Church celebrates 100 years with flower show

Pastor John Carrington of the Church of God at Mile-And-A-Quarter, St Peter, viewing the arrangement bearing the number 100 with coordinator Sandra Griffith-Carrington and Professor Vivienne Roberts, chief coordinator of the flower festival (in front altar). (Picture by Lennox Devonish.)

Sun, July 15, 2012 - 12:05 AM

The aroma and vibrant hues of freshly cut flowers filled the Church of God at Mile-And-A-Quarter, St Peter, yesterday and will do so today as well.

As part of celebrations to mark its centennial in Barbados, the church will host – for the second day – a flower festival featuring large and colourful floral arrangements by church members and other arrangers under the theme 100 Years Of Growing In Grace.

The arrangements highlight the vibrant colours and shades of local flowers which are composed to represent the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in The Bible in the book of Galatians.

Chief coordinator of the two-day flower festival, Professor Vivienne Roberts, said it was conceptualized as a way of celebrating the beauty of the Lord’s creations and nature in one place.

Throughout the church yellow, pink, orange, red and purple flowers are used to produce impressive pieces while the altar of the church is adorned with a white floral arrangement which depicts Peace, Roberts said.

Another interesting piece is the one made up of a thorny branch, flowers and fruit to depict Long Suffering.

The children of the church were not left out of the festival because they were given the task of using The Bible to research the different flowers mentioned in the Scriptures that are not commonly known.

They were able to identify at least ten flowers including pomegranate, spikenard, hibiscus, bullrush, saffron and mandrake.

Sandra Griffith-Carrington, coordinator of events to mark the Church of God’s centenary, said the flower festival was just one of the activities being held by the church this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its establishment in Barbados.

Also addressing yesterday’s opening ceremony was Minister of Commerce and Trade Haynesley Benn, the Democratic Labour Party candidate for St Peter, and Reverend Selven Lowe of All Saints’ Anglican Church, who both delivered congratulatory remarks. (LK)