A brief History of the Caribbean Conference. Written by Pastor Rafael Mitchell, former General Secretary of Conference, for our new website, dated Monday 19th June 2023.
This Caribbean Conference was launched in 1992 in Antigua after a planning Convention held in St. Lucia where the decision was made to launch out replacing the previous conference.
The first Ministerial Council elected in 1992 was given five (5) years to function to set up and ensure this conference was successful. (All other Councils since that has been three years.) (See Motion attached.)) The first General Overseer was Pastor Lloyd Augustine Campbell of Trinidad and the Assistant General Overseer was Pastor Michael Jules of St. Croix. That was a five (5) member council, the other members were, Pastor Joseph Deterville of St. Lucia, Treasurer; Pastor Rafael Mitchell of Tobago, General Secretary, and Pastor Joseph Remy of St. Lucia, Assistant Secretary Treasurer. The first Chairman of this Conference was Pastor Charleston Lloyd Mathison of New York. The first Caribbean Conference Constitution was ratified in 1994 at the Conference held in Tobago that year.
At the 1997 Convention, the General Overseer was changed to Pastor Michael Jules, and he retained office until 2018 in Trinidad. Under his tenure there were three (3) Assistant General Overseers, Pastor Lloyd Campbell, Trinidad, Pastor Acton Andrews and Pastor Rafael Mitchell, both of Tobago.
At convention 2018 in Trinidad the General Overseer was changed to Pastor Rafael Mitchell, with the Assistant General Overseer being Pastor Roy Howell of Jamaica. They both hold office until now. Today we have a seven (7) member Council with assigned portfolios apart from their appointed offices.
Over the years, the Caribbean Conference established two Committees of conference called the Caribbean Youth Conference (CYC) and the Caribbean Women’s Conference.(CWC).The CYC was established at convention 2003 in St. Lucia and the first president was Brother Mervyn Fontenelle of St. Lucia and the Vice-President was Brother Philbert Jagrup of St. Croix.
The CWC was established at convention in Jamaica in 2014 and the first President was and is Sister Jacqueline Mitchell of Tobago and the Vice President was and is Sister Lorena Robinson of Jamaica.
At the conclusion of five (5) years which is the term of office of the current council members, that thereafter, the term of office for all council members be three (3) years except in the case where a staggering provisio is initiated and in which case there may have to be a onetime deviation so as to even out the process facilitated by the staggering. This motion takes precedence over any and all motions that preceded it relating to a five (5) year term of office for council members.
This motion was passed with nine (9) in favour, two (2) against and two (2) abstentions. There were thirteen (13) voting delegates present.
(This Motion was moved by Elder Michael Jules and seconded by Elder Joseph Remy of St. Lucia.)
On the 4 th of August, 1994 at 10:39 AM at Mt. St. George, Tobago, the constitution for the General Conference for the Caribbean Church of God 7 th Day was ratified by a unanimous vote of the delegates present. Voting delegates present at voting were Pastor Lloyd Campbell (representing Trinidad), Pastor Michael Jules (representing St. Croix), Pastor John Prince (representing Antigua), Pastor Alexander Andrew (representing Dominica), Pastor Raphael Corriette (representing Dominica), Pastor Joel Harry (representing St). Vincent, Pastor Joseph Remy (representing St. Lucia), Pastor Joseph Deterville (representing St. Lucia), Pastor Percy St. Ange (representing Cayenne), Brother Jerome Williams (representing St. Thomas), Brother Hollis Jones (representing Trinidad) and Pastor Rafael Mitchell (representing Tobago).
(This is a quote of the 7th and 8th Paragraph of the Addendum passed on even date and attached to Constitution.)