NEW PRESIDENT FOR CAYMAN ADVENTIST CONFERENCE

Pastor Wilton G. McDonald has been elected president of the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, following decades of service to the people of these Islands.

Elected as executive secretary was Pastor Reinaldo Dracket, who has served in the conference for 19 years. The executive secretary position was previously held by Pastor McDonald.

As president, Pastor McDonald has committed himself to fostering spiritual excellence, civic and cultural interactive development, and in particular, to lead others to know Jesus Christ, who to know is life eternal.

He also has pledged to preserve and perpetuate the heritage of the pioneers of the church, and this country; and to accentuate genuine love for God and love for our fellowmen, without any semblance of denominational prejudice or racial creed.

The elections were transacted during a specially convened Executive Committee meeting of the conference, held in Grand Cayman on September 20, 2007. The elections were necessary as a result of the departure of Pastor Jeffrey K. Thompson, who served as president for the past 17 years. Pastor Thompson is now serving in the Florida Seventh-day Adventist Conference.

With the elections, the conference’s administration now consists of Pastor McDonald as President; Pastor Dracket as Secretary and Mrs. Sheila Woods as treasurer. The next conference elections will be held on June 18, 2008 and is constituted for a cycle of four years.

The nucleus of the Seventh-day Adventists church as a denomination was started in these Islands in 1894, by Captain Gilbert McLaughlin, who at that time lived in the eastern district of Grand Cayman. The church grew and gave rise to many others that were incorporated into a Mission organization by the Legislative Assembly incorporation Law dated August 5, 1974. The Mission continued its growth and expansion until the 6th day of June 2004 when the higher governing body assessed that the Mission has matured significantly and was now eligible to achieve the higher level called Conference Status. The Mission /Conference, through the years had maintained its’ tenets of faith and the divine mandate of service to God and service to mankind.

Since arriving in Grand Cayman in 1979 as an administrator for the mission, Pastor McDonald has faithfully demonstrated the philosophy of this commission. He has built churches and spiritually supported members, as well as the public, in West Bay, East End, North Side and Savannah. Pastor McDonald is currently the pastor in charge at the Adventist church in Bodden Town.

He has rendered sterling services through the years to the spiritual, socio-economic growth and development of the organization at all levels, Such as marriage counseling, dedication of infants, family finance seminars, anti drug sessions and campaigns, conduct funeral services, assisting and establish programmes for fund raising and scholarship benefits. Providing through the Adventist Book & Nutrition Centre, healthy wholesome vegetarian supplies, make available bibles, children and family reading materials and religious music, while at the same time passionately serving the Cayman Community as a minister of the gospel.

In his position as president, Pastor McDonald also is chairman of the Cayman Islands Conference Executive Committee, and of the board of Cayman Academy, the local Adventist school.

He continues to manage the Adventist Book and Nutrition Center (ABC), located in the conference headquarters at 209 Walkers Road; and has kept his duties as the conference’s ministerial, stewardship, and publishing director.

Pastor McDonald also has leadership responsibilities in Jamaica. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; and a member of the Board of Governors of Northern Caribbean University, in Mandeville.

Pastor McDonald is married to Mrs. Cereta McDonald, (née Ramlal). She is a teacher and the vice-principal at Cayman Academy; and the conference’s Sabbath School and Children’s Ministries director.

Their son, Wilton G. McDonald II, is an attorney. He is married to Ewelina Sadurska-McDonald. The McDonalds’ daughter, Khichala A. McDonald-Carey, is a registered nurse. She and her husband, Gerald J.F. Carey, have a son, Khalil John Wilton Carey.