March 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

"The truth shall set you free".

The truth may not always please one or saturate one with happiness, but it should stop the vilification that is going on right now in the public forum. I do feel moved to clear up the matter of St. Mark's and the Rev. Fr. William Hayward, because it seems unfair, unchristian and sacrilegious to be speaking of the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church of Bermuda in the way that has been appearing in the news media. The truth of the matter is that the Bishop was not directly involved in the selection of Fr. Hayward as the Rector of Smith's Parish. That choice was made by the Vestry of St. Mark's Church, Smith's.

I know because I was Chairman of the Search Committee. In the process of vetting applications, as is the common policy, Bermudian applicants must be considered first. We were faced with three Bermudian candidates ? Rev. Carl Williams, Rev. William Hayward and Rev. Donald Moore. In the normal process, one of the three candidates was selected by the Search Committee which included the two Wardens of St. Mark's. The Wardens took the selected candidate to the Vestry of Smith's, who deliberated on the choice and then made their decision to issue a call to the priest chosen upon acceptance and confirmation by the Bishop.

The Vestry of Smith's at the time of the selection of a rector was made up of persons who were honestly seeking to serve God in his Church. It was a group of people for the most part who were striving to do the right thing. These persons faced very trying times by those who had made up their mind long before the Search Committee was called into being that all the Bermudian candidates were to be rejected. When I, as chairman of the search committee, reported the findings of the commit and the Vestry to the Bishop, he was pleasantly surprised and greatly relieved. It seemed as though the Church of Bermuda was at last maturing in Christ. As has been the case in most parishes, persons have left their churches and gone to other parish churches. The shame in this has always been the fact that there have been clergy who have used this to make it look as though they have attracted members, and thereby they have supported the divisions in the Church.

The search committee reported its findings to the synod with a request that the bishop confirm the call to the Rev. William Hayward. Synod accepted and the bishop acted. The bishop did not force Fr. Hayward on St. Mark's. He simply carried out the wish of the vestry which was confirmed by the search committee. Therefore it is most unfair and even mischievous to continue to make erroneous statements in the media, calling into question the integrity of the Bishop of Bermuda in this matter.

The Bishop realised more than most of us that he was facing a great challenge, and that was to keep the Parish of Smith's on an even keel, in the face of all kinds of unsavoury innuendoes. The character assassination of Fr. Hayward was demonic and devastating. I wish to reiterate that the choice of the Rector was made by the Vestry of St. Mark's, Smith's Parish. It would not have been appropriate for the bishop to deny them their choice, except for very grave cause. Those persons who are putting forth so much negativism are actually abusing their own fellow Christians in Smith's

The present day rhetoric and verbal abuse needs to be stopped. The majority of the people in Bermuda of all religious persuasions know the truth far better than most who think they are expounding it right now. Sometimes we hurt the very one we try to shield and protect. I have tried for the past 28 years to be the voice and the conscience of the Synod and the Anglican Church of Bermuda, and I do speak to just concerns in the Clericus and in the Synod.

I recommend to all of us the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi ? "Lord. make me an instrument of the peace; where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon, where there is discord, union, where there is doubt faith, where there is despair hope, where there is darkness light, and where there is sadness joy. O divine Master, grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

REV. ARNOLD HOLLIS

Archdeacon emeritus

March 14, 2005

Dear Sir,

On Sundays we attend (by we, I mean, my son, his wife and three children, my daughter, her husband and three children, my wife and I) a vibrant little church on the corner of Harrington Sound.

In the congregation we have around 25 Roman Catholics, 12 Presbyterians, 15 Methodist, (that doesn't include many AME members) and many converted Atheists as well, of course Anglicans, who all attend this little church. We have an average attendance each Sunday of around 160 people. This does not include the Sunday School children who join us for Communion. The Sunday School averages around 50 with an enrolment of around 80. We mention the latter because the church becomes a bit crowded when the "kids" join us and the pews become stuffed with bubbling humanity!

