The fourth and final interview for 2024 in the People of Faith in Bermuda Series features 47-year-old Terry Henry.

Husband, father, musician, and teacher, Mr Henry moves through life with a tune in his heart.

“I spend my time using the gifts God gave me to honour Him, mainly through music,” Mr Henry said. “That consumes most of my time as a music teacher during the week at Northlands Primary and Gilbert Institute and the lead musician and band director at Hamilton Seventh-day Adventist Church on Saturdays and minister of music at Mount Zion AME Church on Sundays.

“I enjoy spending time with my wife and daughter, who are very supportive of my busy music schedule. My 13-year-old daughter Alexcia is known across the Island as the young girl who plays and sings; therefore, when I am home, my time is often spent teaching music. But I’m grateful because I enjoy what I do.”

Mr Henry is a member of the Hamilton Seventh-day Adventist church. When asked how he would describe his faith, Mr Henry said, “I believe in God and seek His guidance in everything that I do. My faith governs my life.”

Faith and music are two significant aspects of Mr Henry's life, and they flow intertwined throughout his day-to-day life. When discussing how faith impacts his daily life and daily life impacts his faith, Mr Henry said, “I try to be consistent with daily communication with God in prayer and reflecting on God’s word.

“The gospel music that I listen to gives me spiritual guidance and inspiration. Those songs keep God’s word present in my thoughts throughout the day. There are dietary guidelines that I live by as well, such as avoiding unclean meats and abstaining from drugs and alcohol.

“I observe the Sabbath, which means I dedicate that time to God while putting everything else aside. This time is devoted to worship, a reflection of what God has done and what He is in the process of doing, enjoying nature and enjoying fellowship with others.”

Mr Henry described being a husband and a father as “an awesome responsibility that makes the need for me to lean on God that much more important”.

“With all of the decisions that have to be made, all the guidance that has to be given, and just navigating the family through day-to-day situations, it’s important that I stay connected to God for wisdom and direction,” he added.

“As a music teacher, I use my time with my students to teach appreciation of music and honour God with it. When I began teaching, behaviours were extremely bad, and students would be heard singing songs in the hallways with inappropriate lyrical content. As I began teaching them gospel songs, students requested that I teach them more of those types of songs.

“They sang those songs with so much excitement and conviction that worship songs replaced the other negative songs in the hallways. Ever since, at the student’s request, I begin my lessons with praise and worship songs.

“The extreme behaviour issues that we once had no longer exist, and I believe this shift in school culture played a large role in that process.”

This month, under Mr Henry’s direction, Northlands Primary won Skyport's Carol-off for the second time. He said he felt honoured that the school had achieved back-to-back wins in the competition.

“I am proud of my Northlands choir and their ability to follow directions and perform with excellence the way they do,” Mr Henry said. “I teach them a lot of gospel songs because they sing them differently than other songs.

“They sing them with so much passion and conviction that they are effectively ministering to people when they sing, as well as to me. It’s definitely a great feeling to be chosen as the winner again this year, and thanks to Skyport for the opportunity and for blessing us.”

Discussing how he hopes to impact others with his presence, Mr Henry responded: “As a father, I strive to be someone my daughter can be proud of, someone she can look to for wisdom and a good laugh.

“Mostly, though, I hope that how I live and treat people will serve as a positive example to those around me. You never know how you may impact people around you at any given time.

“Last week, for example, someone approached me in the store and told me that the reason why he is lifting over 300 pounds today was because he was inspired by watching me lift it in the gym.

“He couldn’t figure out how this quiet, smaller, unassuming guy could lift much more than him. He said that watching me in the gym was the inspiration he held on to reach his workout goals. It felt good to know that you can impact someone just by simply living your life as God directs you to live it.”

Asked what was the most valuable lesson he had learnt over the years, Mr Henry said: “Not to place my faith in people because, ultimately, man will fail you. No man is perfect, so you can’t place that standard on anyone, no matter who they are. I place my faith in God alone.”

His words of encouragement for the community were: “Live the life God has intended for you. If you don't know if you are or not, then pray for those answers. Sometimes, God gives us the answer, but we are not ready to hear it.

“My advice is to give the Lord an opportunity to make you into everything He designed you to be at all costs. You'll never regret it!”