A religious service yesterday aimed to heal rifts in the community provoked by allegations of corruption at the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

Acting Premier, Minister of Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler, joined Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley and representatives of various faiths to emphasise love and unity in the face of conflict.

In yesterday’s The Royal Gazette, Anglican Bishop Ewen Ratteray said he felt the recent political fall-out over the BHC scandal had led to the country becoming more divided on racial lines.

“The investigation has polarised the Island more than I have ever seen it in my time,” he said. “We tend to cut down race lines when there is a scandal.”

Yesterday Bishop Ratteray said the interfaith service, held at the Anglican Cathedral, had a message for everyone.

“It’s an important thing for the community,” he said. “I guess it’s a way of expressing our diversity and our unity.”

The lunchtime service ‘Coming Together in Community’ was organised by Imagine Bermuda 2009 and saw residents of all ages gather to sing and pray.

Glenn Fubler, Imagine Bermuda 2009 co-chairman, said: “We just wanted to affirm and confirm our unity because we’ve been going through some conflict, with what’s been happening with the Government and the court cases.

“With the stress that we have in the community, this has been an important day to come together and see that in spite of our differences we are all one society.”

Members of the legal profession were also present in the congregation, with Chief Justice Richard Ground joining in the readings.

Mr. Justice Ground recited the Reading of Solomon from the 1st Kings, Chapter Eight, “on behalf of all the judiciary”.

“If you submit Bermuda for Israel I think the message will be clear,” he said.

Asked for his thoughts on the fall-out of the BHC controversy afterwards, Mr. Justice Ground told The Royal Gazette: “I cannot comment on that but it’s always good to be at an occasion where people of goodwill are coming together.”

He added: “I thought it was important to support the theme of the service and I thought it was a moving occasion.” Acting Premier Dale Butler read the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and United Bermuda Party leader Mr. Dunkley recited 1st John Chapter Four.

Mr. Dunkley said: “There can be no more important thing than for all of us to come together and rally together as a community.”

Shamar Morris, a student of the Bermuda School of Music, performed a violin duet with teacher Chas Arnold, while Marcelle Clemens —”Bermuda’s own diva” — sang ‘He’s Got the Whole World in his Hands’.

Major Doug Lewis of the Salvation Army, Pastor Stefan Burton-Schnull of the Seventh Day Adventists, and Rev. Larry Love, pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Southampton, also recited prayers.

On reading the 1st Corinthians 13, Rev. Love said: “With all our differences teach us to love, teach us to protect each other, teach us to look out for each other, teach us to take each other’s welfare at heart, teach us that we love one another.”

The congregation also sang ‘Our Country’ and at the end of the service were asked to greet each other in the spirit of unity.

Speaking afterwards, Acting Premier Mr. Butler said: “It’s a wonderful cross-section of the community here today, which I feel is important. One wants to see much more closeness in the community that exists today. There has been a lot of controversy which has split the community.

“There has been too much rhetoric and not enough fact. The presumption of guilt has got in the way of the presumption of innocence. Some people think it was a witch hunt and some thought it was an attempt to lynch certain people.

“Events like this play a part in removing the hot air and pressure and get us to focus on our country and the way forward.”

Among those present was Mark Anderson, aka drag queen Sybil Barrington. Mr. Anderson said: “I’m part of the community and as a gay man I had to make my presence known — that I am living in the community like everyone else. Everyone has to be respective of who you are and what you are.

“There has been some tension and I feel that everyone must be innocent until proven guilty. This is a time that as a community we should come together. Let the judicial system handle whatever they handle and let us hope for the best.”