The Church in the Gap

On the south eastern coast in Barbados there is a bustling area of nightlife called St Lawrence Gap. Walk past hotels and apartment blocks and there will be found night-clubs, dance halls, restaurants and cafes, bars and social areas in abundance. On the sidewalk are tables displaying cheap touristy jewellery, stoves for cooking exotic foods and the occasional cabinet of puffa fish or slave manacles (probably reproductions).

The locality is so popular with locals and visitors alike, that a nearby mobile police station is manned and well-used to deal with miscreants and troublemakers. Music is everywhere - here a lone tenor saxophone player, there the muffled sounds of reggae and rap, along the way a Gospel choir, and further down some western dance music.

In the heart of this melee and meltic pot of clashing cultures stands the Anglican Church of St Lawrence. Its current priest is Rev’d Sandra Hazell, a lively and enthusiastic stalwart of the traditional modes of doing things. She took over from Canon P E Nicholls who retired a little over a year ago and sadly died within a few weeks of retirement. The church is most active in the community and attracts a full-house congregation at its services. The choir is over fifteen strong and there is a whole army of ushers, servers, chalice-bearers, readers and intercessors. The former Bishop of Croydon is a regular worshipper, and many church dignitaries and visiting priests are there to be found. Much choral music is enjoyed here and the general liturgy is derived from the Book of Common Prayer of the West Indies.

There are two highly situated stained glass windows at the eastern end of the church. One of them depicts Saint Lawrence shown with a grid. Little is known about this saint, but for the fact that he was born in Spain and martyred by being ‘broiled’ in the year AD259, in one of the purges of the Emperor Vespasian. The other window is a commemoration of the life of Ashley Edghill (the same name as my relatives) who served in the Great War of 1914-1918. The wooden surrounds of these windows have deteriorated and the Priest indicated that she was hoping that two craftspeople from England (father and son) would assist in their repair. She had formerly been curate in the church of St George in the centre of the island, and the craftsmen had recently refurbished the magnificent stained glass there. On a visit to St George, the stained glass windows, mainly presented in celebration of members of the Laurie-Pyle family, had been superbly restored to their original beauty.

On attendance at one Sunday in Lent, John Holder, the Lord Bishop of Barbados confirmed twenty candidates. It was a dazzling occasion, with all those presented for confirmation being clothed entirely in white, the girls also having wimples (similar to those worn by nuns), and the service, including Eucharist lasting for almost three hours. It almost didn’t take place because the Lord Bishop had faltered in his timing, believing the start time to be later than agreed. Reverend Sandra, resourceful as ever, started Matins until the Bishop arrived and then switched the Service on his attendance.

The Barbadian people in general take their religion seriously, and are strong in their church attendance. One feature seems to be that where there are minor doctrinal differences, a few parishioners take themselves off to form another Christian sect. The influence of the USA experience is also evident with many protestant and evangelical groups originating from there. It is conservatively estimated that there are over 100 different Christian Churches on this small island - all very well attended.

It can be well asserted that Christianity is alive, well and very vigorous in this beautiful corner of the world.

Rod Dawson