The sole New Testament Church in Anguilla has been reorganised under a different regional administration and its local leadership has been set on a higher level of appointment.
The Senior Pastor, Bernard Joseph, formerly from St. Lucia and a resident in Anguilla for eighteen years, has been ordained Bishop. He started the church which functioned under a tent in George Hill, pending permanent accommodation. The Associate Pastor, Harvey Peters, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who has been in Anguilla for some time, has been ordained Minister to continue working in cooperation with Bishop Joseph.
The joint ordinations were performed by Bishop Ishmael Charles, the Ministry’s Caribbean Field Director, stationed in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The event took place on Sunday evening, December 20, in the former Inter-island Hotel/House of Chandeliers at Lower South Hill where the growing and lively church is now accommodated. The Appreciation and Ordination Service attracted ministers from various other churches on the island and members of their congregations.
Bishop Charles, a national of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was pleased to inform the church that its regional administrative head office had been transferred from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, where there were five New Testament Churches. He said the transfer documents had already undergone a smooth process and there were now plans to further establish and develop the church in Anguilla. He commended Pastor Joseph for his work and commitment over the years and was delighted that he was now taking on the new title of Bishop. He was also pleased with the assistance of Associate Pastor Harvey Peters and congratulated him on his ordination at as Minister.
Bishop David Rogers of the Church of God of Prophecy spoke highly of Bishop Joseph whom he knew for a long time and accommodated while serving in Tortola; and Minister Harvey Peters who is married to his (Bishop Rogers’) daughter, Diane. She served as the moderator for the appreciation session of the service before giving way to Bishop Charles to perform the ordinations.
During the appreciation session, there were presentations in song and drama by the children and women of the church, members of the Usher and Intercession Team, the Men’s Ministry and a tribute by the five children of the Joseph family.
