M A G A Z I N E

BOULEVARD BAPTIST CHURCH | OCTOBER 2013 EDITION | ISSUE NO. 12

Signicant Achievements

23 Years...

Dr. Kathi-Mae Dockery

Youth Inspiration:

The truth about Marijuana

(GANJA) - Tips

Some warning signs of potential nancial stress

Jamaicans need to prepare for an earthquake

Mission Statement: To develop our spiritual lives, evangelize the wider community and inuence the world through Christ by organized preaching, public and private worship, Christian education and fellowship, while co-operating with other Christian bodies.
Boulevard Baptist Church

Boulevard Baptist Church 2 Washington Boulevard, Kingston 20 Tel.: 905-2422, 905-0118 or 832-1522 Email: boulevard.baptist@yahoo.com Pastor: Rev. Dr. Devon Dick Opportunities For Worship Sundays 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 Williams Other Team Members: Dorrett R. Campbell, Carla Wilson-Redden, Francine Dallas, Simone Hull-Lloyd, Verna Edwards, Ricardo Holness, Claudette Reid, Duvaughn Dick, Petrona Faulknor, Hyacinth Brown and Lorna Fraser.

 The only source of knowledge is experience.

Albert Einstein

W E A LT H
www.weareproven.com
Head Office: 26 Belmont Road, Kingston 5, Tel: 876.908.3800-2 Mandeville 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

years Significant Achievements

23 years...
Three significant achievements to celebrate. October 2013 no doubt is a special month, and definitely moments to treasure for our Pastor Rev. Dr. Devon Dick. Also, for the Boulevard Baptist congregation, that he has ably and nobly served in pastoral ministry for 23 years. As a Church we also take great pleasure in celebrating with our

pastor who is the recipient of a National Honour, the Order of Distinction, for dedicated contribution to Religion and Community Service, and an award for his contribution to publications of Baptist History by the JBU Mission Agency. It speaks much of a servant who is blessed and highly favoured, and as a congregation we consider ourselves to be blessed and highly favoured to be led by him, with such dedication, commitment and purpose. To our pastor and family - Sis. Mary, Deon, Duvaughn and Dana-Marie, thank you for your time, energy and support over these 23 years, as we look forward to many blessed and productive years together.

National Honour Awardees

Deacon Claney Barnett (left) and Sis. Dothlyn Woodstock receiving their Badge of Honour from the Governor General.

The Boulevard Baptist Family congratulates our own Deacon Claney Barnett and Sister Dothlyn Woodstock who were awarded the Badge of Honour for service to Education.

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Dr. Kathi-Mae Dockery

Kathi-Mae gained a first class honours in Medicine after studying in Cuba for 7 years. She shares her experience with us.

YOUTH INSPIRATION

BBC eVoice: Tell us about your academic background leading up to this outstanding achievement. Kathi-Mae: I went to Pembroke Hall Primary and then to Immaculate Conception High School where I gained nine CSEC passes including six grade ones. At the CAPE level I gained four subjects. I have a degree in chemistry and biochemistry from U.W.I. BBC eVoice: What inuenced you to pursue this career choice? Kathi-Mae: I have always wanted to be a medical doctor from my earliest memories. It has always been my desire to not only help alleviate pain, but to participate in research aimed in nding cures for our most debilitating diseases such as cancers and AIDS. BBC eVoice: How did you cope during your period of study? Kathi-Mae: Absolute reliance on the Lord, whether it be with my own prayers or through the prayers of family and friends. BBC eVoice: Was this achievement a surprise to you? Kathi-Mae: It was not a great surprise because it was something that I worked hard for and prayed would happen. I would check on my GPA every year and work hard to maintain it in the range that would gain me that achievement. BBC eVoice: Describe your experience in Cuba in the initial stages? Kathi-Mae: It was difcult to adjust to a new culture, new language and being away from my comfort zone. I always have a hard time integrating myself in a new situation, but nding a church to attend was the icebreaker for me. I made a lot of friends that way. It made life there a bit easier to tolerate. Church and a close community of Christian friends helped me through the toughest times. BBC E-Voice: What have been the most memorable and the most difcult moments for you? Kathi-Mae: Understanding and making myself being understood in Spanish. There were

