New Testament Church played a role in island’s development: Reverend

The New Testament Church of God (NTCOG) Barbados has been instrumental in the social and physical development of Barbadians, throughout its hundred year existence.

NTCOG National Executive Council member, Rev. Winston Carter expressed the above recently, as he spoke about the church’s plans for its Centennial Celebrations, which will kick off this weekend with a March through Historic Bridgetown today, Saturday, starting at 4:30 p.m. from the car park at Browne’s Beach and a Centennial Opening Service at NTCOG Headquarters, M.E.R.C, Fairchild Street, Bridgetown on Sunday.

“Our church has contributed to Barbados’ development, without pomp or herald, in several acts of brotherly love,” Rev. Carter remarked.

“In the past five years, over $350,000 has been dedicated in the care of the elderly, social care to the financially distressed in both our church and physical communities, repairs to homes and a partnership with the Breakfast Club at the St. Ambrose Anglican church,” Carter revealed.

He went on to state that the financial care within those five years has been coupled with approximately 7,500 hours of community outreach, dispensed in homework programmes,free lessons for Common Entrance and CSEC candidates, partial grants for tertiary students, marriage and life counselling, as well as skills development classes such as floral arranging, baking and garment construction.

Rev. Carter also noted that the River Road assembly has served the city through the church’s provision of subsidised day care, for thirty two years. Operation Compassion, an outreach programme for inner city children has been in operation over the years, along with the Shoe Box gifts, as its flagship initiative.

“The Shoe Box programmes go beyond Christmas gifts and distribute back-to-school supplies as well,” he stated.

Carter also said that within CARICOM and the African community, the New Testament Church of God Barbados has responded swiftly and generously to the suffering of its brothers who faced natural disasters, with assistance having
been rendered to Haiti, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Malawi and Kenya. (RSM)