SALUTATIONS

It is a considerable pleasure for me to be able to join with you this evening as you honour the stellar contribution of Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson for the work he has done over the past six years as President of the Bahamas Christian Council. I would wish to begin by congratulating him for his very able stewardship of this body and to also congratulate his lovely spouse, Julie and their family who would have supported him over these years as he wore two hats, the first as Pastor of Cousin McPhee Cathedral and the other affiliated churches under that denominational umbrella and secondly as President of the Bahamas Christian Council.

My greetings go out tonight to all of the other members of the Bahamas Christian Council and their families who are here in support of their outgoing President. As I begin, permit me if you would, to publicly express my condolences to the family of Bishop Samuel Greene on his passing. These sentiments go out to the entire Baptist community and to this body, the Bahamas Christian Council, of which he was a part for so many years. Bishop Greene would have been well known to all of you and to the wider Bahamas for his dynamism and for his strong leadership in so many fields of endeavour. We pray for the repose of his soul and offer our prayerful support to his family and his congregation at this time of loss.

This evening, however, belongs to Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson.

I have known Rev. Dr. Patterson for a very long time, literally from the time he began his leadership role at Cousin McPhee Chapel, now Cousin McPhee Cathedral, A.M.E. From the beginning he evinced those qualities of leadership, sincerity and dedication to Christian principles which has continued to follow him throughout these years of Christian Ministry. This is not surprising of this young man, who very early in his life when he might have chosen any number of careers gave his life to the Lord and decided to test his vocation to be a pastor by pursuing theological studies. He has not wavered since.

I am here tonight because of my deep respect for Dr. Patterson but also as a show of support for the Bahamas Christian Council which serves a very important purpose in our national life and our national discourse. The Christian denomination in our country is very diverse and growing moreso every day as more and more churches are established under various denominational structures. Diversity in worship is very important and we welcome these churches. Clearly, there is a need for them as new members are added every day to new places of worship.

Given this diversity, it is important that the community of churches in our country should strive to become closer in a true spirit of ecumenism but also that they should speak with one voice on matters of transcendent importance, whether in the religious sphere or in matters of national importance.

I am aware and fully appreciate that every denomination is founded on certain theological principles that distinguishes one from the other but there are always transcending issues on which the collective body of churches could agree, and it is in such circumstances, that you should speak clear and in unison as the voice of the Christian community. This is an essential role of the Bahamas Christian Council and it has done so fearlessly over the many years of its existence.

And so it is important to note that over the past six years Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson has been able to balance this delicate role and has maintained the tradition of providing a unified voice to this august body, the BCC. To speak as a leader of this bloc requires a fine balance and attenuation between one’s personal or denominational views and that of the larger body that makes up the BCC.

I am satisfied that Rev. Dr Patterson has acquitted himself well in this regard. He has been a true Christian leader. As a true Christian leader there are some attributes that all such persons who are called by God must have and this is perhaps true of all persons who engage in leadership. The Epistle of Timothy (3:1-7) sets some of these criteria: one must be blameless, vigilant, sober, apt to teach and above all to be patient. In all these aspects, Dr. Patterson acquitted himself well.

As Prime Minister, I have been able to count on the advice of Rev. Dr. Patterson on some of the critical matters of state that come before me. I realized that when he offered such advice it was always consensual and that he spoke for the wider body, putting his own beliefs aside. I and my colleagues accepted such advice because we had full confidence and credibility in the leadership of the Bahamas Christian Council. He has truly been a “Servant Leader” in every respect of the word.

Rev. Dr. Patterson has been steady, reliable and committed and one can ask for no more.

I need not remind you that our country is entering into a very critical period as we begin the general election cycle.

The other evening when I spoke to another church gathering I reminded that audience that our country has come a long way since the introduction of Majority Rule in 1967 of which this year is the 50th Anniversary of that seminal event in our history. All Bahamians have earned the right to exercise their God given right to register and to vote for the candidate of their choice in a participatory democracy. But it is not an exercise that should be taken lightly.

My plea to all of us is that we do not forget how far we have come as a nation and as a people. There are many in this room who can still remember those dark days of limitations and of lessened expectations. Today, because of the sacrifice of many who have gone on, the sky is the limit if we apply ourselves and take advantage of the myriad of opportunities which present themselves to one and all. These opportunities continue to unfold every day.

As a nation, we must continue to forge ahead! Yes, there will be cynics and naysayers but for my part I am committed to continuing to work in the best interest of each and every Bahamian no matter who you might be or wherever you might call your home.

It goes without saying that I am deeply concerned, as should every well thinking Bahamian, about crime, about the senseless violence that pervades our young people. Yes, I am deeply concerned about job creation and about health care and education and so on. But I can tell you this, under my leadership, my Government is doing everything possible and that we will not rest until we turn the corner on these issues which are of concern to all of us.

As an example of the efforts of my government to create jobs and opportunities, just before coming to this event, I had the honour of being present at the grand opening of Warwick Hotel at Paradise Island which is now fully operational and which has provided new jobs for hundreds of Bahamians.

I have no other motivation, no other agenda, but to see that over the years to come that the people of The Bahamas will continue to enjoy an unparalleled level of prosperity, peace and security. It is to this task that I apply my energies every waking hour of every day. With God’s help we will succeed.

Finally, I urge you to pray that this season of elections will be one without personal rancor, bitterness and violence but be conducted in a peaceably and godly manner befitting the rich tradition of our nation. It is my hope that we should put aside the cynicism, skepticism and mistrust that is out there. I urge that a sense of decency, integrity and honesty should pervade our public discourse. There is a place for truth. At the end of the day, we will still have to live as brothers and sisters, united in the love of Christ!

And so, to Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson I am here to indicate my support for your past leadership of this body. There are some prerequisites of leadership which are important, whether in the religious sphere or in public life.

All leaders have a special responsibility to care and to serve those who have reposed their trust and confidence in them. This is no more true than for one who has been called to serve and minister to a Christian congregation. The very nature of Christian stewardship demands certain qualities of trust, understanding, compassion and confidence yet one must be firm and self-assured in preaching and expounding the gospel of Christ. There can be no compromise in matters of faith and I am certain that in your years of leadership of the Bahamas Christian Council you have been a leader of substance and have taken this organization to new heights.

As you move back to wearing the one hat as leader of the Cousin McPhee group of churches, I know that we will continue to hear from you and I would say now not only to you but to all of the other pastors assembled here – my door is always open. I am always willing to hear from you and to visit with you. This has been my hallmark over all these many years in public life and I cannot be faulted in this regard.

I end by once again offering my warmest congratulations to the Patterson family and extend my best wishes for you in your future undertakings. Thank you!

Bahamas Information Services