Moravian Church elects new Bishop

The Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, meeting at its 74th Synod at the Bethlehem Moravian College, elected the Reverend Devon Anglin as the 5th native bishop of the Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

Anglin, who was born on June 15, 1962, is from the Beeston Spring community in Westmoreland, and candidated for pasoral ministry within the Moravian Church from the Salem Moravian Church, Westmoreland.

He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with bachelor's and master's degrees in theology, a diploma in theology from the United Theological College of the West Indies, and a diploma in education from the Bethlehem Moravian College.

The Synod also elected the seven-member executive board, with The Reverend Dr Paul Gardner re-elected as president of the Moravian Church. The other members re-elected are the Reverend Jermaine Gibson, the Reverend Phyllis Smith-Seymour, and the Reverend Joan Smith. The Reverend Kevin Marshall was the newly elected executive member.

At the opening service of the Synod, using the theme 'My God, My Church and I in Mission', Gardner called on the church to take more seriously its commitment to seeing to the transformation of lives and communities.

He said the church exists to serve God, and the world expects the church to make a critical difference in the transformation of our society.

Gardener alluded to the climate of crime and violence and the abuse of our women and children in the society. He said that for far too long, too many of us have remained silent and indifferent in the face of these atrocities.