A top African Methodist Episcopal church leader yesterday condemned claims that a pastor is running an illegal ministry.

Speaking from Philadelphia, Bishop Philip R. Cousins said Intercession and Restoration Ministries, co-founded by Christopher Haynes, joined his flock earlier this summer.

The bishop was replying to allegations made in a letter to the Editor last month.

The letter, which appeared in The Royal Gazette on September 18, claimed an AME pastor had started his own ministry "in contravention'' of Immigration law.

It also alleged there are Bermudians with better qualifications without churches in their homeland.

On Friday, the minister believed to be at the centre of the letter, Mt. Zion pastor Rev. Haynes, refused to comment on the matter.

And the presiding elder of the local church, Rev. Malcolm Eve, passed all questions on to Bishop Cousins, the presiding bishop of the church's first episcopal district.

He said: "I can't comment on that. It is in the hands of our bishop, Philip Cousins.'' The letter, signed Concerned Member and dated August 24, said members noted with concern that an AME minister had been allowed to pastor on a work permit for more than 15 years.

The letter writer added: "We are surprised that he be allowed to stay here so long when there are Bermudians with more academic qualifications unable to get churches in their own home.'' "It also appears the pastor has started his own ministry in contravention with the Immigration laws... If this is so we hope that this will be disallowed, unless it is a part of his church, funded by his church with any profits going to his church.'' But Bishop Cousins said: "It (Intercession and Restoration Ministries) now functions from within the church. It is not a separate ministry.'' And he said more Bermudians than ever head up local congregations.

Bishop Cousins noted that there are only two non-Bermudian pastors, Rev.

Haynes and Rev. Virginia Saunders of Bright Temple, Warwick.

"That's the first time in history that locals outnumber and almost completely dominate the Bermuda church like that,'' Bishop Cousins said, adding that there are 11 congregations on the Island.

He added that most Bermudian AME pastors work on the Island while some pastor outside the country.

"We are an international church,'' he said.