OBITUARY: Rev. Dr. Norman Francis, 63, a minister of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI) and a former Partner in Mission (PIM) to the Congregational Federation (UK) and from 2004 to 2008, passed away at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica on Sunday, 12 September, after a brief illness.
Prior to his PIM assignment, Rev. Francis’ involvement with CWM also included participation in a short term ClergyXchange with the United Church of Zambia in 2003/2004, facilitated by a partnership between CWM and International Ministry Exchanges (IME).
Rev. Dr. Francis’ last assignment was at the United Theological College of the West Indies, where he served as UCJCI Associate Warden and Lecturer. He was also an adjunct lecturer at the International University of the Caribbean (IUC).
Ordained in November 2001, Francis had served at several congregations in Jamaica and overseas, including the Whitney Congregational Church in Oxfordshire, England, and St John’s Parish Church in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Locally, Francis was student minister in the pastoral Charges of Portmore and Hellshire; ministry intern in the Pretoria Road and Boulevard Charges; and minister of the Meadowbrook Charge of United Churches. UCJCI Moderator, Rt. Rev. Gary Harriott described the late lecturer as “one of our faithful servants”.
“He will be remembered within the UCJCI as an articulate preacher and Bible teacher, whose passion was at its highest in the area of theological education. He was instrumental in redesigning the UCJCI Lay Training Programme,” said UCJCI General Secretary Rev. Norbert Stephens, who had worked closely with him during his tenure at Webster Memorial United Church where Francis was Associate Minister.
He is survived by his spouse, Karen, and two sons, Norman and Kareem.
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