Pastor Wezley Gayle holds his granddaughter - Camari Morgan Terrelonge , during her dedication. Beside him are pastor Channing Allen (left) and Pastor Cornell Jackson (right) and who Pastor Sammuel Lewin (partially hidden). - Contributed

Just over two months after her birth in July, Camari Morgan Terrelonge, daughter of Drs. Calvin and Wezyann Terrelonge, was dedicated at Andrews Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Andrew, last month.

She was surrounded by more than 30 people, including her doting parents, grandparents (Calvin (Sr.) and Winsome Terrelonge; Pastor Wezley and Sandra Gayle), aunts, uncles and friends. Also present was spirit mother, Yvonne Shakes. Camari, clad in a sequined white dress and headband, was blessed by three pastors - Pastor Cornell Jackson (pastor of Andrews Church), Pastor Wezley Gayle and Pastor C. Allen (associate pastor).

After a musical selection from the children's choir, Jackson asked the group to participate in the reading of a litany.

"The purpose of baby dedication is really to be found in the purpose of the parents," he began, "Rightly understood, this ceremony has much to do with parental dedication."

Camari

Facing the parents, he continued: "Parents, do you pledge yourselves to the biblical injunction of child rearing?"

"We pledge ourselves to accept the responsibility of living the kind of life that exemplifies the spirit of Jesus Christ," the parents read in unison, "so that Camari will be nurtured in the faith from her earliest days."

Jackson then asked the family members and friends to pledge their responsibility in maintaining their relationship with Camari to which they replied: "We do".

After which, Pastor Gayle was asked to close that segment of the Sabbath-day service by praying "the prayer of a grandfather" (to which the congregation chuckled) that Camari would continue to be brought up in the truth and request God's blessings on her young life.