AME church honours young achievers
Young people from Sunday Schools of all 11 AME Churches in Bermuda recently converged on St Paul AME Church in Hamilon for their 2012 Annual Church School Convention, presided over by Conference Superintendent, Dr. Shangri-La Thompson.Accompanied by their Church School superintendents and assistants, the delegates were kept engaged in spirited and competive rounds of activities that began on Friday, June 22 with a procession highlighted by colourful banners, and continued the next day, developing the convention theme of “Change the Game for His Name,” through devotions and workshops.A major conference highlight was a salute to several ‘Young Achievers” in their late teens and early 20s for keeping up their Sunday School connections after gaining high academic degrees in such diverse fields as law, medicine and commerce.“We are proud of them,” Dr, Shangri-La said, “for wanting to come back, reach out and impress others that their achievements are not theirs alone but due to the solid foundations gained in their church schools along with spiritual and moral support and in some cases, financial assisstance from their churches.”See adjoining column for profiles of the “Young Achievers.”Church School Superintendents and assistants participating in the two-day convention were St. Paul, Suzette Butterfield Gowie, Wilfreda Lightbourne. Vernon Temple Chris Crumpier, Nicole Crumpier. Allen Temple, Jennifer Bascome. Mount Zion, Rupert Hinds, Karen Greene. Bethel, Hilda Romaine, Laquita Bean. Heard Chapel, Anthony Wilson. Richard Allen, Dorothy Ann Seaman. Bright Temple, Rev. Lucinda Burgess. St. John, Lena Hassell, Judith Burgess. St. Philip, Brenda Vanderpool, Diann Matthews. St. Luke, Marchelle Joell.