The Wesleyan Holiness Church of the Caribbean convened its quadrennial General Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados, on August 8-13, 2018. Dr. and Mrs. Wayne Schmidt and Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Jackson attended, representing the North American General Conference of The Wesleyan Church. Dr. Schmidt, North American General Superintendent, and Dr. Jackson, executive director of Global Partners, also serve on the International Board of The Wesleyan Church.
The Caribbean Conference re-elected Dr. Joel Cumberbatch to a second four-year term as General Superintendent. He was first elected in 2014.
The conference also approved memorials initiated by the 2016 North American General Conference. Since these memorials represent amendments to The Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, they not only had to be approved by the North American General Conference, but also the General Conference of the Philippines (accomplished in 2017) and the General Conference of the Caribbean. The two memorials added a doctrinal statement on sin to the Articles of Religion and strengthened the article on Marriage and the Family, clarifying the Church’s stance on gender identity, sexual conduct and the sacredness of marriage.
The Caribbean General Conference authorized the formation of “Caribbean Global Partners,” with the conviction that after years of receiving missionaries, it is time to be more intentionally engaged in sending missionaries.
The Caribbean General Conference will host the International Conference of The Wesleyan Church in May 2019 in Barbados.
