When is a retirement not really a retirement? When the church is your life.

For Canon Thomas Nisbett most of his life he has been involved in the church and many of his lifetime achievements are church centred.

Officially, Canon Nisbett is retired and holds the title Canon Emeritus but the church has been his life?s works.

Canon Nisbett is still so actively involved in the church that he doesn?t have time to focus on his favourite pastime: carpentry.

He shows off some of the souvenirs he has created that decorate his house and adds: ?I still have all my machines and I wish I had time to make something. Maybe just one thing a month.?

At six-years-old, Canon Nisbett started as a choirboy at St. Monica?s Mission just around the corner from where he now lives on Shelton Road with his wife, Winifred.

?I just loved putting on my robes as a little choirboy,? Canon Nisbett said. Ever since he?s loved being involved with the church. He performed 635 sermons as a licensed lay reader at St. Monica?s Mission before heading to seminary school in the Barbados.

One of Canon Nisbett?s most stellar achievements was being ordained as a priest. He was the first black priest to practice in the Anglican Church in Bermuda. He didn?t receive much encouragement and was even told he wouldn?t make it far in the church in Bermuda.

?It was Bishop Armstrong who really took up the challenge to help me practice in Bermuda,? Canon Nisbett explained. ?Bishop Williams was the one who sent me away to college but he couldn?t face up to it. The Bishop of Barbados asked me if I would accept his ordination because he said he would be glad to have me in Barbados.?

Canon Nisbett was asked to stay for two years in Barbados and made his return to Bermuda in 1965. On his return he met with Bishop John Armstrong.

?It was a Saturday morning and I visited him at Bishop?s Lodge and I told him what I had been doing in the diocese. He said ?Well, Thomas, I knew nothing about you. What do you want me to do for you.?

?I asked him if there was a future for me in the church in Bermuda. He told me ?Yes, I want you back here. This is where you belong.??

Canon Nisbett proudly stated: ?I paved the way for so many people.?

Canon Nisbett has since travelled the Island and made his mark at several different churches including St. James? in Somerset, Chapel of Ease in St. David?s, Christ Church in Devonshire (where he spent 22 and a half years) and St. John?s in Pembroke.

He was made Canon after his many years of service to the Anglican Church in 1982. He also received an Order of the British Empire in 1991 for his service to the church.

Over the years through the church he has become acquainted with several generations of several families.

He shows off two pictures displayed in his living room. One is of a baby being baptised and the other of the same child but now a woman in her wedding gown. Both pictures feature Canon Nisbett as the priest.

?One day it?s baptism the next she?s married,? he said.

Because of his involvement in so many people?s lives Canon Nisbett still performs funeral services and visits family and friends from the church who are in the hospital.

He also takes an active role as chairman of the Bermuda Senior Islanders Club whose members have named him a role model.

?I fought to maintain a presence at Admiralty House,? Canon Nisbett said about the Club?s location. ?If we hadn?t fought for it we wouldn?t have it for the seniors now.?

There are about 12 senior?s clubs across the Island that sprung from the Admiralty House programme. ?We sowed the seeds,? Canon Nisbett said proudly.

He also takes the time out to travel around to each club and attends the seniors luncheon held three times a week and various shows including a recent seniors talent show.

Canon Nisbett will celebrate 50 years of marriage with his wife. Together they have two sons, Michael and Thomas.

Canon Nisbett surveys his living room where so many years of awards and memorable photographs grace the walls.

He said: ?I will see people at church services and they?ll say ?aren?t you retired?? But, I?ll never retire.?