The New Testament Church of God, Cayman Islands
About The New Testament Church of God, Cayman Islands
The New Testament Church of God started in Jamaica in 1917 by Evangelist J. Wilson Bell, a native Pentecostal preacher who lived and worked in Kingston, Jamaica. However, the official record shows that the church was organized in 1925 , by an American missionary, The Rev. J.S. Llewelyn who was sent to Jamaica by the Church of God in The United States of America.
The work in the Cayman Islands was pioneered by Rev. Herro Blair, who arrived in George Town, January 7, 1967. He found a few believers from Jamaica who were previously associated with the New Testament Church of God in that country. He made other visits and conducted services with the believers. A few months later it was considered feasible to establish a church. He purchased an old wooden structure from David Fraser who had used it as a church but due to circumstances he had to leave the island. A small piece of land adjoining the building was later bought for expansion from Ashley Godfrey. The first church service had 14 persons in attendance. Bishop Luke Summers, Overseer with Bishop T.R. Morse, the General Overseer of the Church of God, Cleveland, Tenn. U.S.A officially organized the church on July 28, 1968 and so established the church in the Cayman Islands. The need for more space became apparent as the church grew so the adjoining property was purchased from Mrs. Alvey Smith where a permanent structure was constructed which served as the church until 1987 when the church was relocated to North Sound Road.
In October 1973 the West Bay church was established with the East End church following in the short span of a year later (October 1974). The first permanent structure of the church in Rock Hole was the location of the pre-school. Rev. Herro Blair after spending 8 years in Grand Cayman resigned from the Pastorate and was succeeded by Re. Locksley Mitchell who was appointed to the Cayman Islands in 1975. Rev. Mitchell and Mrs. Mitchell visited the Cayman Islands in January 1976 and assumed pastorate of the churches. The pre-school was established in 1976 because the New Testament Church of God believes that early childhood education is crucial to a child’s life. The church in Cayman Brac started from visits by Sis. Gloria Wilks through her singing ministry who was approached by 2 Jamaican Christians who resided on Cayman Brac. There were others of like-minded faith who requested that they be organized under the leadership of the New Testament Church of God. Bishop Mitchell, the District Overseer was informed of this request by Sis. Gloria Wilks. On June 28, 2003, Bishop Mitchell, Sis Lucilda Mitchell and Sis. Glovis Wilks visited Cayman Brac. On September 19, 2003, Sis. Gloria Wilks was appointed to be Pastor of that congregation by the then Administrative Bishop of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands,
Bishop W.A. Blair where she continued in that position until January 7, 2005. Pastor Richard Fraser assisted Bishop Mitchell until he was appointed in the role of Pastor of the church.
Bishop Locksley Mitchell and Sis. Lucilda Mitchell retired in 2015 which saw the appointment of Bishop Eitel Morris as District Overseer to the churches in the Cayman Islands by Bishop W.A. Blair, Administrative Bishop, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. In October 2015, Bishop Eitel Morris and his wife, Mrs. Beverley Blair-Morris took on the leadership of the churches in the Cayman Islands. The following year 2016 saw the separation of the Cayman Islands from Jamaica with Cayman Islands becoming a territory of its own under the appointment to Administrative Bishop, Cayman Islands – Bishop Eitel Morris. This new development caused a shift in the organizational structure of the church now being a national entity. This meant the appointment of a National Executive Committee (Bishop Eitel Morris, Bishop Clovis Wilks, Bishop Dwight Wright, Bishop Richard Fraser) and the General Secretary (Sis. Elaine Douglas).
