Former Church of God Administrative Bishop and National Overseer John Humes has died, approximately four months after the death of his identical twin, Bishop Solomon Humes.
Bishop John passed away at his home on Tuesday at 5 a.m., according to current overseer, Bishop Moses Johnson. Bishop John had battled bladder and prostate cancer. He was diagnosed in August 2013. After much prayer and consultation, he underwent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate in February 2014. In March, it was discovered that he had bone cancer in his left leg, which affected his mobility as well as his ability to function properly in the office as administrative bishop. He appointed Bishop Moses Johnson, overseer elect, to deputize for him. Despite his physical limitation, Bishop John was still able to function as the bishop in making decisions and signing documents.
He suffered a major setback on July 7 with the death of Solomon. It affected him greatly, and according to his family, he was expecting to join his twin.
"He (Humes) was preparing for death because he was suffering from a terminal illness and, barring a miracle, he was expecting the inevitable to happen," said Johnson, the current national overseer and administrative bishop.
Three months prior to Bishop John's death, which was approximately one month after his twin's death from cancer, Bishop John also put together his own obituary and made the decisions as to who would participate in his funeral service and who would conduct it. Church of God Field Director Bishop Ishmael Charles will conduct the sermon; Johnson will moderate the service.
Bishop John's funeral will be held on Saturday, November 15 at the W.M. Auditorium Church of God Convention Centre on Joe Farrington Road. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 13 at the same location.
"I sat with him and he told me what he would like, and who he would like to speak at his funeral [service]," said Johnson, who was officially appointed to the post of national overseer and administrative bishop in August, replacing the ailing Bishop John.
Sitting down with the former overseer to work out the arrangements was tough for Johnson to do, but he said he had to do it.
"For me, it was something I really had to accept because he was the kind of person that was always moving -- and fast moving -- one minute he would be saying something to you, and the next he would be gone," he reminisced. "And the fact that he [Bishop John] had to lay in bed because the sickness took his mobility from him was very difficult," said Johnson.
Prior to his death, Bishop John told The Nassau Guardian that, when he and his twin were confirmed into the Anglican faith as young boys, the priest that conducted the confirmation spoke a blessing over them. He said they were told they would become great leaders.
Bishop John rose to the position of Overseer of the Church of God and Solomon became a bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy -- sister denominations -- after they both transitioned from the Anglican faith to become members of the Pentecostal faith.
The twins shared much more than their faith in common -- their voices were identical, their characteristics were identical, and the way they conducted themselves was uncannily identical. The twins were very alike for most of their lives. They were both married in the same year; their wives both came from the Yellow Elder community, and they had their first children in the same month and year. They both joined the Pentecostal ministry. John followed Solomon to the Meadow Street church, but eventually moved back to East Street Cathedral. They both became justices of the peace and marriage officers.
After Solomon's death in July, John, the older brother by 10 minutes, said they shared so many things in common. No one would have thought that the twins would also battle cancer simultaneously. Solomon was the first to be diagnosed with the insidious disease two years ago.
Solomon, 63, succumbed to his illness and was buried on Saturday, July 17. John, 63, succumbed to his illness on Tuesday, October 28. They came in the world together, and both departed in the same year, mere months apart.
The brothers, who towered over six feet, also shared an unwavering love for the Lord, despite having switched denominations in their lives.
While the brothers had an unwavering love for the Lord, they took different paths career-wise. Solomon was employed in offshore banking. John was a meteorologist. In 1984 John left the met department, and in 2000 Solomon retired from his job to become a full-time bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy.
As he prepared to bury his twin and continued to fight his own battle, John took the time to remind people to be cognizant of their health.
"Keep up on your medical, stay close to Jesus and serve the Lord," he said. "Cancer is a serious case, and incidences of cancer are very high in The Bahamas and I encourage young people, especially men, to do their regular health check-ups."
Despite ministering at separate churches and having their families, the Humes brothers were devoted to each other. They both shared a quick, wry and witty sense of humor. Laughter came easily to them both. And their uncanny "twin-ness" emerged when they were together.
In a 2010 interview with The Nassau Guardian, John said it was a divine meeting of the Lord that sent him on a path that would set him apart from Solomon.
The then 23-year-old John was invited to a youth revival service at the Church of God on East Street by a friend -- he could not recall exactly when in the service it happened, but he remembers being overwhelmed by the presence of God that seemed to surround him. He said the visit sealed the deal for him and brought him to the realization that the Church of God was where he belonged spiritually.
Although John and Solomon decided to go the road of different churches, John was not bothered by it because he was happy that they were called to ministry. He said it was more important knowing that he and his brother made something good and substantial out of themselves, even though it was common for the young men in his childhood community of Coconut Grove to get themselves into trouble or waste their lives away.
"I was glad that God took us both from the middle of all that and raised us up to do his will," said John. "To me, this has always spoken wonders because there are lots of young men who let their situations dictate their lives. But no matter what your situation is, God can lift you out of it to do his work. You just have to believe in yourself and trust him. My brother and I grew up in a bad area, but we were still called to do something for God," he said.
Bishop John and his twin were born to the parentage of Nathaniel and Elsaida Humes. Bishop John is survived by his wife Jennie; mother Elsaida; children, Dwight and Lavern Humes, Joy and Reverend Brian Rolle, John Nathaniel Humes III, Johnathan and Sheraire Humes and Jovette and Dr. Kendis Archer; as well as his grandchildren, Joel Humes, Bryan and Breanne Rolle, Jonathan Jr. and Sariah Humes.

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