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times when I would be proud to complete a sentence in Spanish just to realize that my audience had no clue what I just said. It was frustrating, but I thank God that by the time I left that would not happen anymore. I could have long conversations in Spanish with the Cubans, and even give jokes with very little or no difculty. It was hard being a foreigner because that invariably made one a target for thieves or fortune hunters. BBC E-Voice: What is the culture in Cuba like? Kathi-Mae: The food is not that great. The culture is a whole lot different. The Cubans are more affectionate than we are, so instead of shaking hands when you meet someone for the rst time, they hug and kiss on the cheek almost like how the Russians do. Also, they have a tendency to discuss all topics in public, be they private or not. They are generally more friendly than we are and are not quite as formal as we tend to be, as in, for church, the style tends to be very relaxed in dressing and in the programme. BBC E-Voice: What are the similarities and differences between Jamaica and Cuba? Kathi-Mae: The population in Cuba, especially in Santiago de Cuba, is mainly black, with a good amount of them being of Jamaican descent. Also, like us, they place special emphasis on excellence in school and pursuing the highest levels of education. They tend to be a bit laid back, even more than us. They are not quite as materialistic as we are, and are always patriotic. They have a small Christian population and 3 main divisions of the denominations. There is a union of Baptist, Pentecostal and Methodist Churches. The Adventist Church operates under their conference, and there is the Catholic Church. They rarely, if ever, mix with each other. BBC E-Voice: What aspects of Cuba would you give a higher ranking over Jamaica and vice-versa? Kathi-Mae: Clearly the Health Care System in Cuba gets full marks for availability of personnel and equipment and the sharing of their limited resources with the rest of the world, including the USA. They also get high marks for encouraging their locals to grow their own food and buying local products. We get a higher rating for our teaching methods and insistence that we think for ourselves. BBC E-Voice: Any myth about Cuba that you subsequently dispelled after your experience there? Kathi-Mae: The lack of freedom of independent thought. I have met some very opinionated Cubans who have disagreed with the Communist Partys policies, but are still freely going about their daily lives. Also, the lack of modern conveniences and primitive conditions. Ask my mother, she stayed in a rather comfortable and modern hotel when she came to my graduation in July. BBC E-Voice: Would you live permanently in Cuba? Kathi-Mae: No, not with the way things are now. BBC E-Voice: What kind of advice would you give to someone going to live in Cuba? Kathi-Mae: I would say that they should hold fast to God because it is rough living away from your support system. Find a strong Bible-based Church and surround yourself with strong Christian friends. Pray without ceasing. You will be amazed at what God can do.

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Student Emphasis Service

Theme:

Blessed and Branded Ambassadors of Peace

Every event must be the calling that God wants us to be

Sunday, September 22 was marked as Student Emphasis Sunday at Boulevard Baptist. Students from several tertiary institutions participated in the worship service. Reverend Judith Johnson-Grant, Pastor of the St. Margarets Bay Circuit of Baptist Churches in her sermon exhorted the students to be blessed and branded Ambassadors of peace. The theme, she stated is right for the times in which we find ourselves, and as students they are specially placed. This is a special and deliberate calling for them. Rev. Judith Johnson-Grant made the comparison of two kingdoms. There is the one of corruption, where the greedy become richer and the poor poorer. She pointed out that the Kingdom for which Christ died is different from what existed before his coming. It is one of love and peace. This is no ordinary kingdom she lamented. It desires to enlist ambassadors. Encountering the two kingdoms- As Christ carried out his earthly ministry he began with the gospel of the beatitudes. He skillfully deconstructed the world power of greed and unrighteousness. Something was wrong with how this power was inaugurated. The Jews were trampled by the Syrians, and each time a kingdom was inaugurated with war. In the new kingdom, the peacemakers are blessed and shall be called the children of God This is shalom. Is shalom possible in times like these? Empathizing with the students, she said there seems to be no point in pursuing this shalom when there is no job and the student loan cannot be paid. Despite this, she urged them to witness their experience of peace with others in the institution they are placed. Every event must be the calling that God wants us to be. Use three ways to share this peace: Model the peace; rebuke and correct in love where it is absent, and encourage where we find the peace at work. The fear of finding employment can threaten the shalom vision, she added, but develop a trust in God that he will do what he says he will do. Enlist as a blessed Ambassador.

