Father Peter Scott remembers the time when, if people respected nothing else, they respected the church, the people in it and its grounds. But after a recent vandalization of the Church of The Holy Spirit's newly purchased church bus, which the church had just bought to replace the former bus destroyed by Hurricane Joaquin, he laments that nothing is sacred or holy.
"Before time you always had a little crime... stealing, pilfering -- but the churches were mainly spared from this. Nowadays it looks like nothing is spared, nothing is holy," said Scott, who has been the church's rector since 2010.
"My God, have mercy on the church. The church is where you turn to when you need help. When you don't have a job and don't have food, and your children need clothes and food, where do you turn to but the church? And you're robbing from the same people you're going to go to for help."
The rector at the church on Howard Street, Chippingham, that is affectionately known as "The Little Lipstick Church", said the church's first bus, a Toyota Hiace, was damaged by storm surge in the southern end of the island. The insurance paid out, and they looked around to see what they could afford. They came across a jitney company selling two 2012 Toyota Coaster buses, had a mechanic check one out and were told it would be a good purchase.
Scott and his church members scraped together the remainder of the money to put with their insurance payout to come up with the $37,000 asking price for the 37-seat vehicle. Two weeks after they had the bus in the church's yard, and one week before Christmas, it was vandalized on a Friday night.
"When we came Saturday to pick up the bus for the driver to go do something, that's when we found so many things gone out of it -- the batteries, the spare tire, the hubcaps, the compressor for the air conditioning, the alternator for the engine, the stereo, the electric door opener, the window locks and all the bus' folding seats. We were left with this bare skeleton, and the bus couldn't move because it had no battery and no alternator."
To get it back on the road, the church had to spend $1,600 to replace the batteries and alternators, but the priest said at least another $10,000 has to be spent on repairs to have it fixed properly. The bus is still without window locks, a compressor and its electric door opener. It has no air conditioning and is missing seats.
"It's terrible," said the priest.
"When we found it out, it was almost heartbreaking. We were sad and upset, because we had just scraped up the money to purchase this bus from our church fair. But, of course, we are Christians and have faith, and know that in life there's hope, and so we moved on knowing that God will help us."
Scott said they do not need another bus, just the replacement parts that were stolen to repair the bus, which is otherwise in good condition. He made a second insurance claim to cover the cost of repairs in a manner of months, and is cognizant of the fact that the Anglican Diocese's insurance premiums will increase as a result.
"Our insurance is a fleet insurance with the diocese, so all the diocesan vehicles are insured at all times. Our insurance is due in July annually, and I don't want to see the bill for this bus," he said.
He said that the resources that would have been put into the church's outreach programs, which he estimates to be $25,000 annually, have to go toward ensuring that the church has a working bus.
Holy Spirit's church bus was used to help people without private transportation get to church on Sunday; bring members to choir practice throughout the week; and transport youth members to their activities on Friday nights. It was used for the women's movement activities, as well as the men's group to go to activities, functions and services.
Lamenting the setback, the priest said he could recall the days when people respected the church, its property and the people in it.
"We have to do better. When we were growing up, you walked past the church, you made the sign of the cross. You didn't even walk in the church's yard. And if you drove past and your music was loud you turned it down. But these days nothing like that matters," said the priest at the church where they are guided by the principle that they are beacons of Christ in their community.
The church was the brainchild of Canon Edward G. Holmes, rector of St. Mary the Virgin Church on Virginia Street. He felt that there was a need for an Anglican Church in Chippingham for people from that area who walked to St. Mary's to worship.
Howard Chipman offered a piece of property to the late Bishop Roscoe Sheddon for the construction of a church. Alma Sands, a longtime employee of Holmes, owned a lot adjacent to the property. She exchanged it for another piece of property located on Dunmore Avenue, Chippingham, so that there would be more land available for the church.
Holmes pursued his plans to build a church to be a mission of the Parish of St. Mary the Virgin. He often recalled that it was built at a cost of 60 pounds. On January 1, 1939 Bishop John Dauglish presided at the dedication service of the little church to be named the Church of the Holy Spirit.
Over the years, the church has had a number of rectors and additions.
Fr. Glendon Brandt became priest-in-charge in 1971. He served until 1976. The Church of the Holy Spirit became self-supporting in 1974 and he became the first rector.
In the early 50s a sacristy was added. In 1974, the original building was further expanded with the addition of the Holy Spirit Dove Rose Window above the altar. A stained glass window and the addition of native stone in the sanctuary back wall and altar rails were added in the late 1970s. The church was re-dedicated by Bishop Michael Eldon on July 9, 1978.
In the early 2000's stained glass windows were installed throughout the church, more property was purchased between the church and Providence Avenue, the church was air-conditioned, and the church modernized its communication system. In 2012 a new organ was purchased to replace the old one, the ceiling was replaced and the church was painted inside and out. A new bus was purchased as well. It was destroyed by the hurricane; another was bus purchased, and subsequently vandalized, which the church now has to replace.

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