“LET YAHWEH BE MAGNIFIED.” This is the theme under which we the YNCA brethren here in Dominica
celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles this year 2005 with the YNCA brethren in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago from the
20th to the 26th of September 2005. The Eighth Day
or Last Great Day was being celebrated on the 27th, immediately following the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
After observing
the Day of Atonement on Thursday 15/09/05, half of the Assembly began
a twenty to a thirty mile journey to the Melville Hall
Airport at about 4:00 a.m. on Friday 16/09/05 to have caught the first flight leaving at 6:40
a.m. and arrived at the Piarco International
Airport in Trinidad sometime after 9:00
a.m.
Given to catch the
last flight leaving at 5:25 p.m., the other half of the Assembly arrived in Trinidad
at about 8:30 p.m. In all, 43 of us were safely landed on the island
of Trinidad through the caring hands of our loving Creator.
Deacon Locksley Joseph
ascertained his presence at the airport along with others in wait for our arrival and had us transported to the Victory Heights
Bible Camp at Cane Farm in Arouca where Yahweh placed His name and the feast was being observed.
After having a good
and comfortable Sabbath night of rest for the first night spent in Trinidad, it was Saturday morning 17/09/05 and time for
the last weekly Sabbath morning worship service to be convened before seeing the beginning of the Bible annual 7-day feast
occurring in the Autumn/Fall of the year. We were then on our way to Bagatelle in San-Juan where the Assembly’s building
is located. Over seventy (70) persons including the forty-three (43) of us from Dominica
where gathered there in praise and worship to our merciful Creator.
During the morning
part of the service which was being moderated by Brother James Modest of Dominica,
a sermonette entitled “Believe” was delivered by Brother Joseph Wayland of Dominica
followed by special offering in song from certain of the brethren. Lunch was provided and served by the Trinidadian brethren
to all who were present. Then following lunch, a sermon entitled “Elevate the Spirit of Rejoicing for the Feast of Tabernacles”
was delivered by Elder Joseph Francis of Dominica during the
afternoon part of the service which was moderated for the most part by Brother Augustus Paul of Dominica.
The day’s service was over with the Sabbath only minutes away from ending at which point we were then being served with
real tasty, finger licking cake and ice cream by the Trinidadian brethren. The Sabbath was altogether ended following which
we were then on our way back to the camp site where we were in wait and preparation for the commencement of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Transportation was being provided and financed by the brethren there who hosted us.
Monday sunset 19/09/05 finally arrived and Feast of Tabernacles 2005 began, the beginning
of which, just did not go by without convening an evening worship service acknowledging the commencement of the Bible sixth
annual Sabbath 15th Ethanim. Elder Francis was the speaker for the evening citing Leviticus 23:39-40, Judges 9:8-9
and Acts 15:14 through the course of his message.
Tuesday morning 20/09/05 arrived and with joy we continued the Sabbath celebration during which,
we were served with two delicious spiritual meals. The first meal being served was by Brother Modest with a sermonette entitled
“Rebuilding the Spiritual Temple…”
and then with the sermon a little later on in the service was Elder Francis’ turn to serve what was the main spiritual
meal for the day. Taking up full time residence on the camp site in observance of the feast were about fifty (50) of us in
all but over sixty (60) were present for the Sabbath worship service of the first day of the feast. Brother Paul was the moderator
for that day’s service.
Activities for the
feast were various including setting a day aside in recognition of the Family on Thursday
22/09/05, the third day of the feast. Brother Wayland moderated the service, while the message entitled “Unity”
was being delivered by Deacon Locksley Joseph of Trinidad.
The following day
was Friday 23/09/05 and the fourth day of the feast when we were being treated with a trip and visit to the Emperor Valley
Zoo where among the animals we saw there are some of which some of us may have literally never seen before or are just not
existent in Dominica. Observing the behavioral patterns of some of those creatures, one can’t help but only conclude
that Yahweh is indeed awesome in His creation.
Then arriving back
to camp early enough before sunset, our minds were set and in preparation for the oncoming weekly Sabbath and the fifth day
of the feast to begin at sunset. Sunset arrived and the weekly Sabbath and the fifth day of the feast began. The morning part
of that weekly Sabbath Saturday 24/09/05 and the fifth day
of the feast arrived and we were once more engaged in a holy convocation in praise and worship to our Creator which was being
moderated by Brother Modest and attended by over eighty (80) persons. A sermonette entitled “Yahshua the Messiah, That
Great Name with Power” was being delivered by Elder Joseph Jno. Baptiste of Dominica while the sermon was being delivered
by Deacon Joseph. We were graced with the presence of Brother Mel John and his wife Sister Margaret of Trinidad
for that day’s service and were among those who had been called upon with a special offering in song to Yahweh. Deacon
Joseph declared to the Assembly during the service by way of announcement that the transfer of the Assembly’s registration
with the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from Church of God 7th
Day to Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly
has finally arrived to a completion which we understand is the first to become a registered Sacred Name grouping in that part
of the world. Transfer of registration came to a completion while we were there at the feast with them.
