This is Jo-Ann Richards Goffe serving in Jamaica through CREW 40:4 – Culturally Relevant Expressions of Worship. We have a five-member board which includes my husband Marcel, but I am the only one who has been given the responsibility of Arts Advocate for  the Caribbean. 

Since 2018 the active public work of CREW 40:4 has slowed down significantly due to the illness of both my parents, who my husband and I are tasked with caring for. However, last year we were led to launch a magazine that highlights the literary, visual and performing arts. 

The KW Magazine: CREWShall Connections in Faith & Culture is aimed at facilitating conversations about Worship & Cultural Identity among Christ-Followers of African heritage, both on the African Continent, and in her Diasporas. By this means, we hope to get to know ourselves better, get to know each other better, and ultimately, to build deeper, more authentic relationships with our Creator Yahweh. We have addressed relevant issues such as Language & Worship, Reggae & the Church, Garveyism, Reparation, Child-rearing in the African/Caribbean Diaspora and Repatriation. We have introduced little-known literary and performing artists from among us. 

Health and history have been  included, not to mention a children’s story in each issue as we seek to intentionally guide our children toward real relationships with God. For the pleasure of our Worship Leaders, we have also included music scores, so far from the Kom Mek Wi Worship collection of Jamaican Scripture songs.

As we began work on our fifth issue recently, we launched a weekly live conversation on the magazine’s Facebook page with the same name, introducing the writers and interviewees, and taking us into even deeper conversations. These have been having great impact so far. We call them CREWShall Conversations!

The pdf version of the magazines is available for download at our E-Store online