The Convocation 2006 of the entire United Church was held in Galina in Jamaica.  The Church in Cayman was represented by, Mr. John Macmillan, Secretary of Council, Mrs. Janet Macmillan and Mrs. Carol Bodden. Mr. Macmillan writes:

The worship experience was great and there were about 7,000 persons in attendance.  The service started very much on time at 9:00 am under tents where the future United Church conference centre will be built.  The land had been cleared and graded, but there still many rocks around and care had to be taken when moving.  The site is about 90 acres in size so there is plenty of room for future expansion, though the structure to be built will have a capacity for 10,000 in the main area with two smaller conference rooms with a capacity for some 200 person each.  The ancillary support necessary for this type of operation will be in place, and the centre fully air conditioned with full state of the art technological equipment for sound and video.  The worship service was very well organised and provided a lifting experience and the challenging message by Rev. Patrick O’ Connor was excellent.  His theme statement was `It all depends on whose hand it is in’.  The service was so uplifting that you did not realise it was some 3 hours long (it also included communion) as was the rally which followed (also over 3 hours) until the next day when your body was expressing its protest at that length of time in a tent WITHOUT fans and a/c and sitting on some VERY hard all metal chairs!

The purpose of the rally was to raise funds and very high quality of entertainment was provided.  As each item was presented there was also the opportunity to express appreciation by providing an offering (in money!).  One of the highlights was a saxophone item by Mr Garfield Lawrence, and the coup de grace closing items were done by the Oberlin High School Choir.

It was definitely an experience that I am glad I did not miss and one that would have been a blessing to those of us here if we could have taken part.