1. PURPOSE The purpose of The National Leadership Prayer Breakfast is to foster greater unity in the nation, particularly among the nation’s leaders at all levels. The first National Leadership Prayer Breakfast was held in January 1981, following the General Election of October 1980. It arose out of the Church’s concern for national peace, justice, reconciliation and unity in the nation. At the first National Leadership Prayer Breakfast several participants requested that the event be held annually and that the date be fixed. This request was accepted at the 1982 Prayer Breakfast and the decision taken that the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast should be held on the third Thursday of January each year. This is the 41st Annual National Leadership Prayer Breakfast. 2. INVITATION Attendance at the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast is by invitation only and includes Leaders of Church, State and Civic Life. In keeping with national protocol, the list of invited guests is headed by His Excellency, The Governor General, and includes The Prime Minister, The Leader of the Opposition, Parliamentarians, Custodes, The Judiciary, Local Government, Permanent Secretaries, Business and Union leaders, the Security Forces and the Media. Members of the Foreign Diplomatic and Consular Corps are also invited. For the 2021 staging, the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast will be a virtual event due to adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. The event will be streamed online via the social media platforms of the Victoria Mutual Group, the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast and the news media. 1 3. THEME Each year the Committee selects an inspirational theme to reflect the Church’s message to the nation. The theme for the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast 2021 is “Keep Hope Alive”. 4. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Members of The National Leadership Prayer Breakfast Committeee who are responsible for organising the annual National Leadership Prayer Breakfast are: Rt. Rev. Stanley G. Clarke – Chairman Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands Rev. Samuel McCook - Vice Chairman Hope Fellowship Church Pastor Claudia Ferguson - Secretary Jamaica Seventh Day Baptist Rev. Florene Miller-Parkes - Assistant Secretary United Holiness Church of God Rev. Alwyn Walters - Treasurer Open Bible Standard Churches of Jamaica Mr. Elon Beckford - Assistant Treasurer United Chuch of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands Mr. Clyde Edwards Christian Brethren Assemblies Rev. Dr. Peter Garth, CD, JP Associated Gospel Assemblies Bishop Dr. Stevenson Samuels JP New Testament Church of God 2 Rev. Dr. Alston Henry, JP Open Bible Standard Churches of Jamaica Dr. Lascelles Newman, JP St. Andrew Parish Church (Anglican) Miss Marcia Leair Missionary Church Association of Jamaica Rev. Rennard White, OD, JP Missionary Church Association of Jamaica Rev. Major (Ret’d) Canute Chambers Jamaica Pentecostal Union Apostolic (JPUA) Rev. Dr. Wayneford McFarlene Jamaica Council of Churches 3 5. PERSONNEL Visitation Dr. Lascelles Newman Secretariat Pastor Claudia Ferguson Rev. Florene Miller-Parkes Public Relations Pastor Samuel McCook Decor Miss Marcia Leair Protocol Pastor Claudia Ferguson Finance Rev. Alwyn Walters Mr. Elon Beckford Admin Assistant Miss Gillian Whyte (September 2018 – present) 6. NEWS MEDIA All Media Houses are invited and welcomed. Coverage is requested for the benefit of the nation and the wider world. As the 2021 NLPB will be a virtual event, a dedicated ZOOM link will provide access for all Media Houses. A MEDIA KIT containing all relevant data on the event and an up- to-date FACTS SHEET is provided for all Media Houses. Please contact the NLPB Secretariat. 7. COMMENTS Comments are invited and welcomed. Comments can be made online on the relevant media platforms. These are used to help assess the impact of the event and to improve future planning. 4 8. CHAIRMANSHIP Since the inception of the NATIONAL LEADERSHIP PRAYER BREAKFAST the following persons have served as Chair of the Committee: Rt. Rev. Stanley G. Clarke 2017 – Present Bishop Dr. Stevenson Samuels, JP 2013 – 2017 Rev. Dr. Peter Garth, JP 2009 – 2013 Rev. Dr. Alston Henry, JP 2005 – 2009 Dr. Las G. Newman 2002 – 2005 Rev. Raymond Coke 1998 – 2002 Rev. C. Evans Bailey 1991 – 1998 Rev. Dr. Alston Henry, JP 1985 – 1991 Mr. Gerry Gallimore/Rev. Earl Thames 1981 – 1985 9.a SPONSORS The NATIONAL LEADERSHIP PRAYER BREAKFAST has been sponsored over the years by the following: 2019 – 2021 The Victoria Mutual Foundation 1985 - 2018 The Victoria Mutual Group 1984 The Church and the Hon. Abe Issa, O.J, Chairman of the House of Issa 1983 The Church and Insurance Companies 1982 The Church and the Commercial Banking Sector 1981 The Church and the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) 9.b RECOGNITION PRO Communications Ltd. through its Managing Director, Mrs. Jean Lowrie Chin, and staff have given, and continues to give, very able assistance to the organizing Committee of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast on matters relating to Protocol and the Press. Market Research Ltd. headed by social researcher Mr. Don Anderson, has very kindly offered their expertise to develop the Breakfast Questionaire and to evaluate responses. 