Sabbath school superintendents, teachers, and delegates from the Atlantic Caribbean Union gathered for the first Sabbath School congress in this territory, this past weekend. The two-day congress was held under the theme, “Transforming lives, inside out”.

ATCU Sabbath School Director Jennifer Kerr in her opening remarks commended the sabbath school departmental leaders who remained consistent with virtual meetings during the covid pandemic and expressed her excitement of the return of in-person sabbath school classes.

“We express our gratitude to God for the fact that sabbath school has emerged from the covid conditions. And for the most part, have fully returned to normality,” Kerr said.

Dr. Samuel Telemaque presents during the Sabbath School Congress First Session Image: John Garcia The congress began on Friday evening, April 14, with a virtual session with the Inter-American Division Sabbath School director, Dr. Samuel Telemaque, who presented on the Biblical principles of retention found in the book of Colossians. The purpose of the congress he said is to provide “new skills, new knowledge, and new attitudes” for the Sabbath school department.

“This sabbath school congress we seek to model many important features of sabbath school so you can see this is the model of how things are done inter American division sabbath school,” Telemaque said.  He hopes that sabbath school leaders return to the churches with the newly implemented ideas and models of conducted sabbath school in the local churches. Telemaque described Sabbath School as having three primary goals: to train, to add new members to God’s kingdom, and to keep members.

Retention in sabbath school must be balanced, Telemaque said, not only prioritizing one area such as evangelism while ignoring bible study or vice versa. This balance, he said comes from being “loyal to Christ, loyal to his church, and loyal to his mission,” Telemaque also shared that having healthy relations in the church must begin at the sabbath school level.

 “Paul emphasized that wholesome relationship reinforces loyalty to Christ… that’s why it is important that… sabbath school officers have good relations with the members of the church.”  

Telemaque also demonstrated how to model sabbath school after the instructions Paul gave in Colossians 4 by including intercessory prayers, personal visitation by sabbath schoolteachers, and engaging in evangelism.

Sabbath School Welcome By Taraj and Natasha Uriz Image: John Garcia

The congress continued Sabbath Morning at the Hillview Church with a special sabbath school initiative led by Cassandra Cooper of the New Providence church.  General Conference Sabbath School Director Pastor Jim Howard informed members how sabbath school can be used as a tool to transform lives.  

“Sabbath school only transforms lives when it leads us to behold Christ in his word,” Howard said. “The focus of the sabbath school is the mission of sharing the bible. The format of the sabbath school is fellowship and studying the bible and sharing the Bible because the holy spirit uses the bible to transform lives.”

Throughout the Congress, the members were reminded of the importance of sabbath school and how the service ought to mirror the call of discipleship found in Mathew 28. Those who attended were also blessed with worship in music from various groups, choirs, and individual members from our conference.












Pastor Jim Howard, General Conference Sabbath School Director shares new model for Sabbath School Image: John Garcia

The event concluded with a parade of conferences, where each Sabbath School Director gave a brief report on behalf of their territory. Each territory was also awarded pins from the Inter-American Division, on behalf of the members who completed the advanced sabbath school training. From the South Bahamas Conference, 163 members completed the advanced training. They will receive their pins and certificates at a later date.

-Michelle Greene, Associate Communication Director