The six congregations of the Anguilla Circuit of the Leeward Islands District of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas are preparing for what will be a very eventful eleven days – the 201 Synod/ Conference of the 16-circuit territories which will be convened from January 15-26. The theme is Pursuing Our Stewardship Responsibility with Zeal.

Wycliffe, Rev. Niles, E. Bradley and L. Richardson

It will be a big occasion for Anguilla, with some 120 delegates comprising Ministers, Circuit Stewards and elected representatives of the people in the various circuits in attendance. The Anguilla Circuit will be represented by Superintendent Minister the Rev. Dr. H. Clifton Niles, Reverend James Richardson, the five Supernumerary Ministers Reverends John Gumbs, Franklyn Roberts, Cecil Weekes, Wilfred S. Hodge and Joseph Lloyd and the elected representatives Cecil Niles, Leslie Richardson, Hyacinth Hughes and Damien Hughes.

A press briefing was held at the Ebenezer Methodist Church in the Valley on Tuesday this week to provide advance information on the conference. Those who conducted the briefing were Rev. Dr. Niles; Circuit Steward Leslie Richardson; Lay Preacher Evalie Bradley, Chairperson of the Entertainment Committee and Wycliffe Richardson, of the Publicity Committee.

The conference will be presided over by the Rev. Franklyn Manners, who is stationed in St. Kitts. He assumed the office of President and General Superintendent of the Leeward Islands District Conference at the commencement of the current connexional year. He will be assisted by Rev. Charles Seaton, Secretary of the Conference, Rev. Dr. Niles, Secretary, Resources & Development; Rev. Patmore Henry, Secretary, Mision, Evangelism and Church Growth; Rev. Lindsay Richardson, Secretary, Christian Education; Rev. Jefferson Niles, Secretary, General Education; and Mrs. Muriel Smith, District Treasurer.
The Synod/Conference will be preceded by a Ministerial Retreat for Ministers/Presbyters and their spouses on January 13 and 14. The retreat will focus on ‘The Minister as Manager’, facilitated by Dr. Robertine Chaderton, and will concentrate on certain practical and legal aspects of the minister’s work.

Part two of the retreat will involve two presentations on the subject ‘Contemporary Challenges facing the Caribbean Methodist Minister and his/her family,’ to be facilitated by Revds. Joan Delsol-Meade and Novelle Josiah.

The Pastoral Session of the conference will be on January 15 and 16. The Representative Session which will comprise ministers and lay delegates will span the period January 15-26.

Among the highlights of the conference will be the Welcome Service on January 17 and the colourful Flag-raising Ceremony, both at Bethel Church, on January 17 and 18 respectively; a dinner to be hosted by Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming at his residence for the delegates on January 19; a Youth Talent Demonstration at Campus B on January 20; the Induction of the District President on January 21 at Bethel; and the Bicentennial Service on January 23, also at Bethel Church.

In addition, the Bethel and Ebenezer Chapels will be the venues for Morning Devotions on January 19, 22, 23 and 24, culminating with the Conference Communion Service at Ebenezer on January 25.

Ministers of the conference will also participate in morning services in all Methodist Chapels in French and Dutch St. Maarten and the Anglican and Methodist Churches in Anguilla on Sunday, January 21.
Rev. Dr. Niles, who is nearing retirement, stated that the conference would be memorable to him in three aspects. It would very likely be the last conference in which he would be integrally involved as a Superintendent of a Circuit. He noted that he had been serving outside Anguilla for forty-two years and only returned last September and now would be a leader of the conference.

“The third memory for me is that when I was a candidate for the ministry in 1964, it was the first time that the then synod was held in Anguilla and it is also the first time I am serving Anguilla as the Superintendent Minister,” he recalled. “It certainly brings back some memories, and after having been away from Anguilla for so long, it is good to be back and I hope I can make a significant contribution to the Anguillian community and the church during the remaining time I am in active ministry.”

Mrs. Bradley spoke of the entertainment plans for the conference delegates which will include various social and cultural activities aimed at giving them a good Anguillian experience.

Leslie Richardson hoped that the conference would be an interesting and beneficial time for all members and friends of the Methodist Church; that the various public activities would be well-attended and he was grateful to a number of persons who have agreed to host the delegates.

Wycliffe Richardson assisted in providing much of the conference information. One of the matters on which he spoke was the commemorative magazine, with various feature articles on church life and ministry, now available at US$15 per copy.

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