Wesley College Bahamas

Charles Curry Methodist Church, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas

As far as history records, the Methodist to arrive in Abaco (and indeed in The Bahamas), was Joseph Paul – a freed slave. He settled in Carleton, about four miles from Treasure Cay in 1783.

     On Sunday, June 21^st, 1815, Rev. Joseph Ward of the British Methodist Church, the first minister in Abaco, landed on Green Turtle Cay. The text of his sermon was  “behold, I bring you good tidings.”

     Rev. Ward was succeeded by Rev. Michael Head who died in 1817 leaving a membership of 300. By 1841 there were more than 700 members. They worshipped in a wooden chapel. In 1843 a cornerstone was lead for a new stone building chapel which was completed in 1856. The building was destroyed by a hurricane in 1832.

     Rev. Alexander Thompson was the second Bahamian in ministry, and the first Bahamian minister in Abaco.

     For most of its history, the minister of Abaco Circuit/Region resided a hope Town, traveling to and from the other societies every three months or when weather permitted (as he would have to travel by boat across a dangerous route) the minister would come to Green Turtle Cay to hold services. In the minister’s absence, the work of the church continued by faithful local leaders. One such leader was Mrs. Bruce Pedican who was ably assisted by his wife Sarah. A visiting preacher during the time of Mr. Pedican was Mr. Andil Brown, under whose preaching Mr. Charles Curry accepted Christ as Savior.

     Green Turtle Cay was blessed to have Mr. James Respah Lowe come down and join Sis. Jennie Reckley in the leadership of the church. Mr. Lowe had served as a school teacher, Commissioner, Deputy Comptroller of Customs and Financial Secretary in The Ministry of Finance before retired to Abaco. Mr. Lowe served until his death in 1989.

     Faithful leaders through the years include – Mr. Melvin Bootle, Mr. Bruce Pedican, Mr. Dody Jones, Mrs. Jennie Reckley, Mr. Respah Lowe, and Ms. Marion Curry. They carried the church forward in faith.

     The church membership is small but their resolve is:

      “Oh Jesus I have Promised

      To serve Thee to the end;

      Oh, give us grace to follow,  

      Our Master and our Friend.”

Church Life

Curry is a small congregation, with a family atmosphere. The Lay-Leader is Sister Jennie Reckley.

Sister Jenny Reckley (foreground), Bro. James Curry (standing), Charles L. V. Carey (trumpet), Jarrod Smith (trombone).

Tercentenary Celebrations for Charles Wesley - 1707 -2007.

Charles Wesley is best known for writing about 9,000 hymns, including Hark the herald angels sing; Love Divine, all loves excelling; Hail the day that sees him rise; and And can it be

Methodism In The Bahamas 

Methodism reached the Caribbean (Antigua) in 1760, almost a quarter of a century later, devout Methodists (many of them former slaves) migrated from America to the Bahamas as “Loyalists”. One of them was Joseph Paul, a freed slave and his family. They landed at Carleton point before proceeding to New Providence, where Paul started a church on Augusta and Heathfield Streets, and the first private school for negroes in the Bahamas.

According to  Felicia Newchurch Guardian Student Writer:  "The first Methodist to come to the Bahamas was a freed slave, Joseph Paul. His small church was made of wood and located on Agusta and Health Field Street. This denomination grew in great numbers. The only time blacks could have congregated in large numbers was during religious ceremonies. However, the worship time was regulated by law. The service carried on much like today's Baptist ceremonies. The upbeat praise and worship, enthusiastic sermons, hand clapping and toe tapping and church rocking atmosphere was typical to the Methodist church in the 16th and 17th centuries."

By the late 1790’s, Anthony Wallace, the administrator of the early Methodists in the Bahamas, requested Dr. Thomas Coke to appoint a Minister to the Bahamas. Referring to the records of the Methodist Missionary Society in England, Colbert Williams in his book: The Methodist Contribution to …the Bahamas” states: “In 1799 the British Methodist Conference meeting in Manchester decided to station William Turton, a white Barbadian, in the Bahamas. He landed at Nassau on 22^nd October, 1800.”

There was much excitement in the Methodist Church throughout the Caribbean and Latin America in 1960 – when the bicentennial of Nathaniel Gilbert taking Wesley’s message to Antigua was celebrated. The Bahamas joined the celebrations, as a precursor to its own bicentennial that would come forty years later. It was decided that Methodism in the Caribbean, ‘the Americas” (meaning South and Central America) and the Bahamas was mature – and ready for autonomy. The Bahamas was hesitant, having little in common with many of the territories of the Caribbean and Latin America. In 1967, the MCCA was granted autonomy from the British Conference with full financial support. The Bahamas District did not join the MCCA at this time and voted to reconsider at a later stage. But by 1968, the Bahamas joined the new Conference. Within a few years, it was obvious that the new Conference was not structured for mission, and a committee was set up to make proposals for the restructuring of the Church for mission.

This process came to an abrupt and unexplained halt, in 1989. The Bahamas/Turks & Caicos Islands District, by memorial from the 1990 Synod, asked why? The answer was not satisfactory to the District. At the same time, a candidate for ministry from the Bahamas District was turned down on technicalities. No candidate from the Bahamas had been accepted for many years. The Circuit from which the candidate had come (Abaco) brought a Resolution for autonomy to the 1991 Synod, and like the say “the rest is history”. It is to be noted that this “unilateral declaration of autonomy” spurred the MCCA into a reconsideration of the need for greater autonomy in their Districts, which was granted to the eight Districts of the MCCA in 1997 – six years after the birth of the BCMC.

