An atmosphere of celebration gripped the Holy Cross Anglican Church on Sunday as parishioners met for mass two days after their rector, Father Laish Boyd, was elected to succeed Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez when he retires in 2008.
Many of them told The Bahama Journal following mass at the Soldier Road church that it was clear that the Lord’s will had been done.
“I am thrilled; I am overjoyed,” said Charlene Rodgers, one of those parishioners. “I am confident that this is the work of the Lord and I’m sure [Father Boyd] will lead our diocese in the right direction.”
Like other members of the Holy Cross church family, Ms. Rodgers described the new co-adjutor bishop as a “humble man of God.”
“He’s one whom I know seeks God’s face,” she added. “And once we have a leader who is seeking God’s face, we know that whatever comes our way, we would be able to handle it. He’s a very prayerful man of God. He encourages people in their journey with Christ. Wherever you are, he meets you there.”
Ms. Rodgers described mass on Sunday as “awesome”, pointing out that everyone was “jubilant”.
“We know that God has had his way in this entire process,” she noted.
Senator Carl Bethel, the former Holy Cross MP, who is a member of the vestry, agreed.
“Holy Cross [church] is deeply humbled that the spirit of the Lord moved the Anglican diocese to select our rector as the co-adjutor bishop and we look forward to great things,” said Mr. Bethel, adding that Father Boyd has been a truly transfiguring personality in the church.
“He has taken [this church] to another level. We prayerfully hope and expect that Father Boyd will have a similar transfiguring impact on the diocese as a whole. There are many, many challenges that confront the Anglican Church in The Bahamas and throughout the world and we look for Father Boyd to bring that touch of the shepherd and the guiding hand of God’s anointed to our deliberations.”
Father Boyd was elected on Friday, securing 76 ‘yes’ votes out of 101, from the House of Laity and 50 ‘yes’ votes out of 73, from the House of Clergy, beating out eight other nominees.
The Holy Cross rector will work closely now with Archbishop Gomez as he prepares to become the next Anglican bishop of The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. He will also be eligible to become the next archbishop.
On Sunday, Jehu Edwards, a parishioner at Holy Cross, said church members were not surprised that their rector was chosen to become the next bishop.
“We thought the spirit would pick the right person,” Mr. Edwards said. “Even though there is a lot of talent in the Anglican Church, I think [Father Boyd] has the talent to galvanize the talent that we have.”
He added, “We here at Holy Cross share the view that the rest of the diocese should also be in celebration as we are.”
Tony Gomez, another member of the Holy Cross family, said what’s happening is a unique experience for the church.
“I think when we look at the diocese on the whole, this is a rare opportunity,” Mr. Gomez said. “We don’t encounter it every day. To have one of our own, our own shepherd, participate in the process was unique and the result was a gratifying result for [us].”
He said Father Boyd has always been a good shepherd and a unifying force in the parish.
“We look for that to go to the next level in the diocese,” Mr. Gomez added. “We look to see great things happen in the Anglican Diocese in this country and the Turks and Caicos.”
Reginald Saunders was also at church on Sunday to share in the celebration.
“Father Boyd in being at Holy Cross for the last 15 years has been a unifier and a builder,” said Mr. Saunders, another member of the vestry. “A lot of the infrastructure development that you see around here has occurred during Father Boyd’s tenure.”
He said Father Boyd has also done a stellar job in managing the finances of the church and Mr. Saunders believes it’s a talent that will benefit the diocese greatly.
“I think Father Boyd is uniquely positioned to bring fiscal discipline to the diocese,” added Mr. Saunders, who called Sunday’s mass “wonderful”.
He noted that the new co-adjutor bishop pointed out that he cannot succeed unless he has the prayers of everyone.
“I’m appealing to, not only the members of Holy Cross, but the whole country to pray for Father Boyd and continue to pray for him because that’s the only way he’s going to succeed,” Mr. Saunders said.
Following his election, the Holy Cross rector told The Bahama Journal he looked forward to helping to bring the message of Jesus Christ into the homes and hearts of Bahamians and Turks and Caicos residents on another level.
“I will say that close to my heart, as is close to the heart of the Church and the purpose of the Church, is to continue to bring the message of Jesus Christie home and into the lives of people,” he said.
“That’s certainly my view of what the Church ought to be doing and that will continue to be what the Church is about.”
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
