Cancelling a gay family cruise earlier this year was a missed opportunity for the churches, but there is still a chance for them to act in a Christian way, according to an AME Pastor.

Reverend Wilbur Lowe, pastor of the Mount Zion AME church, felt the controversy over the Rosie O’Donnell gay family cruise was handled poorly by United by Faith, an organisation representing 80 churches in Bermuda.

Last month, chairman of United by Faith Andre Curtis issued a statement on the cancellation of the cruise, calling it a “victory for God”.

Yesterday, however, Rev. Lowe said while he does not support the homosexual lifestyle, he will not discriminate against a group of people, which is what the comments about the cruise did.

“I personally felt that the church missed out on a great and good opportunity to show Bermuda and the world what good Christians they are or could be,” he said.

“I want it to be known in my Christian convictions, I don’t support the homosexual lifestyle, but that does not give anyone cause to hate someone or treat someone differently.

“I don’t think they (United by Faith) have represented the religious community well.

“I think there is an awful lot of support for the cruise even within the church.”

Now, Rev. Lowe is concerned the wider Bermudian public blames the churches for the cruise failing to come to the Island and that Rosie O’Donnell’s people see the church as “a bunch of Christians that hate them”. The responsibility, however, he believes falls on the churches to right the wrongs because “we are the people who claim to be on a higher spiritual vein”.

“There needs to be created a better relationship because of what has happened. We need to open up the communication lines,” he added. “Why can’t we meet and get together? There’s still a chance for the Church to act in a Christian way.”

Gregg Kaminsky, chief executive of O’Donnell’s company, R Family Cruises, welcomed the comments, however, said it was too late because their cruise is now only seven or eight weeks away.

Mr. Kaminsky said: “I would have loved to do that (meet with Rev. Lowe and the churches). I’m always available to talk to anyone. Especially if it’s a Church group I would like to speak to them.”

However, when Mr. Curtis was contacted yesterday for comments on the story, after refusing to listen to the statements or offer a comment, he hung up on the reporter.

In April this year, R Family Vacations announced they would cancel the Bermuda-leg of a cruise for 2,200 families because there was “a measure of concern about what might occur if the cruise stopped in Bermuda”.

Provoking their fears were comments made in March when Mr. Curtis said they might bus the cruise passengers to churches to “have the pastors pray for them”.

United by Faith represents 80 churches, which the cruise organisers feared would mean the cruise would be overwhelmed by protestors when arriving in Bermuda.

And after the Island was dropped from the cruise itinerary, the group then claimed it was “a victory for God”.

Members of the gay community were relieved to hear Rev. Lowe’s comments and Mark Anderson — a.k.a. drag queen Sybil Barrington — said he thought this is the way it should have been from the beginning.

He said: “I think it’s wonderful. It’s a step in the right direction and it should have been this way from the beginning. This is a new millennium and people should be open minded and not so judgmental.”

PLP MP Renée Webb also welcomed Rev. Lowe’s comments and hoped there was a chance for an outreach programme from the churches.

“I think that it would be excellent if they had an outreach programme for the people they have discriminated against,” she said. “It would be interesting to see what they do as a consequence.”