5 Jan 2023, 10:19Darell J. Philip, Hackney Seventh-Day Adventist Church PR & Communications AssistantLondon
Farewell Joojo!
Pastor Joojo Bonnie ends his tenure at Hackney Church with a service of thanksgiving
There was laughter and tears as after six memorable years of leading the Hackney Seventh-Day Adventist Church Community, members bid farewell to their beloved Pastor, Joojo Bonnie and his family having heeded the call to minister in the London Ghana SDA Church.
A special thanksgiving service in honour of the Bonnie family took place during the final Sabbath of the year (31st December 2022) to a full capacity congregation of family, church community members and visitors attired in Ghanaian colours and all of whom had been positively impacted and inspired by Pastor Bonnie’s illustrious ministry in Hackney.
Long serving Church Elder, John Locker, 88, recalled senior ministerial colleague, Pastor David Burnett’s introduction of Pastor Bonnie to Hackney Church in October 2016 while longest serving and recently ordained Deaconess, Ruby Merchant, 82, dug up an old notebook of hers where she had written that on Sabbath 8th October 2016 Pastor Bonnie based his first message on Matthew 7:24-29, preaching under the theme – What Foundation Are You Building On?
It would be safe to say that some six years later after the preaching of that first sermon that through his innovative and faithful ministry, Pastor Bonnie has certainly built a firm foundation and lasting legacy in which his successor alongside the church community as a whole can build upon.
Much has been accomplished during the tenure of Pastor Bonnie. Notable highlights include: Pathfinder-led Community Street Marches against Youth Violence, Gun and Knife Crime during the May Bank Holidays in 2018 and 2019, the latter year of which was given extensive coverage in an ITV News London broadcast; a youth mission trip to assist in the rebuilding of a church struck by lightning in Kigali, Rwanda as well as the provision of food and medical supplies to both those in orphanages and in need; collaborative online evangelistic campaigns alongside daily bible studies with the Wood Green SDA Church during the height of the pandemic; the baptism of his sons – Nana and Papa on Sabbath 17th September 2022 as well as the most recent baptism of Marche Daniel on Sabbath 24th December 2022 and last but certainly not least, the incredible reading of the entire bible in just 4 days during the week of 24th-28th August 2022.
A belly-full of laughs echoed around the church as members, Eileen Philip and Suzanne George brought the house down with their imitation of Pastor Bonnie’s unique Ghanaian vernacular and most treasured phrases such as “small chops” (meaning finger food) and during the height of his sermons in animated tone, the shouting of the words “hey, hey hey,” or the familiar phrase of “let me use my sanctified imagination.”
Noted for his genuine concern and care for the well-being of the young people, Pastor Bonnie and his family were appreciated by the youth leaders of the church with gifts and admonitions alongside thanks and praise for all they had done (including mission trips and cooked breakfasts) to keep the young people active, included and interested in church life.
Special items sung by Myrtle O’Keefe (To God be the Glory) and Michaela Mathieu-Marius (All my life You have been faithful; I will sing of the Goodness of God) along with a poem written and presented by Eileen Philip that highlighted the impact of Pastor Bonnie's ministry at Hackney, brought tears to many as the realization that the ministry of this humble servant of God was coming to an end.
Among those in the congregation were Japheth Obese Amankwah and Fitzroy Morris – men who had over the years honed their preaching skills in both Hackney and their home churches before their pursuit of Pastoral qualifications during a period of study at Newbold College.
Hackney First Elder, John Mathieu, thanked Pastor Bonnie for his “exemplary leadership to the church and for staying true to His vision for the church while most importantly seeking to always be led by the Holy Spirit in all matters concerning the well-being of the church community.”
Full of tears and the emotion of it all, Pastor Bonnie said: “You have given my family and I a send-off we will never forget. To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done in Hackney. This is not the end. We love you Hackney Church and will miss you but know that you are all forever treasured in our hearts. Let’s make every determined effort to be reunited together in the Earth made new when at last Christ returns to take us home with Him.”
