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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Grand Bahama
Freeport, Grand Bahama - Plans are progressing steadily as the Anglican Church Men prepare for their 41st Annual Diocesan Conference which is set for April 30 – May 4, in West End, Grand Bahama. This quaint community at the north-western tip of the island is affectionately known as the Capital of Grand Bahama, as at one point it was the hub for all of the major touristic activity on the island, with its own airport and the Jack Tar Resort. Being situated only 69 miles from West Palm Beach, Florida, it was only a short hop away from the mainland U.S.A. and instantly became a favourite for that upscale Florida community. The area also featured prominently in the Ministry of Tourism’s promotional campaign as they hosted Goombay Summer events and was the site for the annual New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade. So, without a doubt, West End is equipped to accommodate an influx of visitors such as will be attending this annual conclave of the ACM. Under the theme: “Building Character – Changing Lives”, the men will seek to expound on the timely topic of how to positively impact subsequent generations with a view to curbing a growing trend of anti-social behaviour which seems to have gripped today’s youth. Quite often, mentoring can be misconstrued, and can become more cloning, with persons wanting to recreate their own character and personality either through their children or the youth in their charge. But clearly, mentoring is more involved in elevating self esteem; motivating and encouraging persons to explore and then maximize their potential so that they can become all that they are capable of being with a balanced, holistic lifestyle. With respect to the theme, Bishop Laish Boyd, leader of the Anglican Diocese has said that it is a fitting one. “Character is built over time through formation, nurture, instruction and through experience(s). Your character is who you are, and it can certainly be said that one’s life is ‘changed’ or ‘formed’ by the character built via our upbringing; in our training, and in our experiences”. He continued that: “Character development is always important in every age, in every circumstance and in every period of a person’s life. “The good thing about ongoing character-building is that it rectifies the flaws, inadequacies or deficiencies in one’s character up to that point. There is always room for growth and improvement in a person’s life, so once again, this is a timely theme. Seek to develop it during your conference’s agenda”, he concluded. Archdeacon for the Northern Bahamas Archdeaconry, Venerable Harry J.L. Bain, who also serves as Rector of the Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King, says that he is pleased that the ACM have returned to the north and specifically chosen Grand Bahama as the site for their annual conference. For more than a decade, the organization has been rotating the venue for the annual gathering and this is the third time that Grand Bahama would be serving as the venue since this practice began. Archdeacon Bain reiterated that the theme is a timely one, as the Anglican Church Men seek to mould and impact the character of our youth, which is greatly needed now-a-days. He continued: “But character building begins in the home and perhaps the homes have failed, as once the social integration process begins and the child enters the education system, he is now being impacted by a number of external factors. But there is always hope. Our men need to now step up to the plate – stand in the gap so to speak – for those individuals who may not have had the right home environment where their character could have been positively impacted.” He further stated that for older persons, their character may very well be already shaped, so for those individuals it will be a matter of reforming and redirecting their lifestyle. This will be a big challenge but the men should not be discouraged and should take on this situation one child at a time, utilizing methods such as counselling, advising and instilling in the youth a strong sense of direction. He further said: “Character speaks to the question: ‘Who am I; what is my place in the larger scheme of things and what will be my contribution to society?’ This will be a very important challenge and I am interested to see how the men will put ‘flesh’ on this idea and give it some ‘teeth’. There has to be a practical way of approaching this challenge and not just a lot of talk. And to achieve this, it will take considerable sacrifice of time, resources and abilities. I commend the men and look forward to the practical application of this theme”. Grand Bahama last hosted the ACM conference in 2008, when the Church of the Ascension in Lucaya served as the venue.
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