Wesley Church celebrates half century of service

Fifty years is a landmark celebration in any organisation’s life, and the church is no exception. Wesley Methodist on Albert Street in Belize City is celebrating its golden jubilee with thirty days of activities. According to convenor of the anniversary committee, Geraldine Lewis, it’s a time of rejoicing for Methodists.

Geraldine Lewis, Convenor, Wesley Anniversary Committee

“We begin on the fifteenth of June with the usual anniversary fair, which is a bash for the young people and the children. The climax is going to be a rededication service, the actual date of the opening fifty years ago, followed by thanksgiving service on Sunday. We are recognising those persons who have worked very hard to bring us to where we are. In particular, the Reverend Dr. Claude Cadogan, who is our guest preacher for this year once again. Although he has gone on in years, I my say he is in his eighty-sixth year, but he is coming and he is going to be our guest preacher.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“When you look at the work of the church, Methodism on the whole in Belize, how far have we come?”

Geraldine Lewis

“I would like to say that we have come a long way, and the reason for this is because today in particular, we have begun with some outreach that we were not very much involved in earlier on. Some of it has been there before. For example, we are now doing prison ministry. We are also helping the needy in as much as we can through the district office here and then we’re presently about to open a clinic, a health clinic, in what use to be the nearby open lot, to serve the community as well as the Methodist people throughout Belize.”

Lewis says the special anniversary service will be held on July fourteenth, the same day Wesley Church was officially opened fifty years ago. The original gothic church was destroyed by the 1931 hurricane.