Following the 1991 Synod, historic in that it was held in Rock Sound, Eleuthera (Eleuthera was the site of the first Synod of Methodists in the Bahamas), the Bahamas District of the Methodist Church begun to walk the road to becoming an autonomous Methodist Church. Many meetings followed. When a vote was taken at the 1991 Synod in Rock Sound, the results were 43 For and 23 Against.

The Synod also recommended that the matter be discussed in the local Churches and that a special Synod be held on 9^th April, 1991 to resolve their report. At the Special Synod 75% of the delegates present voted for the Autonomy Resolution.

The Executive Steering Committee (ESC) was established and Dr. Colin Archer was elected to head the Committee. The Committee met frequently, reporting back to the Churches throughout the District. By now, it was clear to the ESC, that the majority of the Bahamian Methodist Churches and Members were ready to become an Autonomous Conference.

Prior to this, the MCCA appointed a Dialogue Committee which met in the Bahamas with the General Purpose Committee in July 1991. A proposal was made at this meeting for a period of self government, and an 11-point proposal was agreed which would come into effect on 1^st September, 1991.

Months of struggle followed. Between July 1991 and January 1992, a state of impasse became evident and the path towards autonomy was headed for a separation into two groups, Methodist on the side of Autonomy (which formed the majority), and Methodist supporting the MCCA.

The Leadership of the Executive Steering Committee petitioned The Government for help in the matter. Following the passing of the Methodist Church Bill in the House of Parliament, the Uniting Conference was held at Ebenezer Methodist Church, Nassau, Bahamas on 30^th July 1993. Thirty-two participating Methodist Churches were registered as Churches of the new Conference, (The Methodist Church of the Bahamas). Wesley, Grants Town was prohibited from joining as a participating Church because of a court injunction taken out by some members of their Trust.

The following persons were elected as the first Executive Officers of the BCMC, during the Plenary Session on Wednesday, 17^th November, 1993 and were installed and consecrated at a special service the following evening at Ebenezer Methodist Church:

President                 Dr. Colin Archer

Vice-President          Mrs. Kenris Carey

Secretary                Mr. Reginald Eldon

Assistant Secretary   Ms. Janice Knowles

Assistant Secretary   Rev. Charles Sweeting

Treasurer                 Mr. Bruno Roberts

Assistant Treasurer    Mr. Derek Dean

The foundational years of the BCMC were beset with court injunctions, legal battles and court cases. The legality and constitutionality of the Methodist Church Bill, passed in Parliament, were contested all the way to the Privy Council in London (2000). Throughout the legal process, the BCMC has been assured, time and time again of the presence of God and the determination of the Methodist people.

In 1995, Rev. Colin Archer resigned as President of the Conference. Rev. Charles A. Sweeting was elected to complete the one year left in Dr. Archer’s tenure and was then elected for the consecutive three year tenure. He has also served in this capacity for an additional three years allowed by our Constitution.

At the 9^th Annual Conference held in James’ Cistern, Eleuthera in May 2002, Mrs. Kenris Carey was elected as President. An important milestone for Methodism in the Bahamas was reached when Mrs. Carey was elected as the first woman as well as the first layperson to serve as President, the highest office in the Conference.

CHEROKEE SOUND METHODIST CHURCH

In 1815 the first Methodist Missionary came to Abaco from Great Britain, but it is not known if he visited Cherokee. However, the next year 1816 the first Methodist Church was built here. Whatever destroyed it is forgotten in the past, but we know a house is built on the foundation.

In the eighteen sixties or seventies the second Methodist Church was built and that was in use until it destroyed by a hurricane in 1932. a lovely church it was with stained glass windows. It had four rows of seats, and four doors, two to the east and two to the west. Our Minister at that time was Rev. Walter Crowe an Irishman. From the early eighteen hundreds our ministers have come from Great Britain with a few Bahamians in between.

Rev. Crowe worked very hard to have the church re-built. A contractor and mason were brought from Nassau to help with construction, but local residents also did their part, and even the women and children brought sand from the beach to help. The church was dedicated by Rev. Crowe in January 1934 “O the Glory of God”. In those days we had about six local preachers. We also had a large congregation, but people leaving the settlement to look for work has caused a decrease in number.

A few years ago the Church was struck by lightening and caused damage to it, so renovations had to be made. The old wooden floor was taken out and replaced with concrete. A new roof was put on which was done by a crew from the United States, who was brought in by some American friends, new seats came from a Church in Florida. Rev. Charles Carey supervised the work, and on May 3^rd, 1987 the Rec. J. E. Weir who then was the Chairman of the District, rededicated the Church “To the Glory of God”.

Thanks to God for His manifold blessings.

P O Box AB 20443

Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas

Phone (242) 3672566

Fax (242) 3675419

Who We Are

Superintendent Minister:

Reverend Charles A. Carey. B.A., Dip. Min.

Church Steward:

Mrs. Jenny Reckley

Sunday Services held at 11:00 A.M.