Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5841/-1/131/
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Mrs. Rowena Carty Celebrated At 90
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Zion Methodist Church at North Hill and its grounds were the venues for a Thanksgiving Service and reception on Tuesday evening, April 15, for the much-esteemed Mrs. Rowena Carty, whose 90th birthday fell on that day. She is the widow of the late Reverend C. Leonard Carty, MBE, Anguilla’s beloved and first Methodist Minister.
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Mrs. Carty flanked by sons, David (left) and Lenny (right)
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Seated at the front of the church between her two sons, Lenny and David, Mrs. Carty, an Accredited Local Preacher, was showered with praise for her long and dedicated service to the church and her exemplary life.
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Presentations by Evalie Bradley and Marva Thompson
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The seventh offspring of a stern and much-revered Jamaican Presbyterian Minister, Mrs. Carty, local producer of Rockfield Pepper Sauce, had vowed not to marry a Minister of Religion, but fate decided otherwise. Not only did she eventually become the wife of a devout and patriotic Anguillian Methodist Minister, but also a Local Preacher to assist him around the Caribbean with his heavy ministerial responsibilities and to fulfill, quite separately, what turned out to be her own calling.
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A section of the large congregation
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The service was moderated by Rev. Cecil Weekes. During the early part Lenny delivered the Scripture reading and in a tribute to their mother, David said she had always been and continued to be “her own person, her own star in God’s constellation, not a satellite.” He made the point that her varied and steady “service to the church through the years became the rock of her existence and remains that way - the anchor that has kept her soul steadfast and sure.”
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Standing ovation for Mrs. Carty following her response
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He saw their mother as a role model. “She has loved us, worked hard for us, worried over us too much, nursed us when sick, annoyed us and certainly prayed hard for us like all good mothers do and should,” he stated, adding that like her father, she is a noted disciplinarian. He expressed gratitude to all for the part they played in her birthday celebration.
Tributes were also paid to Mrs. Carty by the Rev. Careen White on behalf of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit and by Congregational Steward, Hugo Rey. He described her as “a devoted person, a staunch beacon of light in the Zion congregation for many years and a Local Preacher who has served very well in that capacity.”
Mrs. Carty was presented with a Basket of Fruits and a Bouquet of Flowers by Local Preachers Evalie Bradley and Marva Thompson with their “love and appreciation.” Responding, Mrs. Carty, who traced her life and work, thanked everyone for joining in the Thanksgiving Service. She spoke highly about the caring love from her sons and their spouses, other members of the close-knit family and the fondness and support of many friends in and outside the Church.
In his homily, Rev. Joseph Lloyd spoke about Mrs. Carty’s trust in God and His goodness to her. He encouraged her “to look ahead with faith, trust and confidence.”
Following the service, the congregation was entertained at a reception on the grounds of the Church.