When that time comes, grandparents, parents, children and visitors all take their place and kneel at the alter rail the pastor presses the sacrament into our hands and calls us by name (just as Jesus did with his first disciples). He, even calls the visitors by name! (that always amazes me AND THEM). This is one of the most moving parts of our spiritual journey and as grandparents we feel blessed to be able to kneel there with our children and grandchildren and be called, by name, into God's presence.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that we have a roster of three lay readers, 12 chalice bearers, 12 servers, 30 members who read the lessons, 30 sidespersons and lots of refreshment providers.

We sing all the old hymns and many new as well. (On Sunday we had two of my favourites "Will your anchor hold" and "What a friend we have in Jesus"). As well as an organist we have an enthusiastic trombone player and a very talented young trumpeter.

We have a great and very dedicated choir to lead us in our singing. But perhaps, most important of all, we have a dedicated and loyal bunch of Sunday School teachers led by a dynamic lay reader who also doubles as our church secretary.

After the service, we all go to the Hall for refreshments and a chat. (The refreshments on Sunday were two soups, fresh baked rolls, and many cookies, cakes, cheeses, and fruit.) But this is a time when we all get to meet and talk to each other. It's a time when we truly become a family. I guess that's what church is all about. It's a family looking for Christian friendship, Christian companionship, Christian love.

Our family is spiritually, socially and mentally guided by the shepherd who leads us and has led us now for the last 15 years. He's an Irishman whose favourite hymn is "Be Thou my Vision" (which he sings with great vigour.)

He started 15 years ago with 40 in the congregation and ten in the Sunday School. But after church three Sundays ago he told us he was resigning as of September this year. After the initial shock, we looked at each other and wondered what we had done. Even the Sunday School kids were asking why was he going? We couldn't answer them then and there because we didn't really understand it ourselves, Why would he leave something he loved and people who loved him so much. What had he done wrong?

Now everyone was thinking overtime. Maybe he was leading a double life that we knew nothing about! Then your newspaper in an interview with the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Ewan Ratteray, gave us an explanation. The Bishop perceived that it was time for a change both for the parish and the priest. Well thank goodness it was nothing more sinister than that. He hadn't done anything wrong after all! But we're still stuck with the question. If he wasn't doing anything wrong and he as, in fact, very successful, why ask him to leave? We can only suppose the Anglican Communion has enough strength in the priesthood here in Bermuda that we will find an equally qualified shepherd and soon, before our family falls apart and the church family disintegrates, as the one in our sister parish did two years ago.

Families are recognised as the social and moral strength of our society. Church families are recognised as spiritual and moral strength of our society. At a time when our families are under siege and our church families struggling to survive lets not undermine and eliminate them by destroying those that are successfully carrying out the will of God.

ALWYN AND UNA MCKITTRICK

St. David's

March 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

The Bermudians for Referendum group is not affiliated with any political party and comprises Bermudians from every part of the community. We currently represent almost one-third of all Bermuda Parliamentary Voters (BVs).

Of the 39,383 BVs, we expect the total accumulation of Referendum Petition signatures soon to become . Our canvassing indicates that we also have the support of the silent majority.

We do not wish to enter the realm of whether Independence for Bermuda will economically or otherwise benefit, or harm, the majority of Bermudians. This is a decision for the people themselves to make.

We must call to your attention that there is no mandate to discuss the issue of Independence. However, we believe that it is our duty to help you and the Government realise just how strongly the majority of people feel about the process.

It is our conclusion that over 75 percent of Bermudian voters want to have a Referendum to decide the issue of Independence. They do not want the issue decided indirectly by politicians at a General Election. They prefer to make up their own minds in a "yes" or "no" direct vote in a one-issue Referendum.

We have found that Bermudians want more democracy, more freedom of choice and to have their voices heard in the ongoing process of the running of their Island. We believe that every entitled Bermudian voter should have the right to express his or her will or preference on by way of a . We feel certain that one day the force of public opinion will insist that this pure democratic principle will be enshrined as a binding obligation upon Government in an amended and more democratic Constitution.

We invite you to look at our new website () and click on The Economist article entitled "A Better Way to Vote".

We trust that, whatever your findings concerning the pros and cons of Bermuda going Independent, you will , and conclude in your final report to Government that this is the only purely democratic way to proceed in view of the expressed will of the people.

We would like to meet with the UN Decolonization group. Could you arrange this please or advise to whom we should address our request?