5 10. CONTRIBUTIONS/PROJECTS FOR THE POOR AND DESTITUTE 2020 NLPB $501,000.00 was donated to the Violence Prevention Alliance – Child Resiliency Program to assist with providing support to children facing educational and development challenges, especially those suffering from abuse, neglect, and violent situations. 2018 NLPB $450,000 was donated to the Randolph Lopez School of Hope (RLSOH) to assist with refurbishing the sanitary facilities and establishing eating areas to enhance the student’s social development. 2017 NLPB $501,670.40 was donated to the Children First Agency to assist with their holistic life skills and skills-building project at the South Camp Juvenile Correctional Centre. This project involves weekly life skills education and skills- building sessions among 50 wards of the State. 2016 NLPB $550,549 was donated to the Eira Schader Home for the Aged located in Trench Town, to assist with refurbishing the home. 2015 NLPB $400,000.00 was donated to the Theodora Project to assist with the refurbishing of their safe house(used to house vulnerable and at-risk students) located in Negril, Westmoreland. 2014 NLPB $410,000.00 was donated to Comittee for the Upliftment of the Mental III (CUMI) to assist with their feeding project to mentally challenged individual in Montego Bay. 2013 NLPB $407,000.00 was donated to Muirton Boys’ Home in Portland to help with repairing the infrastructural damage suffered during the passage of Hurricane Sandy. 2012 NLPB $500,000.00 was donated to Glenhope Place of Safety to offset the cost of repairs. 2011 NLPB $1,600,000.00 was donated to the Menzies family whose children required urgent medical attention. 6 2010 NLPB $245,000.00 was donated to Hear the Children’s Cry to assist with their ANANDA ALERT project. $490,000.00 was donated to the Haiti Relief Fund through the SALVATION ARMY to assist with relief and rebuilding programme following the January 12, 2010 7.5 earthquake. 2009 NLPB $322,000.00 was donated to the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) - Children traumatized by violence and The Mustard Seed Communities - Children living with HIV/AIDS. 2008 NLPB $266,826.45 was donated to provide equipment for JAMAICA POLICE CONVALESCENT HOME in Black River, St. Elizabeth. 2007 NLPB $264,700.00 was donated to support a BUILD JAMAICA BASIC SCHOOL project. 2006 NLPB $300,000.00 was donated to the COMPUTER LAB at the Rio Cobre Correctional Facility (St. Catherine) for Boys 12 - 17 years of age. The overall cost of Phase 1 of this project was estimated at Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Dollars ($470,000.00). 2005 NLPB To help complete repairs to the night shelter at the Golden Age Home, managed by FOOD FOR THE POOR and rehabilitation of the poor and homeless street people in the Corporate Area of Kingston & St. Andrew. 2004 NLPB $180,000 was collected for the establishment of night shelter for the poor and homeless street people in the Corporate Area. This was handed to FOOD FOR THE POOR for repairs to night shelter for 70 persons at the Golden Age Home, Kingston. 2003 NLPB $150,000.00 was collected and given to Maleke Palmer, a two-year old suffering from gun violence in Jamaica. 2002 NLPB $117,838.88 was collected and given to FOOD FOR THE POOR to assist directly with the relief of flood victims in the parish of Portland. 2001 NLPB $80,000.00 was collected and given to the Jamaica Aids Support Committee for the AIDS Hospice and children suffering from HIV/AIDS. 7 2000 NLPB $70,000.00 was collected for THE MARIE ATKINS NIGHT SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS, Kingston. 1999 NLPB $88,000.00 was collected for improving the conditions of the SPANISH TOWN INFIRMARY. 1998 NLPB $91,000.00 was collected for rebuilding the home of SITIRA PASSLEY, an indigent lady with several foster children in Drapers, Portland. 1997 NLPB $74,689.74 was collected and evenly shared between the YESS Programme, an inner city youth project of the Kingston Restoration Company and HANDS ACROSS JAMAICA. 1996 NLPB $52,000.00 was collected for the Western Kingston Project and the Jamaica Council of Human Rights. 1995 NLPB $36,000.00 was collected for the Mustard Seed Community project for abandoned and severely handicapped children in Western T. Ward. 1994 NLPB $15,000.00 was collected for the Ansel Gayle Educational Fund (Family Life Ministries). 1993 NLPB $30,000.00 was collected for the restoration of the chapel in the General Penitentiary. 1992 NLPB $14,000.00 was collected for the Student Examination Support Fund. 1991 NLPB $5,470.00 was collected for the His Wings Boys Home, Browns Town, St. Ann.