There will be an unmistakable "changing of the guard" for the Bermuda Annual Conference of the African Methodist Church, when its presiding Bishop, Rt. Rev. Richard Franklin Norris winds up its 124th Session tomorrow at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Resort.

It stems from the decision of the Rev. Malcolm L. Eve to retire after 17 years as Presiding Elder of the Bermuda Conference. The Bishop said he's now confronted with the difficult task of finding a replacement for the Elder, "who has led the Bermuda Conference so masterfully for so many years with compassion, distinction and Christ-likeness". Rev. Eve has also jointly served as pastor of Bethel AME Church, Shelly Bay.

He and his wife Elvie have been hailed at a full round of so called "retirement" events initiated by first one or another of the 11 churches under his jurisdiction. However Bishop Norris in a letter to "the conference ministerium" without mentioning retirement would only say Rev. Eve is "superannuating", adding, "he will still be in our ranks but,will no longer be able to serve as Presiding Elder. He thanked him and his wife for their "dedicated leadership, Christian life and witness".

The Bermuda Conference is building on the legacy of Presiding Elder Eve, "one of our venerated leaders let us forget about the fact that there is a change in leadership", added Bishop Norris, "and press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called (us) heavenward in Christ".

The Eves were honoured at a gala $150-a-plate retirement dinner at the Fairmont Sunday night attended by 670 guests. Among the VIP's were Deputy Premier, Hon. Paula Cox and other Cabinet Ministers; Bishop Vernon Lambe, paying tribute on behalf of the religious ministerial fraternity; Bishop White of the Anglican Church; Catholic Bishop Robert J. Kurtz; Retired Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, a first cousin of Rev. Eve, who has the distinction of being the first Bermudian elected to the AME Bench of Bishops and was also president of the World Council of Churches.

Bishop Norris was the scheduled guest speaker at the gala, but could not make it to Bermuda in time when his flight was delayed by adverse weather in New York.

Bishop Anderson travelled from Kansas with his wife Vivienne to be the guest speaker the previous Wednesday when a tribute to "A Man Called Eve" was depicted at St. Paul AME Church, Hamilton. Premier, Dr. Hon. Ewart Brown attended along with other political and civic leaders.

Also present were a number of the 49 mates, who like Rev. Eve were sent to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth, England in 1948, to complete their apprenticeships when the Bermuda Dockyard closed. Rev. Eve trained as a ship-fitter and upon his return in 1954, worked at the St.George's Machine Shop.

Incidentally, Bishop Anderson served an apprenticeship as a carpenter at the Dockyard, before attending Wilberforce University, Ohio where he later became President of the University.