A preacher and community activist who led from the pulpit at one of the island’s historic churches has died in the United States.

The Reverend Lanel Guyton, pastor at St Paul AME Church from 2005 to 2012, came to the island at a pivotal time for St Paul, which was badly in need of refurbishment.

An extensive building and renovation programme enabled St Paul to transition from conducting worship in its Centennial Hall back to the renovated sanctuary, which included the restoration and upgrading of the church’s organ.

Dr Guyton helped lead the overhaul of an institution dating back to 1872.

“St Paul has been one of the pillars of the community surrounding the Hamilton area,” he told The Royal Gazette in 2006 as the work was under way.

“Because of its role in the spiritual and especially the educational development of persons attending St Paul, the nation of Bermuda is a better place today.

“Bermuda is now a place where persons can excel and contribute to this society, regardless of their socio-economic background or status in life.

“St Paul now sees the need to continue to build on an already rich legacy.

“We have decided to rebuild in order to equip the next generation of leaders in our church that they might continue to train and nurture the community of Bermuda.

“In order to remain relevant, St Paul understands that it is important that we repair and modernise our church and the services it provides in order to meet the needs of the community.”

Dr Guyton was most recently the presiding elder of the New Brunswick District of the New Jersey AME conference, which announced his passing this month.

Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, paid tribute with “deep respect and heartfelt gratitude”.

Mr Weeks said that Dr Guyton served the St Paul congregation “with distinction, bringing strength, clarity and compassion to his ministry”.

“During his time in Bermuda, our paths crossed and in the years of his pastoral leadership, a friendship formed — one rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to faith and community,” he said.

“Though he had since moved on from his post at St Paul, Reverend Guyton’s deep care for those he once served never wavered.

“When my son Malik tragically passed away in a traffic accident, Reverend Guyton did not hesitate. He returned to Bermuda and stood with my family in our darkest hour.

“He delivered Malik’s eulogy with grace, power, and compassion — offering words that brought both comfort and strength, and helping us begin the difficult path towards healing.

“I will never forget the kindness he showed, nor the love he carried back with him across the ocean.”

Mr Weeks said that Dr Guyton’s ministry “extended far beyond the pulpit”.

He added: “He touched lives with his presence, his prayers and his unwavering dedication to others.

“His passing is a profound loss but his legacy lives on in all those he uplifted — in Bermuda and beyond.

“To his beloved wife and family, I extend my deepest condolences.

“May you find peace in knowing how deeply he was loved and respected and how far his influence reached.

“We hold you in our hearts and in our prayers during this time of grief.”

Bermuda held a special place in Dr Guyton’s heart by the close of his tenure.

“We have fallen in love with the good people of St Paul and Bermuda,” he told the Gazette in 2012 as he and his wife, Tanzania, a registered nurse, prepared to return to the US, where he became pastor of St Matthew AME Church in Orange, New Jersey.

“It is a bittersweet feeling we have — God has blessed us.”

Dr Guyton came with credentials that helped him understand the island’s problems with antisocial behaviour.

He was a graduate of Allen University in South Carolina and held a bachelor of science degree in sociology and social work along with an associate’s degree in criminal justice.

He obtained his master’s of divinity degree from the Turner Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr Guyton’s belief in traditional family values shone through at his keynote speech for the Bermuda Industrial Union banquet in 2009, when he told the gathering: “We are family and family sticks together through the thick and thin. But now we are in a microwave society.

“What used to be a time of the family where they would sit for a meal and share what was on their mind has all but gone by the wayside.

“It's time to come back to the table.”