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~ Elder Courtney Campbell

Claim Your Mountain

You have reached this point because you have done many good things.
Skills Training graduates given words of affirmation by key note speaker, Mr. Courtney Campbell at the Boulevard Baptist Church HEART Trust NTA Valedictory Service on August 29, 2013. Courtney Campbell, Chief Executive Officer of the Grace Kennedy Financial Group and Elder at Webster Memorial United Church while addressing the graduates lauded their efforts, as he pointed out that they could have chosen to ignore this opportunity and continue doing what they were doing before they took up the challenge to pursue this course. Instead, they demonstrated perseverance and discipline and stayed the course. This attitude, he argued will serve them well as they go forward. Urging the graduates to claim their mountain, Elder Courtney Campbell made reference to Joshua 14:6-15 where he extolled the virtues of Caleb, who asked permission to claim a mountain that was promised to him as an inheritance. In spite of it being seen as dangerous and inhabited by giants, he remained positive and courageous. Caleb, he indicated, was an overcomer, and there were lessons to take from him. To the fifty eight graduates, whom he indicated have started on this journey, not just to get certification, but to use this as a stepping stone to a promising career in the hospitality industry, preparing to open their own business. That goal or vision he emphasized is their mountain. Living a victorious life is their mountain. But the capturing of that mountain may be long delayed, may sometimes seem unattainable, and they may face discouragement and barriers on their way. One barrier faced by Caleb was age, and he had waited for such a long time. Elder Courtney Campbell implored the graduates to take lessons from Caleb, who claimed his mountain. Go capture your mountain be courageous, be confident in God and be passionately committed to excellence, he declared.

Valedictory Service for Skills Training Course

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The Truth about Marijuana (Ganja) TIPS

SLANG Weed, pot, grass, reefer, mary jane, blunt, joint, roach, nail. Marijuana affects your brain THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) affects the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. Marijuana affects your self-control Marijuana can seriously affect your sense of time and your coordination, impacting things like driving. In 2006, nearly 242,200 people were admitted to emergency rooms suffering from marijuana-related problems. Marijuana affects your lungs: Marijuana smoke deposits four times more tar in the lungs and contains 50 percent to 70 percent more cancer-causing substances than tobacco smoke does. Marijuana affects other aspects of your health Marijuana can limit your bodys ability to ght off infection. Heavy marijuana use also has been linked with depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances. Marijuana is not always what it seems Marijuana can be laced with substances such as PCP, formaldehyde or codeine cough syrup without your knowledge. Blunts hollowed-out cigars lled with marijuana sometimes have crack cocaine added. Marijuana can be addictive Not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, but some users do develop signs of dependence. In 2006, 290,000 people entered drug treatment programs to kick their marijuana habit. Questions & Answers Q. Isnt smoking marijuana less dangerous than smoking cigarettes? A. No. Its even worse. Five joints a day can be as harmful as 20 cigarettes a day. Q. Can marijuana be used as a medicine? A. While the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, can be manufactured in a pill available by prescription to treat nausea and vomiting associated with certain cancer treatments, scientists say that more research needs to be done on its side effects and other potential medicinal uses.

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Source: SAMSHAs Health Information Network www.samsha.gov/SHIN

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OBJECTIVE TRUTH:

Nature & Necessity

By Rev. Clinton Chisholm
A popular view among many people today is that all truth is relative; no truth is objective. By objective is meant true by means independent of the person asserting any truth-claim. For example, if someone says, Fish is my favourite meat that statement would be true relative to the experience of the speaker. In contrast, if someone should say, All living things have encoded biological information in their DNA that statement would not be relative to the speakers perception for it would be true regardless of who made the statement. Objective truth then, is truth beyond mere opinion.

