WORK HAS finally started on the $200 million Northern Caribbean University church and Dr. Neil Reid, church pastor, has issued a fervent call to NCU alumni, current members and well-wishers to make good on their pledges to help fund the edifice.He said so far, some 150 persons have made pledges to build the long-awaited edifice, and now that the work has started, he is appealing for assistance from former students and members of the church to send in funds. Persons overseas can send funds to the Inter-America Division of Seventh-day Adventists and address their pledges to the NCU church. Persons in Jamaica, he said, can address contributions directly to the NCU church.
The start-up work, which includes major site clean-up, comes after months of delay. The state-of-the art worship facility, which is to be located across from the main Mandeville campus, will house a chapel, fellowship hall and classrooms and Pastor Reid said he is also "exploring the possibility of putting in a sub-auditorium for community events. We want to be able to serve the community, by hosting their functions".
E-COMMERCE PAGE
According to Pastor Reid, the church office is hoping to set up an e-commerce page on its website, which would allow persons interested in pledging to submit their names and contact addresses, for follow-up by church personnel.
Though some $6 million has already been raised, Pastor Reid said it all went into paying for building plans and project management. The West Indies Union, which owns and operates the university, will be providing a $50 million loan to the church, a figure which represents only a quarter of the $200 million needed.
Since its inception in 1919, the university has existed without a church building of its own, and has held worship services in the school chapel, which hosts other events. Since the building of the NCU gymnatorium in 2003, major services have been held there.
