St Paul Rose Bell Society’s 92nd anniversary celebration

The 92nd anniversary of the Rose Bell Women’s Missionary Society of St Paul AME Church, Hamilton was celebrated on Sunday with a spirited service followed by a luncheon in the church hall.

St Paul is the cathedral of African Methodism in the Island. Its pastor is Rev Nicholas Genevieve Tweed.

The service opened on Sunday with the hymn All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. Worship Leader, Eunice Jones led the call to worship while the invocation was by evangelist Diane Outerbridge.

The celebration climaxed with “holy roller” dimensions with the guest preacher being the Rev Dr Jessica Kendall Ingram. She is the wife of the presiding bishop of the first district of the denomination, Rt Rev Gregory Ingram, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was accompanied by Nira Patricia Smith, first district president of the Women’s Missionary Society of the AME Church.

Prior to getting into her sermon, Dr Ingram presented to the Rose Bell Society a five-figure cheque from the District for use in their work at the Matilda Smith Rest Home.

President of the Rose Bell Society is Lee-ann Ingram; the guest speaker noted in passing that she certainly would have no problem relating to someone with such a name. First and second vice-presidents respectively are Cora Wilson and Julia Famous. Recording secretary is Brenda Rowling and corresponding secretary, Lois Weeks.

17th Biennial Conference opening ceremony

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Randy Horton, and Governor George Fergusson were at their genial and eloquent best welcoming delegates to the 17th Biennial Conference of Presiding Officers and Clerks of the Caribbean, the Americas and the North Atlantic Region.

The opening ceremony in the House of Assembly was most impressive. The Royal Bermuda Regiment Band was on hand playing the national anthem of Bermuda. Delegates were welcomoned in alphabetical order, led by members of Bermuda’s Youth Parliament carrying the respective country flags; their national anthems were played after delegates took their assigned seats.

Master of Ceremonies for this facet of the opening was the Speaker’s brother, Robert Horton. Prayers were invoked by Bishop Vernon Lambe; stirring musical selections were rendered by soloists Toni Robinson and Olivia Hamilton. Prominent in their seats of honour beside the Governor were acting senate president Joan Dillas-Wright, Premier Michael Dunkley and Opposition Leader Marc Bean.

Also in attendance were former Premiers, Sir John Swan and Alex Scott and former Speakers of the House, Stanley Lowe and Ernest De Couto. Government Ministers and Opposition Members of the House of Assembly and former Parliamentarians and Senators were also in attendance.

Mr Horton remarked as he welcomed the group: “I stand proudly as the Speaker of the House of Assembly and chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Bermuda branch, the members of a legislature which is 395 years old; the oldest Parliament in the Commonwealth outside of the British Isles dating back to the 1st August 1620 when Governor Nathaniel Turner summoned a general assembly to convene in the Town of St George’s. Parliament then moved to Hamilton in 1816 and to this building in 1826.

“The Bermuda branch of the CPA is honoured and privileged to be the host over the next three days. Our parliaments are here to preserve good governance and strong democracy, to ensure there is rule of law, protect human rights and these values, and to respect diversity.”

The Speaker noted that it is important that our discussions bear some meaningful resolutions which will permeate through our parliaments to bring greater benefit to its effectiveness.

He invited the delegates to also have some fun while here, with receptions at the premier’s residence and Government House; dinners hosted by the Speaker and acting president of the Senate and a tour of the Island.

Gwendolyn Gertrude Cann marks 90th year

The family of Gwendolyn Gertrude Cann of Sound View Road, Somerset went to great lengths to oblige her request not to make a big thing over her fast approaching 90th birthday; she had in mind the grand celebration given her a decade earlier. As she desired to ‘take it light’ this time around, the family planned a small reception at home.

But when word got around that was all they were having for this milestone, the outpouring was so overwhelming it was decided to move things to the nearby Allen Temple Church Hall which was just about right for the scores of contemporaries, godchildren and other nuclear family she had magnetised over the years.

“Gwennie”, as she is respectfully known, was the fifth child and third daughter of Mansfield and Helene Simons. Mrs Simons was one of the Lambert clan of The Scaur, Somerset. Those males and females were exceptional aquatics — ‘sea dogs’, terrific swimmers, boat builders, sailors — as nephew Norbert Simmons commented in his capacity as master of ceremonies.

Mrs Simons was an upholsterer, working at the nearby US Naval Base. She made sails out of flour bags for the boats the boys built. Mrs Cann also became an upholsterer and she too produced sails, but with more modern material, particularly for the comets that helped the emerging West End Sail Boat Club, where Norbert was once a long-serving Commodore.

The Lambert clan have continued to be active members of Allen Temple AME Church. Victoria Lambert hailed Mrs Cann’s humble, quiet spirit, which she termed as being most embracing.