Despite talk about living in an Age of Science & Technology, the belief is so common that all truth is relative. This notion prevails not only in the marketplace; lecturers and students alike articulate this view openly and even repeatedly. But happily, there are some thinkers who have not succumbed to this flawed philosophical posturing. Alan Bloom in his excellent analysis of the issue in The Closing of the American Mind believes that the issue persists simply because people have been indoctrinated. Indoctrinated academically by means of textbooks, lectures and some seminars, and publicly by the big media. Therefore, when certain questions of truth-claims are posited they flounder and fail logically. Many atheists claim that the universe is eternal thus the notion of a Creator-God is nonsensical. However, agnostic Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow identifies These independent lines of evidencethe motion of the galaxies, the abundance of helium in the universe and the life story of the stars. Based on those findings he concludes that all such evidence indicate that the Universe had a beginning. (In his God and the Astronomers, 2nd edition, 1992, p. 103) . In brutally blunt terms, university students and lecturers who continue to assert, there is no such thing as objective truth are philosophical juveniles. Permit me somewhat mischievously to modify and apply the insightful words of the American playwright Eugene ONeill with reference to my beloved homeland Jamaica You cant build a marble [country] from a mixture of [intellectual] mud and manure.

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THE PARABLE OF THE WILD GRAPES

We are choice vines we are different

Sis. Vivette Rhone gave account of the The Parable of the Wild Grapes using it as the title of her sermon which she delivered to the Boulevard Baptist congregation on Sunday, September 15, 2013 during Mission Month. In a soulstirring and action-filled message she presented a re-creation of the Vineyard, and engaged the participation of the congregation. It was to provide a vivid explanation and to help us to understand what took place as accounted for in the scripture passages of Isaiah 5:1-7 and Matthew 21: 33-41. Sis. Vivette explained that this vineyard represents the people of Israel who God delivered out of Egypt and led them into the Promise land. God gave them protection from their enemies. He planted his vineyard with choice vines. Despite Gods goodness to the Israelites they never produced the kind of fruits God desired of them. They produced only wild grapes. Sis. Vivette Rhone declared that we are choice vines, and we are different. She posited that today God has promised to meet us here. It was ordained. God skillfully and craftily created His vineyard. He took obstacles out of our lives; the ones he left in us are to build character in us. She explained that the Israelites were planted in extraordinary soil, but they grew wild, bitter and insipid grapes. Our witness, she asserted, has become insipid to others around us. We have become religion and not righteous, reminding us that as people who get vineyard privilege, He expects a lot from us. God wants to see fruits such as faithfulness, humility and love, not wild grapes or fruits of corrupt nature, which is from the root of bitterness. If we continue this way God will take away our protection. We will be trampled upon, because the fences have been removed. He will not allow us to take His grace in vain forever.

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Advertise through this medium and support our Sport Ministry the BBC Netballers and Footballers. This is an evangelistic outreach effort for our Youth.

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New Members FELLOWSHIP

~ Dorrett R Campbell

On Saturday October 5, 2013, members joining the Boulevard Baptist fellowship since December 2012 came together in an evening of fun and camaraderie. The participants shared in the theme Gods plan my part, with emphasis from the Bible text of Jeremiah 29:11. Leading the evenings proceedings, Deacon Pauline Watson-Campbell, told the group that they are a part of a very open experience of a wonderful people who love the Lord. We come together to encourage each other, and whatever we do is to exemplify the love of God. It is putting away self and become one together in God. Reiterating the Bible text she affirmed that God has a special plan for all of us and it is his will for us to prosper and enjoy his peace. In his greetings to the new members, Pastor Devon Dick stated that we are the inheritance of the foundation members of the Church. While enquiring of the kind of member they would like to be - a major, moderate or marginal member, he challenged them to be very involved in the work of the Lord. A total of thirty five members joined the fellowship for the period. New members in attendance were Mevonie Bramwell, Pauline Morrison, Aston Cameron, Keisha-Ann Boyce-Wright, Bridgette Smith, Renee White-Brown, Pauline Bailey, Racquel Johnson, Jacob McNeil, Karlene Hutchinson, SashaKay Hutchinson, Verna Stephenson and Trevor Morant. In sharing their experiences since joining the fellowship, they expressed that it has been a great experience. Overall their lives have been changed; they are studying and learning more about the Bible and prayer has become very regular in their lives. Church is something they look forward to every Sunday. They are very blessed and it has been a wonderful change for them.

