6th Anniversary Speech, July 2006

It is a privilege and an honour for me on this occasion to give a few remarks to the Upper Room Ministry family:

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the ministry since its establishment on the 2nd of July 2000.

This ministry was birthed to establish, equip, train, encourage and enable men and women to rise up an attain their calling and destiny, which God foreordained before the foundation of the world. This ministry believes that everyone was born for a purpose and have a calling of God upon their lives and are to be victorious in whatever they encounter or pursue, therefore it is our responsibility as a covering, a nourisher and a mentor to help each individual with the power and the enablement of the Holy Spirit to find out these giftings and callings. This ministry not only focuses on its indigenous people (its Jerusalem), but also on its multi-racial and ethnic family which God is blessing us with. We believe our God is a colourful and diverse God.  He loves different flavours and because of this diversity we can see the ministry comprising of different ethnic groups or rather families. One day we will all be represented before our Lord in different colours, race, creed and cultures.

Furthermore, the ministry not only focuses on the diversity, the calling and the giftings but also emphasizes on the establishment of the Word and the importance of applying its principles since this is the only basis and guarantee whereby every calling and gifting can find their purpose and fulfilment.

Achievements:

The ministry has been privileged and blessed to equip and impact some of its ethnic family members of which today are doing exploits for the Lord in fighting the good fight of faith and administering justice in their God-ordained strategic positions in the other neighbouring countries of the region.

Recently the ministry has also been enlarging its borders and experiencing moving out of its four walls and getting involved in missions. January 30th 2004, was the milestone in the ministry when it established the Ipikagien Upper Room Ministry. This is the ministry's first centre on another shore, which is on the island of Tanna. On behalf of the leadership and members of the Upper Room Ministry, we would like to say thankyou to Pastor Jotham Napat and family and Pastor Semu and family for carrying this dream and establishing it on Tanna. I quote the words of Jesus, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head." [Matthew 8:20] Thankyou for making it possible for the King of kings and the Lord of lords to have a place to lay his head on the island of Tanna.

Sine the work on Tanna has expanded, Pastor Semu has been appointed to pioneer the work with the responsibility of coordination the work on Tanna. At present to this day we have four (4) main centres:

Main Centre:

      1. Green Point (pastor Japheth)

Sub-centres:

     2. White Sands (elder Jimmy)

     3. Custom Village (elder Jack)

     4. North Tanna (pastor Samuel)

There are two more sub-centres yet to be opened.

On the  6th of April, 2005, a mission team of ten mothers including the senior pastor and his assistant visited two (2) main centres and held teachings and nightly crusades. Later on the 26th of May 2005, the senior pastor and pastor Jotham visited the White Sands centre and also officially opened the Custom Village centre. Request fro Aniwa, Aneityum and Futuna are already getting ready for a new centre. I again quote, "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." [John 4:35] God is calling you and I to reap what another man has planted - for one plants, one waters but only God brings the increase. This is an indication of your other brother's wanting the colour coat that your heavenly Father has given you.

The ministry was also given the opportunity to lead the nation in worship. Some of the national gathering are:

     1. Pacific and Israel End time convention

     2. Global Day of Prayer

     3. Zion mini-Festival praise.

I again quote, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen,.." [Amos 9:11] which is the tabernacle of worship. The islands of the sea will stand before the Lord in worship and declare His majesty.

The ministry also wishes to take this opportunity to extend its gratitude to the leaders and families who are looking after the two centres here on Efate: pastor Nambi and family at Safe Hill, and elder William and family at Eratap Upper Room Ministry. Thankyou for carrying out this dream.

Finally and most of all, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my family to say thankyou very much for your prayers and continual support in the work of the ministry. I wish to also say thankyou to the founder of the ministry late pastor Robert and Margaret, pastor Eseta Tuigaloa, assistant pastor Michael, associate pastors and their families, elders and their familles, deacons and deaconesses and their families, ushers, leaders of Men's ministry, leaders of Women's ministry, youth pastor and leaders, Children's ministry leaders, intercessors, Cell group leaders, musicians and worship leaders, stage hands (setting up) members, congregation, fathers and mothers of Upper Room Ministry for believing in me, standing alongside me, encouraging me and for upholding the work. I do not know hoe to repay you for you labour but this one thing I know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Let's continue to fight the good fight of faith and forgetting what is behind but to run the race and to press toward the mark of His high calling. Let us continue to cherish and uphold each other and maintain this family atmosphere and environment.

"YE VARECHECHA ADONAI V'YISHMERECHA YA'ER ADONAI PANAV ELEICHA VIHUNECA YISAH ADONAI PANAV ELEICHA V'YASEM L'CHA SHALOM."

"THE LORD BLESS THEE, AND KEEP THEE;

THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE;

THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE AND GIVE THEE PEACE." [Numbers 6:24-26]

Pastor Joseph Roberts (senior pastor), July 2006