can achieve much more through technology, with the advent of radio, computers, smartphones and airplanes.

All this advancement allows God’s messages to reach millions of people worldwide in a quicker and more convenient way.

Dr. Kroll looked comprehensively at persecution of the 1st century Church. The Apostles were stoned, imprisoned and martyred because they were relentless in the spreading of the Gospel of Christ. They were seen as breaking the law and so they suffered for it. Referring to the Book of Revelation, Dr. Woodrow Kroll expressed that after the persecution of Christians, we will be triumphant. Given God’s promise, the Church has the greatest future in the life of this earth.

Highlights of Kingston Keswick 2014.- Sophia Williams

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