We were saddened to learn of the death of Pastor Orlando Holder on 20 January 2020 aged 63. Orlando was born in the beautiful island of Barbados, a country that always remained dear to his heart. He emigrated to England at the age of 11 and lived in East London for the first half of his life.
Orlando first felt a call to ministry in his late teens, but believing he could serve and display his Christianity in other ways, decided to pursue a career in electronics and communication. He was an electronics engineer, working for companies such as Motorola and Marshall Amplifications. He also worked as a window salesman and for World Books, before becoming an engineer again for companies such as Ericsson.
He met his wife Joyce at his home church in Ilford (now Ilford Central), after which they were soon married, beginning a life together in Milton Keynes and then moving further north to Nottingham, where he attended Bulwell Adventist church.
Orlando eventually became head elder at Nottingham Bulwell, but in 2001 decided he could no longer say no to the call God had placed on his heart to dedicate himself to full-time service as a minister. Leaving behind all that he had previously known in his working life, Orlando attended Newbold College and began his studies in theology. He proudly graduated in 2005 and began ministry in the North England Conference (NEC).
Upon graduation from Newbold he interned with Pastor Paul Liburd in the Leicester area with greater responsibility for Leicester West and Loughborough churches. In November 2007 he was given pastoral responsibility for Birmingham Erdington, Sutton Coldfield, and Tamworth churches. Further district realignments gave Pastor Holder the opportunity to pastor Cannock and Chelmsley Wood churches. Having been ordained on 7 September 2013 he ministered to the Stoke, Stafford, and Alsager district of churches. From 2017 he had been faithfully serving the Derby Bethel, Burton, and Chester Green churches.
Pastor Orlando Holder is survived by his beloved wife Joyce, and his five children Melanie, Maria, Jonathan, Daniella and Stephen. His greatest achievements in life were ministering the gospel to his various churches, sharing his life with Joyce, seeing his children give their lives to the Lord, witnessing his son Jonathan's ordination to ministry and his wedding to Sophie (née Gordon).
Orlando lived a full life, touched the lives of many and the family know they share their loss with the wider Church family across the British Union Conference.
The funeral of the late Pastor Orlando Holder will take place on Wednesday 12 February at 10:30 am at Camp Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, Camp Hill, Bordesley Green, Birmingham B12 0JP.