Sunday morning 25/09/05
the sixth day of the feast arrived and it was time to engage in another of the outings planned and put in place by the Tabernacles
Committee there at YNCA in Trinidad as part the activities for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles. La Brea
Pitch Lake was the destination to where three (3)
Bus loads of us took about a forty (40) mile journey. The official Tour Guide there at that lake abreast us all that were
present with much of the information and history that surrounds that lake and the operations that takes place there. We were
being allowed the opportunity to actually walk upon that lake. We were told that, that pitch lake is the largest in the world
and the source of all pitch lakes that may be found and pitch used around the world in the building of roads and whatever
other works for which this material is being used. The water on that lake which is asphalt in nature, we were told, is good
for various maladies but is harmful if ingested. Yahweh poured down some rain wetting us while we were on the lake itself,
an act of our great Creator Yahweh which, as I commented to some, only made our visit to the lake spicier and more enjoyable
than it would have been in the absence of that shower of rain that fell. As we meditated strongly on the historical information
communicated to us while there on that lake and we thought back, our spiritual minds were at work concluding that Yahweh’s
awesome creating power is indeed one of great magnitude and something really for all of us to behold. The financial cost to
have entered and tour the lake was being met by the Trinidadian Assembly. They also met a number of other transportation costs
which they had already put in place in expectation of our arrival and stay for which we are most thankful to them!
There were also early
Morning Prayer devotions, Bible studies, a Penny Concert, Men’s Night and appreciating each other by way of a gift which
were among the activities forming part of the feast celebration this year.
In acknowledgement
of the beginning of the Eight Day or Last Great Day, there was a Sabbath evening worship service on Monday evening 26/09/05
following the sunset-end of the seventh and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The speaker for that Sabbath evening service
was Brother Paul with a message entitled “Seek Ye the Ancient Path.” Passages of scriptures cited throughout that
message were Leviticus 23:34-36, Jeremiah 6:16, Genesis 1:14, Exodus 12:1-2; 9:24-32, Deuteronomy 16:1 and Colossians 2:16-17. The service was being moderated by Elder
Francis.
The following morning
which was Tuesday 27/09/05 and the daylight part of the Eighth Day or
Last Great Day, we heard three messages during that Sabbath morning worship service which was being moderated by Brother Wayland.
It was a blessing to have had two Sermonettes preceding the Sermon. The first sermonette was by Brother Modest entitled “Hope
in Yahweh” while the second was being delivered by Brother Mel John followed by Deacon Joseph with a sermon entitled
“The Wine Skins.” A little over fifty (50) of us were in attendance.
Much can be said.
A rehearsing of this year’s feast can be very lengthy without there ever being an end to how much that can be said of
how the feast was spent and the hospitality of the brethren there whom we’ve found and seen to be much loving, hospitable,
caring, fervent in good things and quite teachable and encouraging. The hard work put in by both the Dominican and Trinidadian
Sisters in the kitchen that all who were present at the feast could have been served and healthily fed to a most delicious
cooking throughout the fourteen (14) days that we were there for is quite tremendous. All those whose gender are feminine
at next year’s feast surely deserves being given rest from the kitchen and be treated to the cooking of the brothers
on a set day for breakfast and lunch at least, for all the hard work they’ve put into ensuring that all were properly
and deliciously fed and healthily on time too to the best of their ability at this year’s feast. The Trinidadian brethren’s
contribution and effort was of no little amount to assure our tabernacle stay with them was a festive one with great joy in
unity. This will remain imbedded on our minds for the rest of our lives in Yahweh.
It was not the wish
of some including this reporter to have left the brethren and return to our Dominica-homeland. The landscape setting at the
camp site, the environs, as well as the green mountain ambiance that surrounds that area was such that some of us including
this reporter were even forgetting on several occasions that we were not in Dominica.
Up until now, there is still this groaning, hurt and pain within many of us that we aren’t still with the brethren over
in Trinidad. The Assembly there is quite small comprising of only a few members and we can see that
there’s a great need there for laborers in the Master’s vineyard. Therefore, Yahweh allowed us to witness Him
adding two new laborers there to His vineyard during the two days that we spent there after the Last Great Day over which
we greatly rejoice in Yahweh through Yahshua. We witnessed and are indeed most elated over the addition of these two more
souls to the Body of Messiah even before we were due to depart from Trinidad.
