After 30 years of worshiping in the Society Hall in Paget Farm, the Streams of Power (SOP) Ministries has constructed and dedicated an impressive two-storey building for its congregation on the Grenadine Island of Bequia.

Pastor Errol Daniel

Leader of the SOP Ministries Pastor Dr Errol Daniel says that the new church building will redound to the benefit of the people in Bequia who will use the facility to access spiritual and holistic help.

Hundreds of members of the Church’s three main branches on the mainland, specially invited guests and well-wishers sailed across to Bequia for the official dedication service on Sunday May 19, 2019. The Service was also attended Leader of the Opposition and Parliamentary Representative for the Northern Grenadines Godwin Friday and Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs Herman Belmar.

Giving a brief overview of SOP initial Mission to Bequia which saw the both of the ministry on that island some 33 years ago, Sister Carmalie Daniel explained how she led a missionary trip comprising 60 young people who distributed gospel literacy during the day and conducted street meetings at night. She said out of that, many persons on the island came to accept the gospel and soon after they started their ministry there, conducting weekly services in the Society Hall which is located upstairs a shop in Paget Farm. Sister Daniel further explained that after several years, the Ministry purchased lands in Bequia to construct a church building, but continued to worship in the Society Hall until Sunday May 19, when they held their first service in the newly constructed building.

New Streams of Power church building on Bequia

Bringing congratulatory remarks at the Dedication Service, parliamentary representative Godwin Friday said that the SOP Church is an important part of the Christian Community in Bequia and has contributed significantly to the development of the people of Bequia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Friday said the Church has been a shinning light and challenged its leadership and membership to continue to be a “moral compass to help the nation chart a safe course through the storms of life.”

In his congratulatory remarks, Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs Herman Belmar said it is his feeling that new SOP Church will be one of the most magnificent buildings where the presence of God will dwell and where the people on the island can go for overall development. Belmar reminisced of years gone by where institutions like Churches would leave their doors open and people would walk off of the streets with reverence and a majestic fear for God to receive help at different times throughout the day. He however noted that because of the moral decline in society, these Institutions have been forced to lockdown to protect against theft and vandalism, but he expressed the hope that the new Church would find a way around the issue to help people in this regard.

Rev. Jewell Calendar

The feature speaker at the Dedication Service was Rev. Jewell Calendar, Senior Pastor of the Peoples Cathedral Barbados, whose former Pastor, the renown late Rev. Dr Holmes Williams, was a long time close Associate and Friend of Pastor Daniel and the SOP Ministries. Minister Peter Williams, the Son of Holmes Williams and a contingent from the Peoples Cathedral also travelled to Bequia to celebrate the dedication of the new Church.

In her stirring address, Rev. Calendar said that there are those who would question the move by Pastor Daniel to construct another church at a time when statistics show that the Church in the western world is in a state of rapid decline. She said that Churches in Africa, Asia and the Arab Nations are under severe persecution, pointing out several instances where we have seen the escalation of attacks against the Church including the bombing of three churches in Sri-Lanka on the sacred Easter Day. Rev. Calendar said that while these are legitimate concerns to have as humans, the word of God assures that the responsibility of the Church rests on Jesus Christ himself and as such, the true Church will continue to advance even in the face of persecution. She further said that while the Church continues to advance, then places of worship must be built where people can come to be nurtured and discipled. She commended the SOP Ministries for continuing to do their part to counteract the moral and spiritual decline that has been unleashed in the world today.