News from St. Mary's
St. Mary’s in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands is steadily being rebuilt following Hurricane Irma. Workers are busy putting on the roof and getting the church ready for occupancy. In the meantime, services are held in the church hall which used to house St. Mary’s School. A while back the school declared itself independent and left the premises under a new identity as Ciboney Centre for Excellence.
The Anglican/Episcopal Church in the Virgin Islands has a lot of competition. Some sixty years ago there were two denominations on Virgin Gorda – Anglican and Methodist. Then the Church of God of Holiness arrived and siphoned off members from these two churches. Then Seventh Day Adventists came and took more people. Today there are many other churches, Baptist, different Pentecostal branches, and so the number of people worshipping at St. Mary’s and Valley Methodist Church has dwindled.
For some five years St. Mary’s has been without a vicar or a priest-in-charge. The Bishop of the Virgin Islands is the Canonical Rector and services are conducted by a supply priest who lives on Tortola. Kudos to the Rev. Esther Georges who until last year was the supply but who served as if though she was the salaried priest making home visits, leading Bible study, and just overall engagement. Now St. Mary’s has the energetic Rev. Erminie George, who is always there when needed.
I am not sure of the fate of the organ after the hurricane, but services in the church hall are held without music (there is a piano which gets played when Warren Wheeler, a frequent visitor from North Carolina, is in town). At the New Year’s Eve service members of the band Leon and the Hot Shots came and played – it was a joyful way to greet the new year singing and dancing. And even more uplifting, the church hall was packed with people. The Rev. Erminie George is bringing new vitality to St. Mary’s with meaningful messages of God’s love.
The Diocese of the Virgin Islands was abuzz in celebrating the 70th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood on December 19th of its Canon Emeritus, the Reverend Canon J. N. Keith Gibson. He also celebrated his 96th birthday on Christmas Day and the N in his initials aptly stands for Noel. Canon Gibson resides at the College of St. Barnabas, Lingfield, UK. He is the first priest I ever met and he always has a special place in my heart. May God continue to bless him with good health.
I ask your continued prayers for St. Mary’s and the people of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands.
By Yvonne O’Neal
The Anglican/Episcopal Church in the Virgin Islands has a lot of competition. Some sixty years ago there were two denominations on Virgin Gorda – Anglican and Methodist. Then the Church of God of Holiness arrived and siphoned off members from these two churches. Then Seventh Day Adventists came and took more people. Today there are many other churches, Baptist, different Pentecostal branches, and so the number of people worshipping at St. Mary’s and Valley Methodist Church has dwindled.
For some five years St. Mary’s has been without a vicar or a priest-in-charge. The Bishop of the Virgin Islands is the Canonical Rector and services are conducted by a supply priest who lives on Tortola. Kudos to the Rev. Esther Georges who until last year was the supply but who served as if though she was the salaried priest making home visits, leading Bible study, and just overall engagement. Now St. Mary’s has the energetic Rev. Erminie George, who is always there when needed.
I am not sure of the fate of the organ after the hurricane, but services in the church hall are held without music (there is a piano which gets played when Warren Wheeler, a frequent visitor from North Carolina, is in town). At the New Year’s Eve service members of the band Leon and the Hot Shots came and played – it was a joyful way to greet the new year singing and dancing. And even more uplifting, the church hall was packed with people. The Rev. Erminie George is bringing new vitality to St. Mary’s with meaningful messages of God’s love.
The Diocese of the Virgin Islands was abuzz in celebrating the 70th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood on December 19th of its Canon Emeritus, the Reverend Canon J. N. Keith Gibson. He also celebrated his 96th birthday on Christmas Day and the N in his initials aptly stands for Noel. Canon Gibson resides at the College of St. Barnabas, Lingfield, UK. He is the first priest I ever met and he always has a special place in my heart. May God continue to bless him with good health.
I ask your continued prayers for St. Mary’s and the people of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands.
By Yvonne O’Neal
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