Bahamas/Turks & Caicos Islands Conference

The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands District Conference (BTCIC) is one of the eight Districts of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas. This District comprises two territories: (1) The Bahamas, a Sovereign State, Commonwealth Nation and (2) the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory; both are English speaking nations.

BTCIC comprises six Circuits:  Andros (3 congregations), Grand Bahama (3 congregations), Nassau (6 congregations), North Turks and Caicos Islands (2 congregations), South Eleuthera (1 congregation) and South Turks and Caicos Islands (3 congregations).  Our current Conference Executives are Bishop Theophilus N. Rolle, President; Bro. Bertram Lightbourne, Vice President; Rev. Claire Robinson, Secretary and Bro. Jerry Rolle, Treasurer.

Aggressively, we continue to seek to reach the lost for Christ through our intentional efforts at Evangelization and Church Growth, Spiritual Development, Compassionate Service and Christ-centred Worship as we formulate radical, cutting-edge programs to increase participation in the life and witness of the church and to make disciples.

At the 185^th Synod held in Grand Bahama in January 1997 The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands District of the MCCA became an autonomous conference, “The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands Conference of the MCCA.” At this time a District Conference badge was created. The badge was designed by Rev. Claude Cadogan.

THE BAHAMAS/TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CONFERENCE BADGE

THE CROSS CROSSLET-Four Latin Crosses on a common base pointing North, South, East and West, indicate that the mission of the Church is in all directions.

TOP: The SUN-with the circle of eternity enclosing the HIS-Jesus-is the Sun of Righteousness reflecting Malachi 4:2 (Wesley’s Hymn 117 and 924) We are Lands in the Sun.  He is risen upon us.

BOTTOM: The FISHERMAN’S BOAT or the SHIP-Symbol of the Church which sails even on troubled seas.  This is appropriate for our countries, where so many fishermen depend upon the sea.

LEFT: The CHI RHO-CHRIST IS THE MASTER-The Lord of the Church.

RIGHT: The TURK’S HEAD and the CONCH SHELL-Symbols of our two countries, joined together.

The MOTTO on the scroll: “Forward with Christ, Constrained by His Love”

HISTORY

The first Methodist in The Bahamas was a godly Negro Joseph Paul who came from North America to Abaco in 1783. William Turton firmly planted Methodism in the Bahamas following his arrival in Nassau in 1800.The Methodist work in the Turks and Caicos Islands spread from Nassau when John Turtle visited Grand Turk in 1819.

South Caicos

The Creole Congregation was established on December 3rd,  2000, in  the island of South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands , under the Leadership of Reverend Frednor Toussaint, Circuit Minister. The first service took place at the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church  at 9:00 am with a total of seven (7) persons, 6 of them were Haitian Nationals  and the other one was sister Muriel Hanchel a Native of the Turks Islands who came along to support the work. The liturgist for that day was Brother Acelin Joseph, a young Christian man who was willing to help me with the work, and the Preacher for that special occasion was your servant Rev’d Frednor Toussaint.

The following Sunday the congregation grew to an amount of fifteen (15) persons. At the end of 2001 the membership grew to a total of 42 persons.

Grand Turk

On April 2nd, 2001, Reverend Patmore Henry, who was my Superintendent at that time, invited me to start a Creole Congregation in Grand Turk. on Saturday April 7^th, the day before the service, brother Hubert Fulford, one of our Local preachers and Musician for the Grand Turk Congregation, drove me throughout the Grand Turk community to invite the Haitian brothers and sisters to join us in worship tomorrow Sunday at 3:00 pm.

The service took place effectively on Sunday April 8th at the Grand Turk Methodist Church with an amount of 71 persons including Rev. Patmore Henry and Brother Hubert Fulford. As a resident Minister in the South Caicos Congregation I was not able to assist the Creole Ministry every Sunday but one of my Haitian brothers by the name of Joab, offered himself to continue the work during my absence. I was able to assist now and then by the invitation of my Superintendent.

In 2003 I was transferred to the Grand Turk Congregation where I was able to minister to the Creole congregation every other Sunday.

Providenciales

On  the 9th of April, 2007, I received an invitation from Rev’d Derek C.O. Browne,  the Superintendent for The Turks and Caicos Islands Circuit  to come to Providenciales to start a Creole Ministry. I was delighted to go and to start this new ministry. The first service took place on the 15th of April, 2007, at the Wesleyan Church building with an amount of 117 persons including Rev’d Browne. During that service, Brother Louis Jacques Isnadin, one of the members from the Grand Turk Congregation who had moved to Providenciales, offered himself to help with the new Congregation.  Later on, a committee was formed among the members to help with the growth of the Congregation.

In 2013, I was transferred from the Andros Circuit, one of the Islands in the Bahamas, to the North Turks and Caicos Islands Circuit, where now I have the possibility to minister to the Creole Congregation in Providenciales along with two of my Haitian  brothers by the names of Josue Jean and Matthieu Joseph.

Among these three Creole Congregations, only two are in existence today, the Grand Turk and the Wesleyan Congregations.  I hope and pray that one day the South Caicos Congregation will revive again.