The Carrington Journey

 

From the humblest of beginnings

The Carrington Church grew,

From a tiny seed in 1918

To its present and imposing view.

 

One hundred years have passed

Since that historic year,

Not only for the birth of our church

But also World War 1 and its attendant fear.

 

For it was during the war years

That the Carrington church was born

And the fact of its survival

Should make our hearts feel warm.

 

Originally cited at Quakers Road

As a small community church

It leapt into prominence

Through evangelizing and growth spurts.

 

Given some impetus by its first two ministers

Namely Reverends LS Miler and CP Jorge

The composite group of Mission members

Would together and onward forge.

 

Ably assisted by Mayhew, Wilkinson and Farnum

There was a drive for a better church building

To house the group of disaffected members

That had left the churches they were attending.

 

Services were held four times a week

But the stay at Quakers Road was a fleeting one,

In two and a half to three years time

The congregation to Welches had gone.

 

  

It would be quite remiss not to mention

The invaluable support from the Church at White Park,

Their encouragement in prayer and presence

Also gave the Carrington Church a running start.

 

For just a month at Welches they stayed

Before to the Bridge Road location they diverged,

Thanks to Pastor James and Salome Smith

In their building the Pilgrims and Baptists could merge.

 

By 1929 this building had to be extended

For the congregation was growing by leaps and bounds,

By 1954 it was 160 members and growing

And as a result a larger church building had to be found.

 

A site was purchased in 1954 to build a larger church

But the owner wanted no church on her land,

Having returned the money she expressed as much

So that land for the new church was still a demand.

 

Better would come in the year 1955

Which was the year of hurricane Janet,

The present site of the Carrington church was acquired

And preparatory construction work was started on it.

 

Of course as could be expected there was a delay

Since Hurricane Janet had caused a terrible fix

But the church members worked hard and faithfully

Until the building was completed in late 1956.

 

 

The new church was special from the very start

Having had two services of dedication

Reverend Sanders conducted the first at its completion

While Rev Flexon’s service was like a second edition

 

The attendances were 1500 and 100 respectively

But the second date was accepted as the official dedication

Since this 1957 date was in honour of Rev. and Mrs. Olsen,

They had given generously to assist in the construction.

 

 

The Carrington church was special in its outreach

And helped to established two other assemblies:

One of these was the Dean’s Village/Cave Hill Church

And the other was in the Britton Hill community.

 

In 2015 the latter of these two celebrated 60 years

With the publication of a commemorative magazine

In which 12 year-old Nita Clarke of Carrington Sunday school

Is credited for initiating the church at the Britton Hill scene.

 

As a result of this Sunday school student’s zeal

She started a Sunday school class in her neighbourhood,

Starting with family and friends it flourished and grew

Until on April 24, 1955 a new church in Britton Hill stood.

 

The Carrington Church is known for its leaders

From Rev. PC Jorge to its present Rev. Clayton Springer,

In between were Reverends LS Brathwaite and J Tucker

Followed by P Dummett, Oswald “Boss” Clarke and LL Miller.

 

Some of Carrington’s pastors were American missionaries

Like Reverends LL Miller, DG Felker and AM Doll,

These all preceded the Reverend IM Wickham

Who from 1947 to 1962 was faithful to the call.

 

Rev IM Wickham

 

He was followed by his good friend and brother,

None other than the Reverend GC West,

Wessie, as some called him, had big shoes to fill

But decidedly wore his own shoes for the difficult test.

 

Rev GC West

 

He passed with flying colours having served 26 years

That still stands as a record up to this day,

Like Wickham before him he related to both young and old

But unlike the other, each had his own distinctive way.

 

Wickham a winning smile, West a serious veneer

But both captivating preachers with messages clear,

Faithful to God, their church and their call

They dealt with each member in a way that was fair.

 

Rev Haynesley Griffith

 

From the north of Barbados came a young pastor,

To serve for ten years appeared to be the plan,

In 1989 he came and in 1999 he left,

The Reverend Haynesley Griffith was that man.

 

With extraordinary administrative skills he came

And stamped his authority in a positive way,

He was family oriented, hence his counseling clinic

Such that after he left he has continued till today.

 

A scholar of the Word there was certainly no doubt

As the frequent exchanges had shown,

He taught what God had laid on his heart

And with the enlightened membership he held his own.

 

Wickham had found West but Griffith trained Taylor

And the latter in each case had taken over

So that there was never a break in the leadership

As there had always appeared an inevitable successor.

 

Rev Ricardo Taylor

 

Reverend Ricardo Taylor began as assistant to Rev Griffith

With the responsibility for steering the youth,

He pastored the Carrington church for seven years

And demonstrated a profound knowledge of biblical truth.

 

On the heels of Rev Taylor came the Rev Clayton Springer

With a seriousness that belied his smiling appearance,

He has come with a plan to move the church forward

And from all evidence will tolerate no deterrents.

Rev Clayton Springer

 

His appears to be a balanced approach

To cater to the needs of both the old and the young

With a precise programme for affirming the old

Without ignoring the developmental needs of the young.

 

Located opposite a post office

The Carrington message is a message with a difference:

The message from God to lost humanity

That a life outside of Christ makes no sense.

 

Hence its resolve to engage its community

At the level of both the seniors and the youth

With the age old message that Jesus still saves

And is the embodiment of all that is the truth.

 

It’s time to refuel, recharge, resuscitate and resume

That is the word from Rev Springer’s address,

The church has been repositioned to advance God’s kingdom

And nothing at all must stop that progress.

 

As they celebrate their 100^th year of ministry

In this the month of February,

May they take fresh guard for another century

And purposefully continue The Carrington Journey.

 

Lord we give you praise and thanks for these 100 years,

Supply the needed strength, divine wisdom and clear direction

So that as the Gospel message is truthfully proclaimed,

Lost souls would come to the knowledge of your great salvation.

 

Amen!

 

Stewart Russell © February 4, 2018

 

Reference: An Abbreviated History of the Carrington Wesleyan Holiness Church

www.carringtons-wesleyan.com/418145368

(1918-2015)