"Pastor Stoney" Gladstone Henry Fairweather

Gladstone “Pastor Stoney” Fairweather and his wife, “Sister” Evelyn to complete the vision given to

him by God in Jamaica. The Lord’s and Fairweather Theological Seminary (LFTS) and six

churches in surrounding communities are the result. Financial support is provided solely by

individuals and churches in the United States.

Pastor Stoney, born and reared in Jamaica, went to the United States after graduating from high

school and worked his way through school at Elim Bible Institute in Elim, NY, where he received a

diploma in Theology. He was awarded a scholarship to William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, and

received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 1960. He did research at St. Louis University Hospital,

taught in the freshman biology lab at the university and in high school, and in 1964, received a

Master’s Degree from East St. Louis Extension School of Southern Illinois University. He was then

awarded a scholarship to the University of Southern California where he earned an Interdisciplinary

MS in Public Administration and Health Administration in 1970.

Pastor Stoney was then recruited by New York City’s Health and Hospital Corporation as

Paramedical Care Director in charge of training for the city’s eighteen hospitals. In 1975, Meharry

Medical Center in Nashville, TN, recruited him to be the first Director of its Outpatient Clinic. He

remained in that position until returning to Jamaica in 1984.

Evelyn Fairweather, “Sister Evelyn” was born in Alabama, attended college in Tennessee and

Illinois and completed graduate work in learning disabilities, drug abuse and urban education. She

taught school for fifteen years in Chicago, worked in ministry at her church, conducted revivals and

participated in prison ministry.

In 1978, Pastor Stoney and Sister Evelyn met in Nashville at The Lord’s Chapel where he was an

Elder. The following year, The Lord’s Chapel sent them with sixteen others to Jamaica to conduct

a crusade in Duncans just a few miles from Samuel Prospect – Pastor Stoney’s hometown. When

they returned to the States, Pastor Stoney proposed to Sister Evelyn, they married in 1980 and she

began working as a Learning Disability Specialist for the Metro Board of Education in Nashville.

PASTOR STONEY’S VISION

While in school, Pastor Stoney preached and took missionary groups to Jamaica each year and

then he used his vacation time every year to take missionary groups to Jamaica. As early as his

first mission trip to Jamaica in 1960, he felt God calling him back there. In 1978, God gave him a

vision of a large church building and a Bible School to train young men and women to go

throughout the Caribbean Islands as missionaries. He knew it was time in 1984, so The Lord’s

Chapel ordained, he and Sister Evelyn resigned their positions, sold their home and moved to

Jamaica.

The vision God gave to Pastor Stoney was:

• To propagate the gospel of the Lord Jesus throughout the West Indies.

• To build a sanctuary and a training facility to train men and women in theology and

secular education.

• To establish churches in all of the parishes.

• To establish a strong system of education for pre-school to high school based on

Christian excellence and high scholastic foundations.

• To take Jamaica for the Lord by training men and women who are filled with the Holy

Spirit and with a sound educational foundation that will enhance them to enter the

kingdoms of the world to take them for the Lord Jesus.

Lord’s and Fairweather Theological Seminary – Duncans, Samuel Prospect District,

Trelawny, Jamaica, West Indies

Jamaica is divided into parishes which are like states in the U.S. Each parish is divided into

districts which are like American towns or communities. Samuel Prospect is a district in the parish

of Trelawny in the north central region of the island. Trelawny is Jamaica’s poorest parish,

boasting very little of the tourism that benefits much of the country.

The seminary opened in 1984 with an enrollment of 50 students. Pastor Stoney and Sister Evelyn

were the teachers and there was no tuition. For the first eight years, they were affiliated with the

International Bible Institute of Plymouth, Florida. In 1991, they both received Doctorates in Ministry

from IBIS.

Many of the students had not finished high school, could not read and could not keep up with the

rigorous schedule. In 1991, they began writing their own curriculum in order to move more slowly

for the students. They also added a literacy school which meets simultaneously with the seminary

to prepare students who want to enter the school but cannot read. “LFTS is geared toward people

who have a calling on their lives, not high scholastic standing,” said Pastor Stoney.

In 1986, 24 students graduated and since that time 800 students have graduated. Pastor Stoney

and Sister Evelyn still teach along with 7 additional teachers, a librarian and a custodian. The

Fairweathers have a monthly allowance from Jamaican Voice Intl. and don’t receive salaries from

the seminary.

Resources needed to keep the school open are $35,000J for 7 teachers, $3,000J for the librarian

and $2,500J for the custodian totaling $40,500 Jamaican Dollars which is the equivalent of

$482.14 per month in U.S. dollars.

