To: Clergy and People

From: The Bishop

19th February, 2016

Independence
Two States in the  Diocese of the  Windward Islands celebrate  their  Independence  in the month of  February, Grenada  and St. Lucia. Grenada celebrated  its 42nd  Anniversary  of Independence  on Sunday 7th February, 2016.  We congratulate Grenada as they celebrate and pray for Governor General,Dame Cecile Ellen Fleurette  La Grenade,Prime Minister Dr. The Rt. Honourable Keith  Claudius  Mitchell, members  of Parliament and the  people  of Grenada.

St. Lucia will  celebrate  its 37th  Anniversary  of Independence  on Monday  22nd February, 2016. We congratulate St. Lucia as they celebrate and pray for  Governor  General, Dame Pearlette  Louisy, Prime Minister, Dr. The Honourable Kenny Davis Anthony, Leader of the Opposition,Dr.The Honourable Gale Tracy Christiane Rigobert, members of Parliament and the people of St.Lucia.

Ordination and Consecration
Your prayers and presence are requested for the Ordination and Consecration of the Rev’d Father Charles Alexander  Davidson, Bishop Elect of Guyana to the  office  of Bishop in the Church of God.

The service will take place on the Feast of St Gregory of Nyssa, Wednesday 9th March,2016 at lO:OOam in the Cathedral Church of St. George, the Martyr, Georgetown, Guy na.  The Rev’d  Father  Charles  Davidson,  rector   of   Calvary  St  Augustine   Episcopal  Church  in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was elected on the first ballot of the 29 Sep 2015 election.  To be the eight Bishop of Guyana.

A native  of Guyana, Bishop-elect Davidson was educated at the United Theological College of Jamaica and the Codrington  College in Barbados.  He was ordained  to the priesthood  in the  Diocese  of  Guyana in  1977  and  served  in  Guyana, Trinidad  and  Tobago, and  the Bahamas before transferring to the Diocese of New Jersey of the Episcopal Church in 1998. He subsequently served in the Dioceses of Southwest Florida and Pennsylvania.

Bishop-elect  Davidson succeeds the Rt. Rev. Cornell Moss, who died in July, 2015.    Bishop Moss had been appointed  Bishop of Guyana in 2009 by the house of Bishops of the Church in  the  Province  of  the  West  Indies  after  the  Diocesan  electoral  Synod failed to  select  a candidate.

Out of Diocese
I hope to be out of the Diocese to attend  meetings of the House of Bishops and Standing Committee of the Church in the Province of the West Indies and to attend  the Ordination and Consecration of the eight Bishop of Guyana from Sunday 7th March, 2016.  The Rev’d Canon 0 Samuel Nichols will be representing the Diocese at the meeting  of the Provincial Standing Committee and along with The Venerable J Everton Weekes will also be attending the  Ordination  and  Consecration  of  the  Bishop  of  Guyana. During  my  absence  the Venerable Christian Glasgow will have oversight of the Diocese.

Visiting Bishop
The Rt. Rev’d Richard Atkinson  Bishop of  Bedford,  from  our  Companion  Diocese of  St. Albans, England  will  be  visiting  St. Vincent  and  the Grenadines  from  Saturday  6th  to Tuesday 7th March, 2016, on his way to Guyana for the ordination and consecration of The Bishop of Guyana.

Bishop Atkinson will be the celebrant  and preacher at The Church of the Ascension, Sion Hill at   7:00am   on  Sunday  6th March,   2016  and  at  the Patronal   Festival  at  St.  David, Chateaubelair, 3:00pm on the same day.

Mass of the Blessing Oils
I most cordially  invite you to share with me in a solemn Mass and Consecration of the Holy Oils on  Maundy  Thursday, 24th  March,  2016  at  the Church  of  the  Ascension, Sion Hill beginning at 9:30am.

I look  forward very much  to  the  collegiality,  and renewal  of  our  Ordination  Vows.   The Colour is white Stole.

Please bring along containers, so that you may collect the Holy Oils for use in your Parishes. An invitation is also extended  to  all those  who  have been  licensed  or  commissioned  to renew their vows at this service.   Kindly encourage members of your various congregations to attend.

I am kindly  reminding all incumbents  to invite  those in your respective parishes who have been  licensed  and/or  commissioned  to  the  service on Maundy  Thursday, 9:30am  at the Church of the  Ascension, Sion Hill to reaffirm their  promise  to serve God faithfully in the ministry to which they have been licensed and commissioned.

Lent and Good Friday Collections
As you  are  aware,  our  Diocese  has  for  several  years  been  extending  our  mtsstonary outreach  to West Africa, and particularly to the Diocese of Guinea, by sending to them our special Lenten  Collections  from  the  various  parishes. I urge  that  such contributions  be made, and I shall arrange for them to be despatched after the Lenten Season.

Please also be reminded  of the Good Friday Collections for the Church in Jerusalem.

With every good wish and God’s Blessing!

Sincerely The Rt. Rev’d C. Leopold Friday

Bishop of the Windward Islands