From left, Reverends Wilmoth Hodge, Candis Niles and Dunstan Richardson.
ANGUILLA--On Monday, January 11, the Anguilla Circuit hosted the first virtual welcome service of the District Conference of Leeward Islands District LIDC of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas. The Conference was scheduled to be held in Anguilla this year but due to the COVID19 pandemic, it is being held virtually. The Conference brings together clergy and lay delegates from the fourteen Circuits of the LIDC who were all viewing the service which was streamed live on Facebook and YouTube from the Ebenezer Methodist Chapel on the Reverend John Hodge Road in The Valley.
The delegates have been meeting in the various sub-committees since December 2020 but the Conference began in full session on Monday, January 11, where the reports of the mission and witness of the church for the past year are being presented and discussed and recommendations will be made to the Circuits for the coming year.
The service was conducted in Anguilla but there was wide participation from other churches in the district. The welcome and roll call of Circuits was presented by Reverend Dr. Joan Delsol Meade, Secretary of the LIDC from the Holland Circuit; greetings from the Connexional Conference by Yonette Greaves, Connexional Vice President, Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA) out of Guyana District; the scripture readings were read in Dutch, and French by Conference Delegates from the Holland Circuit and Guadeloupe Mission, respectively; Songs Of Praise, Worship and Fellowship were led by Immanuel House Band of the St. Kitts Circuit; and the sermon was delivered by Bishop The Reverend Charles A. Seaton, President of the LIDC, who is based in St. Thomas, under the theme, “Victory in the Midst of Disaster”.
Officiating in the service from Anguilla were: Local Presbyter Reverend Wilmoth Hodge, who chaired the service; Superintendent Minister Reverend E. Dunstan Richardson; Reverend Joseph R. Lloyd, retired minister; and Local Presbyter, Reverend Candis Niles. Also in attendance was retired Methodist Minister the Reverend John A. Gumbs. The Conference will conclude on Friday, January 15, with the traditional Conference Communion Service which will also be streamed live but from the St. Thomas Circuit.
