The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE Anglican Church Women of Christ the King will celebrate 50 years of service to the community during a special anniversary event this Sunday.

The branch will recognise past presidents and founding members in a Pontifical Sung Mass under theme "Women of God Pressing Toward the Heavenly Call".

The celebrant will be Anglican Bishop Laish Boyd. The service will be held at Christ the King beginning at 5pm.

The culminating event to highlight Christ the King's ACW 50th celebration will be a gala ball on Friday, October 26, 2018, at the Meliá Nassau Beach All-Inclusive resort at 7pm under the patronage of Bishop Laish and Joann Boyd.

Throughout the past half a century, the ACW members of Christ the King have fulfilled the objectives of the organisation through the use of their time and talents, according to the current president, Ann Knowles.

"Our ACW branch continues to play an important role in the growth and development of the church by generously giving their time, talents and treasures. The women contribute to major projects at the local level as well at the Diocesan level. For example, hurricane relief, repairs and expansion of our churches, donations to the youth groups and to church sponsored events. We make a yearly cash donation to the ACW Council to support our Bishop in his endeavours," she said.

The ACW also sponsors a Senior Citizens Day every November with a breakfast or luncheon. The group also visits the sick and shut-in members, providing love offerings and other tokens when necessary; these are all part of the group's social outreach.

Additionally, the ACW hosts a yearly retreat for spiritual growth, monthly Bible studies and other educational seminars.

Seven ACW groups had been previously established at other churches throughout New Providence when dressmaker Eunice Pyfrom decided that Christ the King should have its own branch.

She along with Rosalie Minus and Shirley Sands sought a meeting with the late Archdeacon Murillo A Bonaby, the then rector of the Christ the King Parish. He supported the idea and consented to establishing a ACW branch at Christ the King.

There was a clarion call for women of the parish to join these three women in the venture. Thirteen vibrant women emerged: Viola Taylor, Sheila Mason-Bannister, Virginia Brown-Fox, along with the late Marion Smith, Adrianna Whylly, Ena Holbert, Marjorie McKinney, Elnora Butler, Eurenia Reckley, Lutricia Ferguson, Anna Albury, Ella Dixon and Inez Frazier.

On May 10, 1968, with the assistance of the late Ethlyn Michael, president of St Barnabas' ACW, Christ the King's ACW was established. It became the eighth branch within the Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The first officers appointed by the parish priest to serve were Eunice Pyfrom as president, Rosalie Minus as vice president, Adrianna Whylly as secretary and Shirley Sands as treasurer

Today, there are five living founding members of the branch, of which four remain actively involved.