Mission and the UCJCI

Partners and Programmes

1.

The Council for World Mission:

The Council for World Mission is a worldwide partnership of Christian churches. The 32 members are committed to sharing their resources of money, people, skills and insights globally to carry out God’s mission locally. CWM was created in 1977 and incorporates the London Missionary Society (1795), the Commonwealth Missionary Society (1836) and the (English) Presbyterian Board of Missions (1847).

Programmes include:

I. Face to Face is a programme of intense theological, sociological and contextual exposure and engagement. It challenges participants to engage with the realities of how the fullness of life is being denied to a large majority of the world’s population. It seeks not only expose but also to engage participants in cultural, social, theological and contextual realities so that they may grapple with and be motivated by the world around them

II. A New Face (ANF) programme equips the clergy to be engaged in mission from the perspectives of the marginalised. This seven week long cross cultural exposure stimulates theological reflection and challenges to create a new paradigm of mission engagement.

III. Training in Mission. Through the Training in Mission (TIM) programme, a group of 10-12 young people from the churches and ecumenical partners are brought together for 7-10 months of intensive mission training. The pedagogical process of the Programme is the action-reflection model of learning.

IV. Various Youth initiatives for building capacity for mission engagements.

V. Capacity building assistance through mission support funds

2.

World Communion of Reformed Churches:

Programme opportunities:

1. Internship for youth development
2. Theological reflection
3. Research

3.

World Council of Churches

4.

CANACOM-The Caribbean and North America Council for Mission (CANACOM) is a mission partnership of churches in the Caribbean and North America that practices a unique vision of God’s mission.

5.

Jamaica Ecumenical Mutual Mission (JEMM)

6.

Jamaica Council of Churches

7.

United Church of Canada (Caribbean Workers Outreach Programme which provides chaplaincy support for farm workers in Canada) established in 1989

8.

Global Ministries-USA, Caribbean and Latin America

9.

Church of Scotland

Local Mission Work: auxiliaries, entities of the church (Homes)

  1. 2 Children’s homes
    1. Mount Olivet Boys’ Home, Walderston, Manchester,
    2. Pringle Home for Children
  1. Schools- 42 Primary and Junior High, 40 Early Childhood Development Centres, 10 High, 8 Preparatory, and 2 tertiary institutions established by the UCJCI

42 Primary Schools 

40  Infant Schools/ Early Childhood Development Centres

10 Secondary High Schools

  1. Cayman High School
  2. Iona High School
  • Carron Hall High School (1921)
  1. Oberlin High School(1946
  2. Knox College (1947)
  3. Clarendon College (1942)
  • Camperdown High School
  • Meadowbrook High School
  1. St. Andrew High School ( in partnership with the Methodist Church)1925
  2. Westwood High School (in partnership with the Baptists, the Anglicans and the Methodists.

8 Preparatory Schools

  1. Cayman Preparatory (1949)
  2. Iona
  • Discovery Bay
  1. Knox Junior School
  2. Meadowbrook
  3. Mel Nathan (1978)
  • St. Andrew
  • Mona

2 Tertiary Institutions

  1. Knox Community College
  2. International University of the Caribbean
  3. 1 Senior Citizens’ Home, United Senior Citizens’ Home, The Villa
  4. Support for rehabilitation of elderly male prisoners- New Broughton Rehabilitation Centre
  5. Prison Ministry for female prisoners through the National Women’s Fellowship
  6. Numerous school feeding, medical, educational scholarship missions through local congregations
  7. 1 missionary serving Haiti and ongoing support of the Haiti mission through funds and medical supplies.
  8. 2 Mission Partners serving the Council for World Mission
    1. Rev. Dr. Collin Cowan
    2. Mrs. Karen Francis
  9. 1 Mission Partner serving the Guyana Congregation Union
    1. Ms. Faithlyn Stephens

Auxiliaries of the Church:

  • Women’s Fellowship
  • Men’s Fellowship
  • UCYPF
  • UCYAAM
  • Children’s Ministry

SPECILIZED MISSIONS

  1. United Church Senior Citizens Home-The Villa
  2. New Broughton Rehabilitation Centre (See Attachment)
  3. Children’s Homes

Pringle Home for Children

The Pringle Home for Children was founded ninety-seven years ago by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The goal was to provide residential care for children whose families were unable to care for them.

The home initially catered to both boys and girls. However, the home now caters to girls only.

There are currently twenty three (23) girls in residence. 9 between 8 and 12 years, and 14 between 13 and 18 years old. Once children attain their eighteenth birthday, they are no longer deemed wards of the state and will “age-out” of state care residential facilities.

The mandate of the Pringle Home is to deliberately nurture the holistic development of children in its care, and has 5 critical areas of focus:

  • Academic and vocational development
  • Physical and psychological wellness and safety
  • Recreational Activities for behaviour modification and rehabilitation
  • Social Skills Training
  • Spiritual Development

The home is situated in the farming community of Carron Hall, in Western St. Mary. Access to educational opportunities is made through the proximity of the Carron Hall Primary and High Schools.

The children at Pringle Home are placed by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), which is an agency in The Ministry of Education Youth and Information, through Fit Person Orders  ( FTOs) which are mandated by the Courts.

During its many years of existence, the Pringle Home for Children has nurtured hundreds of hurting children many of whom have taken their place as adults who continue to contribute to the society as professionals and skilled persons in the areas of health, education, management and religion in Jamaica and internationally.

Mount Olivet Boys’ Home 

Bethesda Counselling Centre, (Cayman Islands)

Theodora Project, Negril United Church

The Theodora Project is a non-profit organization located in Negril, Jamaica–West Indies. Established 2004 under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Margaret Fowler, through the Negril United Church, the mission is to empower young people who are at risk of being exploited in human trafficking and the commercial sex trade by offering opportunities for education, skills training and personal development.

There is a safe house for the protection of the more vulnerable and at risk students as well as the school which offers skills training and *HEART (Human Employment and Resource Training) certification, so that its students can get jobs. The smiles of teachers and students at the Theodora Training Center is evidence that this program works, not just for students but for the entire Jamaican community!