Buccoo Moravian Church dedicates new sanctuary

The Moravian community welcomed its latest sanctuary on Thursday when the Buccoo Moravian Churchs new building was dedicated during a special service. Members from the six congregations gathered with the officiating clergy to officially open the church after four years of construction.

Joining Reverend Nevin Lewis of the Montgomery Moravian Church and Reverend Esther Moore-Roberts, Superintendent of the Tobago Church Conference were Reverend Cortroy Jarvis, Chairman of the Provincial Elders Conference (PEC) and Bishop, The Right Reverend Dr. Kingsley Lewis. Also sharing the churchs historic occasion were Chief Secretary Orville London, Area Representative Ancil Dennis and his colleague Assemblyman Handel Beckles. There were several representatives of other religious bodies, including Reverend Duane Samm of the Tobago Council of Churches. Missing was Minister of Tobago Development, Dr. Delmon Baker who was acknowledged for the contribution to the project. Dr. Baker gave $100,000 in the name of Ms. Feodora Tanty Feo Hackett last January when she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Reverend Lewis noted that when he had to substitute for the churchs regular pastor Reverend Cherice Job-Lewis back in 2010, the church was $150,000 in debt. However, since then, the church has been able to raise $1.3m and be debt-free. The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was also one of the contributors and Reverend Lewis specially thanked Mr. London for that. He stressed that God has a way of miraculously providing.

He added that healthy churches must carry out the following five services: worship, evangelistic and missionary outreach, education and discipleship, ministry and, fellowship.

According to Reverend Jarvis, the first service was held on August 28, 1988 under the covers of the Buccooneers Pan Tent and a total of 83 people were in attendance. He said the bands leader then, Codrington Johnson was very supportive with accommodating the church at the pan tent. Some of the persons who were at that first service and present at the dedication were acknowledged. He recalled that as part of the groundwork in getting the church started, he had visited the Buccoo Primary School every week for 9 years, ministering to students and teachers because of the passion he has for persons coming to Christ. He added that all congregations must become houses of refuge, places where love and compassion must demonstrate themselves in a real way. He ended by saying, The church must be a hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints.

The Chief Secretary and the Chairman of the Tobago Council of Churches also expressed brief remarks.

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Buccoo Moravian Church dedicates new sanctuary