Helping to bridge the gap between the races in the Anglican Church has been the proudest moment for outgoing rector of St. Mark's, Robert Thacker.

Leaving the Island to take up a post in Japan, Fr. Thacker took time out this week to reflect on his nine years in Bermuda and look to the future.

"I have very mixed feelings about leaving Bermuda,'' Fr. Thacker said. "When I came here I made a conscious effort to focus on the Church rather than the physical environment.'' "But I've fallen in love with St. Mark's and Bermuda,'' he added. "I came to love a church that God led me to. But I am not a Bermudian and I can't stay here forever.'' Fr. Thacker explained he applied for the St. Mark's post "as a lark'' and had forgotten about the application when he got the call from the Church's vestry several weeks later.

"I didn't even know where Bermuda was,'' he said, adding he ultimately had to choose between a post here and Kathmandu, Burma.

Upon his arrival, Fr. Thacker set about making his ministry at St. Mark's a "shared'' one in that the congregation helped direct the growth of the Church as much as he did.

He added: "I hope I have been able to do that. I hope they learned as much from me as I have learned from them. This sharing has been a great blessing to me.'' Fr. Thacker said the sense of community at St. Mark's had grown and because of the openness of the Church it had become welcoming for everyone.

"We welcome everybody, Bermudian and non-Bermudian, whatever race or creed, or sexual orientation, everybody,'' he said.

Fr. Thacker is originally from West Virginia and holds a divinity degree from Nashotah House, in Wisconsin.

Before him, Episcopalian ministers had only held temporary postings in Bermuda Churches.

"I've been chairman of the Anglican Church's Diocesan Racism committee,'' he said. "Its purpose was to conduct surveys into institutional racism in the Church and make recommendations to the Synod. Most of them have been acted upon.'' Fr. Thacker added: "I feel particularly proud of my work in the Diocesan Racism committee and the dialogue I helped foster with the vestries and the Synod.'' Father Robert Thacker: Off to the Far East