Over the last few weeks I have been reminded of the significance of the churches in Turks and Caicos to so many people here. I had the good fortune to meet no less than three bishops – from the Church of God of Prophesy, Anglican and Catholic – who were visiting Grand Turk or Providenciales, and I also saw again the Pastoral Fraternity in Grand Turk.
In addition there was another moving Remembrance Service outside the Anglican Church in Grand Turk, which must rank as one of the most serene and beautiful sites of all the locations globally which mark in November the two world wars. Afterwards Pastor Fred Braithwaite gave a warm welcome and a spirited sermon, broadcast on the radio, to members of the police force at the Bible Baptist church. Earlier the Salem Baptist church held a service to mark Prison Week attended by some of the inmates, as well as the officers and staff, who were presented with a large wooden cross to place in the prison.
From all these meetings and services I took away three points. The first is that the churches have a vital role to play in helping and supporting those in our society who are most needy. A number of the pastors described forcefully the less well off in their communities, people who may not often be in the public eye but who struggle to make a living. While TCI continues to boast record tourist figures, there are sadly still too many who have not yet felt the benefits of the strong economy. Hopefully that will begin to change next year, although I am in no doubt of the continuing need of churches to provide a cushion or safety net for the poorest.
Second, many of the church leaders I met underlined the importance of their churches’ work with the younger generation. Especially in some of the smaller communities, but also in Providenciales and Grand Turk, there is sometimes not much for children and young adults to keep them occupied in the evenings and at weekends. As I saw with the launch of a valuable Junior Achiever scheme in Grand Turk recently to provide more activities, like film shows and sports events, there is a real gap which church leaders can fill. The number of youth in the prison, including some who sadly return all too quickly after their release, is a reminder of how fragile our society can be, as my wife sees when she visits them every week.
Finally, as we approach the Christmas season, I am in no doubt of the importance of the example set by the churches, and the Christian faith, to all the people of Turks and Caicos. Unlike most countries we have little diversity of religions, with few Muslims, Hindus, Jews or other faiths represented in the islands. This puts enormous responsibilities on the shoulders of the leaders of the Christian churches here to be a beacon of hope, inspiration and responsibility to their communities, especially to the young and poor.
I was left in no doubt from my meetings that is the aim of the churches of Turks and Caicos.