JEALOUSY AND?EXTERNAL INTRUSION.
These are the two key reasons why Archbishop Granville Williams feels that more than 200 members of his flock left the Sons of God Apostolic Spiritual Baptist Church to start their own church last year.
The archbishop said he was deeply hurt by what had happened and noted that the departure of the members had impacted negatively on the church and some of its plans.
However, he remained undaunted, noting that the church was rebuilding, with an influx of new members, while maintaining its members in the United States and in the Eastern Caribbean.
Williams said there had been no efforts at either mediation or reconciliation between himself and the members who left.
“Something was going on among some of the members; some were jealous and there was outside intrusion; I believe there was outside influence,” he said.
“Several people have tried to get rid of both me and the church. I don’t know why they left.”
He described the situation as unfortunate, since he said he never had a quarrel with any of those who left, but he would not be surprised if they wanted to return.
“It hurt me, as these people walked out as we were planning for the senior citizens’ project, “ Archbishop Williams said, adding that there was a serious need to help the aged in the society and this was high on the church’s agenda.
“I’m not 30 years old and the economic situation was not encouraging. However, we will start the project even without all the funds in place,” the leader of the Spiritual Baptists told the DAILY NATION.
What has troubled the archbishop is that the rift came at a time when the church was making great strides in attempting to minister to the total needs of its members.
It has built a modern apartment complex and is completing a multi-storeyed complex at Ealing Grove, Christ Church, which will contain offices, living quarters and retail shops.
Soon after the Crop-Over festival this year, Williams noted that someone broke into the offices under construction, smashed the glass and stole funds.
He was so disenchanted that the broken glass remains at the same spot.
“ My vision is to make Barbados the mecca for Spiritual Baptists from throughout the world . . . and I am interested in developing the trades and skills of members here at the church,” which should eventually lead to the establishment of skills training programmes. (ES)
