live a fruitful life, senior members of the African Methodist Episcopal church were told this week.

More than 200 people heard Pastor Conway Simmons speak at the opening of the AME Church's 113 annual conference.

Rev. Simmons, the pastor of the flagship church St. Paul's in Hamilton, was introduced by Philip Cousin, Bishop of the First AME District of Pennsylvania and Bermuda.

Bishop Cousin said Rev. Simmons was an old friend and called him a "proper Bermudian'' and a "refined and Christian'' gentleman.

"He has prepared himself well and he does everything he can to see the work of the Church and the Bishop is carried out,'' Bishop Cousin said as he introduced Rev. Simmons. "He has proven himself worthy to preach the Word.'' Rev. Simmons began by saying he had delivered two Conference sermons before and still thought of it as a high honour.

His theme would be "God's Antidote for Anxiety'' and would be based on the 37 Psalm, adding: "I may end up `treaching'. Teaching and preaching.'' Rev. Simmons explained that anxiety is wearying and does not prepare someone for doing God's work.

"Fret not thyself' means not to be heated or vexed, and I know it is not as easy as it sounds,'' Rev. Simmons said. "But God knows the more you fret the more your body will be thrown out of whack.'' He said fretting and worry often meant spending time on "evildoers'' who were not worthy of one's time.

"Evildoers are always scheming. The wicked plot against God,'' Rev. Simmons said. "But trusting in God is the opposite of fretting. We must rely on God's unchanging character.'' Pastor Simmons said the quote "God takes care of those who take care of themselves'' was apt, but was not found in the Bible but is from Benjamin Franklin.

Rev. Simmons said that "delight'' in God was a sure way to minimise ones problems and would ensure they would be taken care of.

He said: "When you delight in God and think on all his greatness and all that he has done for you somehow our problems get smaller. I don't mean the problem's aren't there.'' He added: "They are simply not as important. Hallelujah! God has the power to bring you through your trials. But the bonus is that he quiets the desires in your heart.'' Rev. Simmons explained that God "isn't Santa Claus'' but having faith and praying and learning how to simply rest would see rewards.

"You only get acid re-flux, and heart attacks, and stress when you worry,'' he said. "But you can learn from Jesus. You can just go to sleep. Peter himself just went to sleep when Herod put him in jail.'' He continued: "I am here to tell you that God has the antidote to your worries. If he can't take you to the top nobody can.'' Rev. Simmons added: "Can you call Muhammad, Buddah, or Haile Selassie? They are all dead. They can't take you anywhere. Jesus Christ can. There is an empty grave to prove it.''