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Reflections: Grandparents Day

Undoubtedly, Sunday September 29, 2013 at Boulevard Baptist, and the day designated Grandparents Day will be long remembered. Indeed, it was a worship service that moved all, both spiritually and physically, not to exclude the grandparents, regardless of their physical state, lifted hands in shouts of praise. The oldest grandparent in the congregation, 94 year old Sis. Violet Lawrence was recognized with a gift from the National council for Senior Citizens. We were delighted with musical tributes from the Childrens choir and the Brotherhood. After a splendid rendition from the Senior Choir with Midnight cry and a rousing applause from the congregation it was the anointed servant who descended from the pulpit to the pew. Fresh from a well-rested vacation and Feeling the Fire, as the most appropriate title for his message, Reverend Devon Dick intention was to fire up a congregation to witness for the Lord. This he easily achieved with a captivating and inspiring message combined with popular choruses. He referred to Brother Paul Malcolm who motivated him on this call for witnessing. Bro. Malcolm who is physically challenged indicated to the Pastor that he wants to win souls for Christ. How much more can be accomplished by those who are physically able? It is a call for all believers to develop a similar passion, in spite of our difficulties; the fire within us that spurs us into action for His kingdom. As aptly stated in Jeremiah 20:9: Then I said, I will not make mention of Him nor speak anymore in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bone; and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not hold it back. Sharing in the worship experience were members of the National Council for Senior Citizens and Mrs. Madge Booth of the Kingston Open Bible Senior Citizen Club. Profoundly blessed by the Word and feeling that fire to win souls for the kingdom, then our response in songs could only be a desire to honour Him, and ultimately it will only be a matter of time When all get to Heaven

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Financial Education

SOME WARNING SIGNS OF POTENTIAL FINANCIAL DISTRESS

1. Using credit card cash advances to pay living expenses. 2. Using credit to buy things you used to be able to buy with cash. 3. Using savings to pay bills. 4. Inability to pay bills as they become due 5. Depending on overtime to make ends meet each month.

Exercise: Cancel a gym membership. Many outdoor activities are great for cardiovascular workouts. Media Entertainment: Cancel any cable or dish television subscription service. Most of it is junk. A lot of it can be found online. Keep your car as long as you can. Older cars run well if serviced regularly. Todays cars can last well past 150,000 miles if taken care of. Plant a food garden. Enjoy more nutritious and better tasting food. Also, it can be rewarding, fun, and liberating. Start small if youre just starting out so you dont get discouraged. Save gas costs: Check your tyre pressure every week according to the owners manual. _____________________________________ Author: Cranston Ewan, Chartered Accountant & Financial Specialist. Revised by Hugh Reid, Chairman Financial Education Ministry and President, Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance.

STRATEGIES

Pay yourself rst. Do not plan your savings after you plan your spending, because experience shows that those who try this rarely succeed. You may decide to make this a percentage of your income. The sooner you start saving the more you will be able to save, so plan to start right now. Develop a good budget, which is basically a spending plan. Invest the time in learning to use helpful tools, such as computer spreadsheets or a financial program. Spend two or three months tracking your spending. Examine your habits and determine how you would like to proceed and where you need to cut back.

MORE HINTS

Resist buying the latest high-tech gadgets, and they will flee from you. Think twice before buying. Live a minimal lifestyle. Do with less. The Best Cost Less: Many of the best things in life are free or at very low cost.

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Jamaicans need to prepare for an earthquake

Earthquakes generally occur along breaks in the rock mass known as faults, and most occur in regions near plate boundaries. Earthquakes are also often associated with volcanic activity due to the movement of sub-surface magma.
Jamaica is riddled with earthquake fault lines, and we have about four earthquakes each week. Most of which are too slight to be felt. About 200 earthquakes are located in and around Jamaica per year, most having magnitudes less than 4.0 - Earthquake unit. As the tectonic plates push against each other, pressure builds up. Thank God for the 200 earthquakes per year; little quakes relieve stress; possibly it is these little quakes which have prevented us in recent times from getting a really big one. The recent earthquake in 2010 in Haiti was caused by motion along the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone (EPGFZ), which runs from Lake Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic, across the southern portion of Haiti through the Caribbean Sea to the region of the Plantain Garden River in St Thomas, Jamaica -Peter Espeut (Gleaner). We are not able to prepare for an earthquake as we would for a hurricane, because there is no prior warning, but awareness can make a difference. Precautions such as adhering to certain building standards in the planning and construction of our buildings will mitigate against the potential damage earthquakes can cause. Also knowing what steps to take when there is an earthquake could prevent injury to self and damage to property. Be prepared by being aware!

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Listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange

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