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Major Fisher makes spirit-filled history

Salvation Army Major Susanne Fisher, (r) being installed Sunday as the new Commanding Officer of the Army's Cedar Hill Corp by Major Shawn Critch and his wife Major Brenda Critch. The latter are returning to their home in Newfoundland, after being at Cedar Hill the past five five years.

Spirit-filled history was made at the Salvation Army’s Cedar Hill Corp in Warwick Sunday, when Major Susanne Fisher was installed at its Commanding Officer and Citadel Pastor.It was 30 years ago to the day when nearly 40 family, friends and other Salvationists journeyed to Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada to witness the popular, former Cedar Hill Cadet Susanne Fisher commissioned as an officer in the Army. Many of those were present Sunday as Major Shawn Critch and his wife Major Brenda Critch presided over what they termed a “moment of newness” for the Cedar Hill Church familyThe Majors Critch in all likelihood were alluding as much to the future of Cedar Hill as to its history when under the leadership of the iconic Major Albert Benjamin, MBE and his wife Major Ruth Benjamin, from 1956 to 1977, as one historian stated, it exploded from an Outpost of Hamilton to much of what it is today was mainly a Remand Home for delinquent girls, functioning in a tiny building known as the Sara Kempe Training School. Back in the early days meetings were held a mile or two away at Warwick Samaritans Hall. The outpost graduated to Cedar Hill, where meetings were held under a Poinsietta Tree, and in a borrowed tent erected on what is now the Corp’s parking lot.The Benjamins held revival services. There was n increase in Sunday School attendances and in the Home League. A Band was started. as a young Corps, in relation to other Corps in Bermuda, Cedar Hill thrived on it’s youth outreach, attracting young people from all over the central and western parishes.The newly installed Commanding Officer was a product of the Benjamin influence. Historians at the service Sunday noted she is the first Bermudian pastor at Cedar Hill since the departure of the Benjamins more than 30 years ago.Upon taking the podium to preach Sunday, the former Purvis School teacher smilingly declared “Here I am. All of me.”She is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Frieland Fisher. Her mother was at the installation. Another daughter Vernell Fisher, before singing with the praise team, speculated that it might be a small problem for some in the Cedar Hill family to get used to calling ‘Susanne,’ Major.

Major Fisher and Bandsman historian Quinton E. Bean are with the Hon Derrick Burgess, MP deputizing for Opposition Leader Marc Bean.