04 Centre for Faith and Action

Welcome to the St. Michael Centre for Faith and Action Page.

Meet The Visitor and The Patron:

 


              The Visitor
The Right Rev. Michael Bruce St. John Maxwell is the 14thBishop of the Diocese of Barbados. He was selected by the House of Bishops in November 2018, ordained, and consecrated on January 26th, 2019, on the Feast Day of Saints Timothy and Titus. His Enthronement as Bishop of Barbados took place at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Bridgetown, St. Michael, on January 28th, 2019, observed as the Feast Day of St.Thomas Aquinas.


Bishop Maxwell graduated with a B.A. in Theology and a Diploma in Pastoral Studies from Codrington College
, a B.Sc. in Accounting from the University of the West Indies and a M.A. in Applied Theology from Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham, England. He entered the sacred ministry on June 30th, 1997, when he was ordained a deacon in the Church of St. Mary, Bridgetown, St. Michael and was then ordained to the priesthood on February 24th, 1998, in the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels.

Bishop Maxwell has held the following positions. Rector of the Church of St. Jude, St. George, from January 2000 to March 2008, and of the Church of Holy Trinity, St. Philip, from April 2008 to December 2018. During his 21 years of ministry prior to becoming bishop, he also served as chaplain to the Anglican Youth Ministry Service and the Barbados Church Army; chair of the Chistian Formation Commission and the Evangelism Commission; and member of Synod Council, The Commission on Ministry, and the Finance Committee.

Outside of his parish ministry, Bishop Maxwell taught Religious Education at two secondary schools and was part-time lecturer in the Fundamentals of Christian Ministry at Codrington College. He also served as Vice-Chairman of the Prison After Care Committee from February 2009 to October 2013, and in June 2018, was appointed as an Independent Senator in the Parliament of Barbados but resigned this post after being called to the episcopate in December 2018.

Bishop Maxwell is the son of the late Mrs. Gloria Maxwell and the late Archdeacon Malcolm Maxwell.

 

                       The Patron

Sir Trevor A. Carmichael, KA, SC, is the Principalof Chancery Chambers. He is a former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, former President of the Barbados National Trust, and has been the President of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society since 1989.

Sir Trevor is a member of numerous International Bar Associations. Among them are the Inter-American Bar, the Caribbean Bar Association, the International Tax Planning Association, and the International Fiscal Association. He was one of the parties responsible for establishing a Barbados Chapter of the International Fiscal Association, of which he is a Charter President.

He is the co-author of Land Use under the Law – A Commentary and Compilation of Select Legislation in Small Island Developing States and Passport to the Heart: Reflections on Canada Caribbean Relations.

Additionally, he serves as a Panel Member on the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes of the World Bank in Washington, the Founder Chairman of the Barbados Youth Business Trust, and the Chairman of the United World Colleges Selection Committee for Barbados.


Trustees give thanks at Seventh Anniversary Service

Meet the Board of Trustees:

The Chairman:

 

The Very Rev. Dr. Jeffrey D. Gibson assumed the office of Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and all Angels on February 1, 2016. He served previously as incumbent of the Church of the Holy Trinity, St. Philip (January 1, 1986 to June 30, 1994) and the Church of St. Leonard, St. Michael (July 1, 1994 to January 31, 2016). He is former Part-time Lecturer in Christian Ethics at Codrington College and former Part-time Tutor at the Barbados Community College in Ethics and Citizenship. He has an interest in the practice of the Ministry, Social Ministry and Public Theology. He is married to the former Rosemary Bentham, and they are the parents of two adult daughters, Leah and Joelle.

Ms. Cherianne Clarke, MSc (Hons), BA & BS (Hons), is an international development specialist with over 20 years’ experience in social and economic development, including approximately 7 years as the UK Alternate Director on the Caribbean Development Bank’s Board of Directors. She is a Barbados and National Development Scholar and holds a MSc degree with distinction in Social Policy and Planning (LSE), as well as two first-class Bachelor’s degrees in Business (Wharton School) and International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She leads the Sunday School at St. Leonard’s Church and is a former member of the Parochial Church Council and of the Diocesan Youth Committee and Christian Formation Commission. Cherianne is passionate about empowering people and sustainable inclusive development.Cherianne is the mother of a son.

Mrs. Fay Cooke-Nurse, B.A. (Hons), Cert PR, Mktg, Adver. is a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels at which she has been a Sunday School teacher since 1998 and completed the Kerygma Bible Study programme, also in 1998. She is a member of the Anglican Cursillo group. Fay is a PR and Media Relations Consultant by profession and operates the business MILLENNIUM COMMUNICATIONS. Fay serves her profession as VP Professional Development of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Barbados Chapter and is a Past President. Fay is a Trustee and Communication Specialist with the SMCFA. She is married and is the mother of two.

The Rev. Sandra Hazell, B.A. (Theology, Second Class Hons.) is the Incumbent at St Lawrence Church (House of Prayer by the Sea) from 2006 to present. She is also Chairperson of the Diocesan Commission on Justice, Advocacy and Social Responsibility.Rev. Hazell is a former banker of twenty years, married to Michael Kurt Hazell and they are parents of four adult children. Her interests include wide reading, gardening, worship, and pastoral work.

