Church History

The history of the Harrison SDA church in terms of its movement from one geographical location to the other, bears a striking resemblance to that of the children of Israel as they journeyed to the Promised Land. After many years of wandering, the Israelites finally reached Canaan; a place where they could build and bring honour to the name of Jehovah. In Canaan, the possibilities to reach the zenith of perfection, both spiritually and materially were endless.

 

The present site of the Harrison SDA church can be viewed as our Canaan. Unlike many other churches in Jamaica, which had their beginnings on the same site or just a few metres from their permanent location, the Harrison SDA travelled a circuitous route before finally finding a place to call their own. Was it the sins of the people that cased the Harrison Church to travel such a route? Or was it God’s way of instructing the members in the subjects of Patience, Perseverance, Hardwork, Sacrifice and Humility? I prefer to believe the latter.

 

Let us now travel back to the very beginning of the Harrison Seventh-day Adventist Church. In the year 1975, the Montego Bay Circuit of Churches under the leadership of Pastor L.C. Burrowes and Evangelist H.S. Walters, conducted an evangelistic crusade on the grounds of the Guild Club adjacent to Jarrett Park. Many new members were added to the church as a result of the crusade. The Montego Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church was unable to accommodate the influx of members; therefore, the formation of a new congregation was inevitable.

 

This band of new believers was given permission to worship in a classroom at the Harrison Memorial High School. Three persons from the Montego Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church were sent to assist the newly formed church. Among them was one Ivan Graham who in later years would be a stalwart in the construction of a permanent place of worship.

 

Time moved on and more and more members were added to the church. The classroom environment was in no way ideal for a church, but the brethren were determined to remain together; and so the search for land on which to build a church began.

 

In 1980 the company was officially organized as a church. The name Harrison Seventh-day Adventist church was adopted. By then the church had been pastured by Pastor P. Hosten and afterwards the later Pastor M. Gray.

 

A dramtic turn of events took place in the life of this church, when in 1984 Pastor E.L. Oliphant held an evangelistic crusade on lands adjacent to the Catherine Hall Primary school in Westgreen. At the end of the crusade, the church at the Harrison Memorial High School moved in a westerly direction to another school room! This time it was classroom at the Catherine Hall Primary School. Thus the nine years sojourn at the Harrison Memorial High School ended and another six started at the Catherine Hall Primary School.

 

The search for land intensified, and so the problem in the school room. The benches which were made for small children posed a problem for some adults who came to worship; and that was compounded by many other inconveniences. Pastors came and went as usual. Serving during this period were Pastor B.A. Reid, B.L. Robinson and C.L. Burrowes, respectively.

 

In 1987 the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh day Adventists identified a piece of land west of the school in which the church services were held. The land was bought and a portion of it was for the West Green SDA. Church? Instrumental in this achievement was Pastor B.A. Reid. There was a great rejoicing among the people. Let me mention hear that the West Green Seventh day Adventist Church is the one and the same Harrison Seventh day Adventist Church. The church had adopted the names of the places through which it had passed. It was not until 1996 that the name Harrison Seventh day Adventist Church was officially chosen.

 

On the 29th of May 1988, Pastor Caple Thompson led the church in the ground breaking ceremony. Exactly one year later, May 1989 the actual building of the church started. During all of this, the church still worshipped at the school. The members bade farewell to Pastor Caple Thompson and welcomed Pastor F.L. Broomfield.

 

The summer of 1990 was an eventful one for the people of the Westgreen SDA Church. The church was forced to vacate the premises at the Catherine Hall Primary School. Once again the church had to move! This time we headed in a north-easterly direction to the conference auditorium, now known as the Noel Frazer Auditorium.

 

Meanwhile, the work on the church building in the west progressed rapidly. The people waited anxiously for it to reach a stage at which they would be able to occupy.

 

The stay at the conference auditorium lasted only five months. December 1990 the whole congregation of the West Green Seventh day Adventist Church marched into the upstairs section of their own unfinished building! They were home at last. The years of wandering from one location to the other were ended. (Among those), like Caleb and Joshua, many who have started from the very inception of the Harrsion Seventh-day Adventist Church and have endured the hardships of the entire journey, are still with us today.

 

With the exception of these brethren, the present congregation is made up of people who have joined the group along the way. All the other pioneers diverted or ‘died’ during the tedious years of travel.

 

After reaching our “Canaan”, work on the building continued steadily. Soon the main building was roofed and the floor paved.  Pastor F.L. Broomfield was instrumental in acquiring chairs and in 1992 the church moved into the main section of the building. Pastor F.L. Broomfield retired and he and his wife made Harrison SDA Church their church until their deaths. Their services are highly appreciated.

 

Pastor C.N. Harding and Pastor C. Archer came, and both worked simultaneously for some time.  The members responded positively to the innovative programmes that were introduced.  It was also during this period that a proper lighting system was installed in the building, doors to the main entrance hinged and windows were eventually put in place.  Pastor Archer moved on, soon after so did Pastor Harding.

 

Let me here say that all the junior pastors who served the Harrison SDA Church assisted in some way in its growth and development.  Among these pastors were:

 

Dr. R.E. Williams	Pastor L. Munroe
Dr. A Smith	Pastor E. Walker
Pastor D. Hill	Pastor T. Brivette
Pastor G.O. Samuels	Pastor L. Miller

 

In 1995 Pastor Donnieval Walker became our new pastor. He was divinely appointed to lead God’s people during the final stages of the building of the temple. When he came major work was yet to be done on the floor, roof, bathrooms, kitchen, platform and the benches were to be made and several other things to be done.

 

The date of the dedication of the temple was finally set, three months in advance. These months were filled with activities, so many things to be done with so little funds with which to do them!

 

The members of the Harrison SDA Church played a major role in the construction of the temple. Each time the call went forth for funds, talents, or time, there were always members who gladly accepted and gave of their best. Honorary mention must be made of Mr. Ivan Graham whose dedication and commitment to the building of the temple were par excellent.

 

Today the building stands majestically, with all the necessary facilities in place. Many memorable moments have been created and experienced since the dedication of this edifice in December 1997 and we look forward to many more.

 

The promises that God made to Israel of old are still ours to claim today. The Harrison Seventh-day Adventist Church should now stand as light to all those who travel in darkness; a place of refuge for the weary, the broken-hearted, the hopeless and the lonely; a place where Jesus the Prince of Peace rules supreme in every member’s heart. When the Israelites entered Canaan there were still many strongholds to conquer. We too, here realize that there are many obstacles to be surmounted. We are surrounded by people who need to know Jesus and the task of bringing them to Him is one of our greatest challenges. May God help us to accomplish our mission.