GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

The Reverend Dr Peter Garth is no stranger to Jamaican church circles. This servant of God has been leading the flock for over 32 years and he has had no regrets. He believes that his walk with the Lord had to do with the call of God on his life.

Reverend Garth told THE STAR that he wanted to become an engineer, but when the Lord called him to work, he had no choice but to answer the call.

"It had to do with a call to ministry because actually I thought I would have gone down the road to becoming an engineer but I got a call to ministry and I was prepared to give up and go into ministry," noted Garth.

He pointed out that his leaders in the church suggested that since he was going into ministry, he should acquire training in preparation for the challenges he would face.

"So I resigned from my job at GraceKennedy and went to the Jamaica Theological Seminary, and that's where it started. I have had no regrets whatsoever; and if I have to do it over, I would do it again because of the fact that I have seen a lot of lives transformed over the years and God has used me over the period," said Garth.

Garth currently serves as president of the Associated Gospel Assemblies. He is also pastor at the Hope Gospel Assembly in Kingston. He describes his job as hectic. however, like good pastors would always do, he shares his church responsibilities with other leaders at his church.

responsibilities

"I have presently an assistant pastor and so I am able to balance my responsibilities. I multi-task fairly well, but I do have assistance. Our executive is set up in such a way that we have various persons with responsibilities; so there is a good balance in terms of how the things are divided among the executive members," said the church leader.

Garth, who was at one-time a member of the Church of the First Born, has served as pastor at Coleyville in Manchester. He started his work as a pastor in the Jones Town community in Kingston when gangsters like 'Starkey' was around.

"That's where I got my rude awakening in Arnett Gardens where I worked for a while and then moved on to Coleyville in Manchester," said Garth.

He stated that working in Jones Town at the time he did was very challenging, as it was during the time when there was a lot of external and internal wrangling. Garth said it was a challenge for him and others moving in and out of Jones Town and Arnett Gardens.

Garth wants ministers of the gospel who are living in volatile areas to understand that once the people who live there know that they are genuine and have a genuine interest in them; and that their (ministers) aim and desire is to see them change, then he believes that they will be safe.

Garth wants the church to continue proclaiming the word of God; and seek to balance social outreach with the gospel, while showing that it (church) cares.

Garth is married to Flora. He has two children, Jonathan and Charlene.

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