NOTICE

The Reverend Jennifer Brown of Jamaica inscribed her name in the history books recently when she became the first black global president of Nazarene Missions International (NMI), Church of the Nazarene.

Brown is also the first person elected to this position from a country other than the United States.

MILLION MEMBERS

The election took place Friday, June 26, at the 27th General Convention of NMI in Orlando, Florida, an event held every four years. NMI, an organisation with about a million members, is the promotional, educational and fund-raising arm of the Church of the Nazarene.

Brown, of Burnt Savannah, Westmoreland, sees this historic election as a positive direction for the international Church of the Nazarene, which has 1,837,364 members in 155 world sectors.

"I've seen so many people coming to me to express their delight because this is the direction of the church - to be inclusive. For so many years, the focus (of the church) has been on the US and Canada, and now we can have a greater global voice," Brown said.

Her election came four days before Dr Eugenio Duarte, a Cape Verde citizen, was elected as one of six general superintendents for the Church of the Nazarene, the church's highest elected position. He became the first person from outside the United States/Canada region to take on this role.

Dr John Smee, regional director of the Caribbean region of the Church of the Nazarene, said that Brown "brings the fulfilment of what we mean when we say we're a global church".

Dr Scoffield Eversley, president of Caribbean Nazarene College in Trinidad, where Brown studied during her ordination process, agreed, saying, "The election of the Rev Jennifer Brown as global NMI president in the Church of the Nazarene is a superlative landmark in our history. This is so in that she is the first person of colour to be elected to such a position.

Superlativeness of election

"The superlativeness of this election also demonstrates the internationalisation of the Church of the Nazarene," added Eversley, who also serves as Caribbean English field strategy coordinator for the Church of the Nazarene.

As the new global president for NMI, Brown's hope is to bring about that greater awareness of who our (Nazarene) people are in the world regions. There is a lot of talent out there. I believe in unity and doing whatever we can do to advance the kingdom of God.

"I'm excited that we are now in 155 world areas," Brown added, "and I'm particularly excited about work going on in areas that we are not able to call by name - 'creative access' areas - by the fact that there are persons willing to risk their lives for the gospel."

Brown previously served as the Caribbean representative to the Global NMI Council. Brown said she is proud to be a representative of the church in the Caribbean. "It's a vibrant church," she said. "There are people who want to serve the Lord in the Caribbean. Maybe for many years we haven't been at the forefront, but there are those willing to serve God whether they're on the platform or not."

As a minister in Jamaica, Brown said one of her dreams is to see more people being sent out of the Caribbean to serve in other world areas.

"We need to move out of the syndrome where we are always receiving so that we are also giving," she said. "I think that we're working on that. It's time for us to stand up and be sent."

First black leader of Nazarene Missions

The Rev Jennifer Brown, Jamaican native, is the first black global president of the Church of the Nazarene.