Ms. Ella Hoyos LL.M. TEP, FCIArb is the Principal of the Rockley Law Group. In addition to her legal qualifications, Ms. Hoyos gained the Executive Education Certificate from Wharton Business School and a Diploma in Theology from Codrington College. She is a Lay Reader, Synod Representative, a PCC member at St. Lawrence Church and a member of the Diocesan Regulations Committee. A former Journalist, Ms. Hoyos maintains an avid interest in current affairs with attention to all things Caribbean. She is a Trustee of the Cherry Tree Trust, a micro business finance Charity and currently serves as the Honorary Consul for Jamaica in Barbados.

Mr. Hadford Howell JP, MBE, BA is a former Head of Trade & Investment at the British High Commission, Barbados. He writes fictional thriller novels and has published the first 3 of them in a 10-book Barbados Intelligence Bureau (BIB) series internationally. He worships at Christ Church Parish Church where he serves as Church Warden, sits on the Parochial Church Council and is a former Chairman of the 2000 and Worship Committees there. He is also Chairman of the National Council on Substance Abuse. His interests include current affairs and music.

Ms. Laurel Hunte, CPA; FCA; Dip.Th. ,is a Certified Public Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados.  She also holds a Diploma in Theology from Codrington College.  Laurel is the outgoing Treasurer of the Churches of St. Mary Kilburn and St James’ West Hampstead, London, UK. Prior to a five-year stint in the UK, Laurel was a Lay Minister, Catechist, Leader of Kerygma Bible Study, and spearheaded the Stewardship Campaign at St. Philip Parish Church.  She is married and her interests include floriculture and listening to classical music. Laurel is the Treasurer of the board of Trustees SMCFA.

Mrs. Kathy-Ann Waithe-Gibson, M. A., B.A. (Hon.), B. A. (Theology, First Class Hon.) is an educator who has been teaching for 38 years. She is a devout Anglican and serves as Priest Warden and Lay Minister at St. John the Baptist Church with Jesus the Good Shepherd. She is Immediate Past President of the Optimist Club of Barbados North (OCBN) and is a former Lieutenant-Governor in the Caribbean District. Working with the youth, with the goal of bettering their lives, is her mission and she will continue to do so, as long as God gives her the strength. ‘With God all things are possible’ is the mantra by which she lives her life daily, for nothing is impossible if one puts one’s trust in God.

The Rev. Stephanie Ann Wedderburn BSc. (Hons.) B.A. (Theology (Hon.), is the Assistant Priest at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angelsand holds a BA in Theology. She is alsoSupervisor at the Sandpiper Hotel. Rev. Wedderburn is the Secretary of the board of Trustees SMCFA. She is keenly interested in youth development and environmental issues; and loves Ballroom Dancing.

Participation and Membership

The St. Michael Centre for Faith and Action is Registered Charity # 1322. It is a ministry of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and All Angels. Membership is open to anyone who shares The Centre’s Mission, Objectives and Goals. An annual contribution of at least $25.00 secures membership.

 

 

Two primary schools have received gifts of bibles to enrich the spiritual education of students.

 
 The St. Michael Centre for Faith and Action (SMCFA), a charity of The St. Michael Cathedral, donated bibles to Welches Primary and West Terrace Primary. A third primary school, George Lamming Primary, will receive their bibles in the coming week. 
 
The donation, made last Friday, formed part of the activities by the Anglican Church to mark Faith and Action Week. 
 
Each year, Faith and Action Week serves as a reminder to Anglicans to renew their focus on the Christian principles. Church congregations are encouraged to follow seven pathways to put faith into action during the week. Day one, praise; day two, passion; day three, generosity; day four, faithfulness; day five, transformation; day six, community; and day seven, exercise. The bible donation was in recognition of day three, generosity.
 
 “For the Christian, faith and action are a way of life,” said Chairman and trustee of SMCFA, The Very Rev’d Dr. Jeffrey Gibson, the Dean of St. Michael Cathedral. “We live in a fast-paced society, and it is therefore important for us to observe Faith and Action week to encourage each other as we serve God.” 
 

The Dean added that the bible donation also formed part of the church’s ongoing Christian education efforts, to encourage children to read the Word of God. 

Students at Welches Primary holding their donated bibles. Senior Teacher Ms. Jennifer Forde (back row, right) received the donation from SMCFA trustee Kathy-Ann Waithe-Gibson (back row, left).
 

Left to right, Secretary of SMCFA, Rev’d Stephanie-Ann Wedderburn, presented bibles to Senior Teacher at West Terrace Primary, Ms. Bondette Daniel, in the presence of student Dashawn Ash.

Seventh Anniversary Service

June 2, 2024 marked the Seventh Anniversary of the St. Michael Centre for Faith and Action. During the Choral Evensong, the newest trustees Kathy-Ann Waithe-Gibson, Laurel Hunte and Fay Cooke-Nurse were commissioned, along with Cherianne Clarke whose commissioning from 2019-20 was delayed. June 2 also signalled the start of Faith and Action Week in the Anglican Church in Barbados.
 
Watch Anniversary Service here.