The Tribune

“Way down south there is a place,
I know home of the wild hog, donkey,
Flamingo, land of the salt, sand and sea,
Inagua Island is the place to be.”

These are words from a very famous Bahamian song that depicts the true beauty and characteristic nature of Inagua.
Inagua was the best place to be over the past weekend as the island hosted grand celebrations and a rededication Eucharist service for one of its most prominent churches.

This most southern idyllic island is indeed known as the “best kept secret”, but the secret was out as scores of well-wishers and descendants converged on the historic landmark, St Philip’s Anglican Church in the settlement of Matthew Town.
The church’s rector, Rev Dr Tellison “T G” Glover and his members rolled out the proverbial red carpet for members of the Southern Archdeaconry Council on May 1, the feast of St Philip and St James.

Under the leadership of Archdeacon Keith Cartwright, Rev Dr Glover orchestrated that all rectors/priests in charge, treasurers and two Synod representatives be present at the 16th meeting of the Southern Archdeaconry Council, which was held in confines of the newly refurbished church of St Philip’s and parish hall facility.

The Southern Archdeaconry is made of Turks and Caicos churches St Thomas Parish in Grand Turk, and St Monica’s Parish in Providenciales; Bahamian churches St Andrew’s Parish in Exuma, St Peter Parish in North Long Island, St Paul’s in South Long Island and St David and St Augustine Parishes for Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay.

The largest contingent came from the Turks and Caicos; a delegation of 30 persons attended the celebrations.
Rev Dr T G, as he is affectionately called, shares in his message in the souvenir booklet that “it is uncommon to witness a miracle of biblical proportions.”

The refurbishment of the church, he said, was a indeed a miracle. The devastation left by Hurricane Irene in 2009 will forever linger in the hearts and minds of residents of the southern Bahamas, as well those in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was Archdeacon Cartwright who used this opportunity not as curse but a blessing to all and sundry, especially resident Anglicans in Matthew Town. The services which were once held in the church were relocated to the parish hall and the renovation work on the church edifice began. With the many technical savvy professionals in the diocese, work on St. Philip’s started in short order.
In the latter part of 2009, Bishop Laish Boyd appointed Rev Dr Glover as rector of St Philip’s. He determined that his mission would be “to the cure of souls, to strengthen the faithful, to arouse the careless and restore the penitent”.

Rev Dr Glover was also saddled with the mammoth and herculean task of rebuilding the parish church of St Philip’s. This assignment experienced some resistance, some fears; it meant the relinquishing of some luxuries and convenience, but by the grace of God it was completed under his leadership.

Rev Dr Glover worked tirelessly with a professional construction team from Long Island. After four years, with $650,000 in repairs and $300,000 in labour intensive man hours spent, the work on the church was completed.

“The restoration of St Philip’s Church is a testament of God faithfulness to all Christian people once we stand in solidarity with each other,” church representatives said. 
On May 1 at 5pm, Bishop Boyd led the rededication service. It was attended by Archdeacon Cartwright and Archdeacon James Palacious, a son of the soil who donated $60,000 from the sale of his compact disks to the refurbishment work. The packed church was filled to capacity. Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes and Joan Lady Foulkes along with the Mortimer family, who donated an organ for church use, were also in attendance.