Succeeding Pastor Joojo Bonnie at Hackney will be incoming Pastor, Vaughn Thorpe, who currently leads the Walthamstow Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
There was laughter and tears as after six memorable years of leading the Hackney Seventh-Day Adventist Church Community, members bid farewell to their beloved Pastor, Joojo Bonnie and his family having heeded the call to minister in the London Ghana SDA Church.
A special thanksgiving service in honour of the Bonnie family took place during the final Sabbath of the year (31st December 2022) to a full capacity congregation of family, church community members and visitors attired in Ghanaian colours and all of whom had been positively impacted and inspired by Pastor Bonnie’s illustrious ministry in Hackney.
Long serving Church Elder, John Locker, 88, recalled senior ministerial colleague, Pastor David Burnett’s introduction of Pastor Bonnie to Hackney Church in October 2016 while longest serving and recently ordained Deaconess, Ruby Merchant, 82, dug up an old notebook of hers where she had written that on Sabbath 8th October 2016 Pastor Bonnie based his first message on Matthew 7:24-29, preaching under the theme – What Foundation Are You Building On?
It would be safe to say that some six years later after the preaching of that first sermon that through his innovative and faithful ministry, Pastor Bonnie has certainly built a firm foundation and lasting legacy in which his successor alongside the church community as a whole can build upon.
Much has been accomplished during the tenure of Pastor Bonnie. Notable highlights include: Pathfinder-led Community Street Marches against Youth Violence, Gun and Knife Crime during the May Bank Holidays in 2018 and 2019, the latter year of which was given extensive coverage in an ITV News London broadcast; a youth mission trip to assist in the rebuilding of a church struck by lightning in Kigali, Rwanda as well as the provision of food and medical supplies to both those in orphanages and in need; collaborative online evangelistic campaigns alongside daily bible studies with the Wood Green SDA Church during the height of the pandemic; the baptism of his sons – Nana and Papa on Sabbath 17th September 2022 as well as the most recent baptism of Marche Daniel on Sabbath 24th December 2022 and last but certainly not least, the incredible reading of the entire bible in just 4 days during the week of 24th-28th August 2022.
A belly-full of laughs echoed around the church as members, Eileen Philip and Suzanne George brought the house down with their imitation of Pastor Bonnie’s unique Ghanaian vernacular and most treasured phrases such as “small chops” (meaning finger food) and during the height of his sermons in animated tone, the shouting of the words “hey, hey hey,” or the familiar phrase of “let me use my sanctified imagination.”
Noted for his genuine concern and care for the well-being of the young people, Pastor Bonnie and his family were appreciated by the youth leaders of the church with gifts and admonitions alongside thanks and praise for all they had done (including mission trips and cooked breakfasts) to keep the young people active, included and interested in church life.
Special items sung by Myrtle O’Keefe (To God be the Glory) and Michaela Mathieu-Marius (All my life You have been faithful; I will sing of the Goodness of God) along with a poem written and presented by Eileen Philip that highlighted the impact of Pastor Bonnie's ministry at Hackney, brought tears to many as the realization that the ministry of this humble servant of God was coming to an end.
Among those in the congregation were Japheth Obese Amankwah and Fitzroy Morris – men who had over the years honed their preaching skills in both Hackney and their home churches before their pursuit of Pastoral qualifications during a period of study at Newbold College.
Hackney First Elder, John Mathieu, thanked Pastor Bonnie for his “exemplary leadership to the church and for staying true to His vision for the church while most importantly seeking to always be led by the Holy Spirit in all matters concerning the well-being of the church community.”
Full of tears and the emotion of it all, Pastor Bonnie said: “You have given my family and I a send-off we will never forget. To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done in Hackney. This is not the end. We love you Hackney Church and will miss you but know that you are all forever treasured in our hearts. Let’s make every determined effort to be reunited together in the Earth made new when at last Christ returns to take us home with Him.”
Succeeding Pastor Joojo Bonnie at Hackney will be incoming Pastor, Vaughn Thorpe, who currently leads the Walthamstow Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
