Bermuda is mourning the passing of a man many called bishop but he was far better known simply as "Goodie". The Rt. Rev. Dr. Goodwin C. Smith, MBE, JP, was the Overseer of seven New Testament Churches of God in Bermuda.

It can be truly said he climbed the rough side of the mountain to become one of the best known evangelical preachers in the island, and a man who commanded the respect of successive Bermuda Governments which appointed him to a variety of boards, commissions and committees.

Before his conversion he was a manager at Gosling Bros., Bermuda's leading liquor merchants. And he was an avid sportsman, playing cricket and football for Hamilton Parish where he was born, and for Warwick Workmen's Club. He was also a football referee.

After becoming a born-again Christian, the very personable "Goodie" got grounded in the ministry in the tough New York community of Harlem, serving as a pastor for eight years prior to returning to Bermuda to take charge, for the next 27 years, of the New Testament Church of God congregation then worshipping in the historic old Colonial Opera House on Victoria Street.

The congregation was without a church home when fire destroyed the Opera House.

Bishop Smith spearheaded the building of what became, in 1998, Hamilton's largest and most modern sanctuary for religious and other church-related activities. At the same time he was overseeing seven other local churches, and was involved internationally with the denomination. The Heritage Worship Centre has a seating capacity of 1,200.

At the time of his death at age 79, he was a member of Government's Development Applications Board, a member of the Essential Industries Settlement Board, the Board of Immigration and the Bermuda Housing Corporation. He was previously chairman of the Human Rights Commission.

Our photos show Bishop Goodwin C. Smith and his wife Ruby as they made their grand entrance at a celebration given them in 2004 on the occasion of their 45th wedding anniversary. The event was at the Fairmont Southampton Resort. On the left, the couple are pictured with their only daughter Gayna, son-in-law Michael Joynes and two of their four grandchildren.