First there was Grace, then came Monica and now there is Betty, all making indelible imprints on the pages of Bermuda's religious cultural and social history.

'Grace', of course, is the stately, heritage landmark Grace Methodist Church, situated since 1900 on the water's edge bordering the main North Shore Road.

A decade later came 'Monica' or St. Monica's Church with its Guild atop the hill overlooking in a direct line of sight the same populous, predominantly black, resilient North Pembroke village served by 'Grace'.

A week ago the Bermuda Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), for the first time in its 124-year history, got its first female Presiding Elder. The appointment of the Rev. Betty L. Furbert-Woolridge was revealed to a packed town hall meeting at Centennial Hall of St. Paul AME Church in Hamilton, called by the Rt. Rev. Richard F. Norris, the presiding Bishop of the 1st District of the Church.

For the past 17 years, Rev. Furbert held the pastorate of Allen Temple AME Church in Somerset. She fills the vacancy caused by the retirement of the Rev. Malcolm Eve after 17 years as Bermuda Presiding Elder and a long tenure as pastor of Bethel AME Church. Rev. Furbert is now pastor of St. Philip's AME Church in Harris Bay, replacing Rev. Dr.Milton Burgess, who has gone to St. Luke's Church, St. David's.

Succeeding Rev. Furbert at Allen Temple in Somerset is the Rev. Howard L. Dill, who Bishop Norris has brought back home after having served since 2006, along with his wife, the Rev. Dr. Emily Dill, as pastor of historic St. Mark AME Church in Queens, New York

This writer did not have to go far for a profile on Rev. Furbert. Only to my archives to excerpt the tribute I was privileged to pay at a testimonial dinner held in her honour.

Then I described her as a servant leader; a trail-blazer, a role model whose life has reflected a spirituality of love, grace and compassion as she has 'MANFULLY' taken her rightful place amongst the leadership of Bermuda. She has had her share of trials and tribulations, like the rest of us, all of which I was sure, helped bring out the real WOMAN in her as she soldiered on!

"She's one who has brought honour and distinction to herself, her family and most importantly to the church and community-at-large, she has served so faithfully in so many capacities over the years. A highly motivated, genuine Christian – I was about to say Christian woman – but to mention woman would have only served to marginalise her."

That brought to mind the story about a certain reverend gentleman, who was unmistakably harassed, and nothing short of being of being a male chauvinist pig. He barged into an office, saw a lady sitting behind a desk and demanded to see 'the man in charge'. She calmly hit back, saying if you want to see the person who gets things done around here, you have to see me. She was the Betty Woolridge type, forthright.

Mention of 'male chauvinist pig' was made advisedly, because when one realised the male chauvinist environment prevailing 30 or more years ago in Bermuda when Betty Furbert began her ascendancy in the ministry, one would more profoundly appreciate her blossoming into the personality she now is.

The eldest of six children born to Almeria and Llewellyn Raynor on September 25, 1942, from a very young age Betty lived with her extended family who reared her in the fear and love of God! And there was every reason to believe she was steeped in her rich family heritage. Her grandfather Raynor was one of the pillars of Southampton Parish and in particular Vernon Temple AME Church. And her great grandfather, Benjamin Alexander Richardson, was one of the founding members of historic Richard Allen AME Church in St. George's.

She attended East End Primary School and St. George's Secondary School. At the Bermuda College and other learning institutions, she undertook a variety of self-improvement courses.

Interestingly, she began her spiritual journey at the age of 12 at Richard Allen. There she held many lay positions, being president or director of first this then that, including the Young People's Department, Choir Director, and Christian Education. She served on the Steward and Trustee Boards.

She was church clerk and secretary of the Finance Board and treasurer. She duplicated those efforts as she graduated to the Bermuda Conference Level, holding among other significant positions, Director of Christian Education, secretary of Conference Trustees Board, treasurer of the AME Ministerial Alliance and in due course president of the AME Ministerial Alliance. Not surprisingly, she became a local preacher at Richard Allen in 1976.

That same year at Richard Allen she became the first Bermudian-born woman to be ordained a local preacher by the Bermuda Annual Conference. At Bright Temple in 1981, three Bishops – Hildebrand, Vernon Byrd and Vinton Anderson – ordained her the Conference's first female Ordained Itinerant Deacon and in 1983 she was the first of her gender to be ordained an itinerant Elder.

Since then Rev Furbert has written into the church's history a series of first that can only be described as remarkable, as a pastor, co-ordinator and host of several annual Conferences. At the same time she was a dutiful wife and mother. On July 27, 1961, she and Novell Furbert were joined in holy matrimony. The marriage produced two sons, Brent and Norvell, Jr.

One of the tests of her faith was the passing of her beloved Norvell in 1993. On her birthday in 1999 Rev. Betty became the wife of Edward MacDonald Woolridge. He is now 'the First Gentleman' of the Bermuda Annual Conference.