St. Stephen's Anglican Parish
Consists of Five Churches in Central Andros, The Bahamas
Mission And Ministry Alive In Andros Parishes
Having just been appointed Priest in Charge of the five churches in Andros in the middle of January, 2007, The Rev’d. Donald Kerr hit the ground running. In six (6) short months he has accomplished a number of things, including air-conditioning all five churches, a strong outreach ministry, and bridging the gap between the church and wider community. This is due in part to his high energy level and excellent marketing and people skills, but more importantly because of his serious commitment to “making a difference” in the lives of the people whom he has been called to serve, especially the youth
46 CONFIRMED
On June 17th forty-six (46) persons were confirmed in what is considered to be the largest confirmation class in the history of the Parish. The Most Reverend Drexel Gomez administered the Sacrament of Confirmation, assisted by Father Kerr. Archbishop challenged the newly confirmed to practice Godly principles in their daily lives, and encouraged them to continue to be supportive of their Priest.
ACTIVE YOUTH MINISTRY
The Youth Ministry continues to grow, as Fr. Kerr provides opportunities for the young people to participate in Diocesan events.
On Friday, June 29th, eleven (11) altar servers from St. Stephen’s Parish, Central Andros, participated in a Lock In at Christ Church Cathedral. The event was hosted by St. Ambrose Guild. The young persons were exposed to lectures on Aids Awareness, Grooming and Etiquette and Crime. They also participated in a number of social activities, and to their parishes energized and motivated.
CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
Father Kerr is committed to the Church leading the way in nation building, and he seeks to involve the Church in the wider community. In this regard, St. Stephen’s Parish, Central Andros, hosted the 10th Annual Crab Festival Church Service. The service was held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Calabash Bay, and was broadcast live on 104.5FM. The preacher for the special event was the Venerable Archdeacon Dr. Etienne Bowleg, who spoke on the importance of Christian Fellowship.
Fr. Kerr was the preacher for the Central Andros Independence Church Service, which was held on July 9th at Queen’s Park, Central Andros. Taking his text from the book of Micah, he told Androsians that just as in the days of old, men and women of today must still come to the knowledge that “their true good, their perfection, lay in the performance of God’s will and in the fulfilment of His resurrection”. Fr. Kerr said that these requirements are two-fold, involving duty to God and duty towards their fellow human beings.
AIR-CONDITIONED CHURCHES
As summer temperatures continue to rise, Anglicans in Andros will soon be “cooling out” in their air-conditioned churches. Father Kerr has confirmed that air-conditioning units have arrived, and that over the next few weeks, the necessary installation work will be completed.
“We want to ensure that our members on Andros enjoy the same comforts that their brothers and sisters are enjoying in New Providence. We know that in order to accomplish this, It will require a lot more work, but we will do our best to get the job done. We are pleased with the results to date, and look forward to even greater things in the future”, said Fr. Kerr.
Fr. Kerr is the first “son” of the historic parish of Mary Magdalene Church, West End. He was ordained Deacon on December 21, 2004, and Priest on May 1, 2006. Prior to his current appointment, Father Kerr served as Assistant Curate at Christ The King, New Providence. He is a graduate of Codrington College. Prior to testing his vocation at Codrington, he was employed as an Accountant both in New York and in New Providence.