The cost for a student to attend LFTS is $300.00 US Dollars annually. Many who have been called

to the ministry are unemployed and desire to attend the college, but cannot afford the tuition.

Students can be sponsored with an annual donation or monthly payments of $30.00 for 10 months

or $50.00 for 6 months.

The Fairweathers go to the States each summer where they are invited by churches to preach and

share the vision. Financial support for them, the school, teachers and students is provided by

those churches and individuals who are familiar with the ministry.

Graduation Class of 2001

Lord’s Chapel Churches

There are six Lord’s Chapel Churches and all but one own their own building and property. Each

pastor is a LFTS graduate who works tirelessly to feed and nurture the flock under their care.

Church goals for 2012 are to always be in revival to win souls for the Kingdom of God. The thrust is

on the YOUTH and CHILDREN of the future church; the maturing of the present lambs and sheep;

laborers for the harvest; visiting shepherds, prophets, teachers, and evangelists that are available

to come and minister; teachers for the college; tent crusades and evangelizing the districts of the

Lord's Chapel Churches.

Samuel Prospect LCC (Founding Church) Pastor Stoney and Sister Evelyn pastor along with

three graduates from LFTS who serve as Youth Pastor, Children's Pastor and Elder. Specific

goals are evangelism with a thrust toward one-on-one soul-winning, to launch several crusades, to

build, train and get the Body of Believers out of their comfort zones so they can serve the Lord with

gladness by getting them involved in the things of the Lord.

Wake Field LCC went through a crisis and lost a number of members when the former pastor left

and started another church. The church is in a healing phase and Pastor Dalhia Jarrett and the

remaining members are determined to seek the Lord and rebuild their membership.

Canaan LCC is experiencing growth - mostly youth and children! Pastors Miguel and Deborah

Samuels work together as husband and wife team. Deborah was the pastor of the Dee Side LCC

but agreed work with her husband at Canaan. She has been there several months and made a

remarkable difference – there are five Sunday school classes with many children, youth and young

adults!

Lilliput LCC Pastor Yvonne Campbell pastors both Lilliput LCC and Dee Side LCC. Lilliput also

has lots of youth and children. Lilliput is in a small rented facility - the only church not owned. The

pastor is praying for land so they can build and is hoping to rent a room adjacent to the building to

use as a nursery which is needed due to the number of babies and smaller children attending the

church.

Dee Side LCC Wake Field LCC is nearby, so the officers and ministers support Pastor Campbell

here. The brethren do home visits and are working the district to rebuild the church that suffered a

split. Their prayers and community efforts are paying off - one by one, people are beginning to

attend because they know a pastor is there. The pastor and supportive workers meet weekly in

prayer seeking the mind of the Lord for His directions!

Calabar LCC Pastor Mervin Bookal and his wife, Patricia, accepted the pastoral assignment two

years ago. Calabar had undergone challenges that left it struggling. But the Bookal's have the

resilience to stand the storm and ride the waves of life. Growth is not as rapid as Lilliput and

Canaan LCC, but they're working on goals for church growth.

National Christian Lifetime Awards (NCLA)

In November, 2010, the NCLA notified The Lord's Chapel Church, Samuel's Prospect, Trelawney,

that Dr. Fairweather was a selected nominee of fourteen Parishes to be awarded the Award of

Honor of a Christian Patriarch. The award celebrates his contribution in community services and

his impact to his district and community due to his diligence as Pastor, Bible school founder,

community organizer, administrator, Marriage Officer, Justice of the Peace, Counselor; and loving

husband thus setting an example to those who will follow to carry the torch. The 2010 NCLA

Ceremony was held Tuesday August 24, 2010 at the Wyndham Hotel in New Kingston.

The NCLA Council was established in March 2008 and embarked on its mandate to honor

Matriarchs and Patriarchs in the Christian faith who have given extended years of dedicated

service to our nation. Individuals must meet the following criteria in order to qualify for the award:

1. Have been involved in ministry for more than forty (40) years.

2. Because of their ministry, a profound impact has been made on the Body of Christ, at

large.

3. Are examples of those who are indeed Christians, not in word only, but also in character

and lifestyle.

4. Have dedicated their life to promoting the cause and forwarding the Gospel of Jesus

Christ.

5. Will leave a legacy that reaches farther than just their local assembly, but is “noised

abroad”.

6. Have made substantial contributions to their community, parish, and the nation of

Jamaica.

7. Because of their ministry, souls have come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and

Saviour.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Woodlawn's Dignity Hall at three o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 15th of August, 2014 with visitation held 2 hours prior at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home.

Visit the online obituary: www.woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com