A pool being available
right on the camp site making it all the much easier with no distance at all to travel to have the immersions performed, eighty-seven
(87) year old Sister Maria Price of the Eastern Caribbean island of Grenada residing in Trinidad who had long been worshiping
with the then “Church of God 7th Day” finally decided to put on the Name of our Savior, Yahshua. In
responding to her request to be immersed into that only saving name, over twenty (20) of us witnessed her being immersed into
the name of our Savior Yahshua by Elder Francis on the morning of Wednesday 28/09/05. During the early morning devotion that
was held earlier that morning before the immersion, we over heard a touching prayer to Yahweh in tears by that sister requesting
of Him to please help her become more acquainted with His name. We are indeed touched and moved by this bold step taken by
this newly added member to the body and are indeed praying on her behalf that the names Yahweh and Yahshua and the characteristics
embodied in these names indeed becomes her all in all, one day at a time. Hands were being laid upon her by Elders Francis
and Jno. Baptiste, each offering a word of prayer immediately after she was being immersed that Yahweh could give her of His
comforting Holy Spirit power.
Then the next morning
which was Thursday 29/09/05, over thirty (30) of us witnessed Sister Cylinthia Farreira of Trinidad, another long time affiliate
of the then “Church of God 7th Day” for almost three (3) decades, being immersed by Elder Francis with
the assistance of Deacon Joseph into the saving name of our Savior, YAHSHUA, immediately following which, hands were being
laid upon her by Elders Francis and Jno. Baptiste, each offering a word of prayer that Yahweh could give her of His comforting
Holy Spirit power.
We wish those added
two new sisters to the Body of Messiah, all that it takes to endure to the end with flying colors and on into Yahweh’s
eternal kingdom when it will have been established here upon this earth at the return of our Savior Yahshua.
We encourage all brethren
to include these two new precious souls on their prayer lists and the rest of the YNCA brethren there in Trinidad
dedicated in this huge work in the Master’s vineyard. Also pray for those of the then “Church of God 7th
Day” affiliation in Trinidad not yet immersed into the Sacred Name whom we understand are not having much of a difficulty
with using the Sacred Names but are having a real uphill battle in seeing the necessity to observe the Bible-commanded annual
celebrations as physical Gentiles in this New Covenant age, that Yahweh gives them that insight and understanding and to see
the importance of the Sacred Names even much clearer.
For the two days after
the feast, we most of all made time for prayer meeting in the early morning and in the evening under the theme, “Prayer,
the Overcoming Power for the People of Yahweh.”
And finally on Friday
morning 30/09/05, just minutes before our 7:00 a.m. departure from the camp site for the airport, the YNCA in Dominica Board
of Directors unanimously consented to what was already the desire of many, that we the Dominican brethren will again be celebrating
another Feast of Tabernacles with the brethren in Trinidad come next year 2006 (5767) for the second consecutive time, IF
it is Yahweh’s will.
Sooner that we were
departed from Trinidad, we were informed after arriving back home that Deacon Joseph immediately secured the same Victory
Heights Bible Camp, notifying the proprietorship there of the brethren’s interest in using that same premises next year
2006 in observance of the same Feast of Tabernacles. We are only going to need the tentative dates when Tabernacles will occur
next year 2006 (5767) so Deacon Joseph in turn can have those dates tentatively ascertained with the camp site owners that
we are going to need the premises.
It is NOT too
early even now to start planning with us on observing Yahweh’s commanded Feast of Tabernacles next year 2006 (5767)
with the YNCA brethren in Trinidad. Come on down to the Eastern Caribbean twin island Republic of Trinidad
& Tobago in 2006 in celebration of the Bible-commanded Feast of Tabernacles with Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly (YNCA).
The two (2) planes
flying us into Dominica on Friday 30/09/05 both landed safely and we were all back to our homes for which we are indeed grateful
and thankful to Yahweh our Creator but with much internal mourning that we are no longer physically in the company of the
brethren in Trinidad.
May next year’s
Festival of Tabernacles hasten extremely quickly that we could be back in the company of those loving and caring brethren
at the soonest possible time.
I am one for sure
who is considering a return visit to the brethren there in Trinidad for as early as Passover & Feast of Unleavened Bread
for at least two weeks to include doing some evangelical work there at the time of
life next year 2006 (5767) providing the availability of funds, IF it is Yahweh’s will. What about you?
Augustus Paul
Secretary
Tabernacles Committee
Yahweh’s New
Covenant Assembly
Commonwealth
of Dominica
