Bishop Goodwin C Smith

Tributes pour in for Bishop Smith the high-profile Pentecostal minister who waged memorable battles in and out of the pulpit against what he saw as society's ills and whose influence spread beyond his New Testament Church of God denomination, died yesterday after several months of ill health.

He was Administrative Bishop for the seven New Testament Church of God churches in Bermuda, including Heritage Worship Centre, in Hamilton, where he served as pastor for 27 years.

Bishop Smith was one of the best known of Bermuda's evangelical churchmen, known for his fire and brimstone sermons and his outspokenness on social issues. He also had the ear of government, both UBP and PLP, because of the influence he had with his members.

He was at the forefront of opposition to moves to decriminalize homosexuality. His forces lost that battle in 1994, when Dr. John Stubbs' bill to decriminalize gay sex was approved by a majority of MPs.

He was more successful last year when the church-led opposition to MP Renee Webb's bill to include gays in the Human Rights Act was so vehement that MPs who backed the bill were silenced.

It was an indication of how much sway he had with both political parties. Wayne Furbert. speaking for the Opposition United Bermuda Party, said: "He served the Government of the day. He worked with both parties for the betterment of the community."

He said UBP regularly consulted with Bishop Smith when it was in power. He noted he was also opposed to gambling.

At the time of his death, he was a member of the Development Applications Board. He was also a member of the Essential Industries Disputes Settlement Board, the Board of Immigration and the Bermuda Housing Corporation. He was also a former chairman of the Human Rights Commission.

Yesterday, Premier Ewart Brown said: "To say that Bishop Smith was a giant of the Ministry would be to understate his impact on the community of faith in Bermuda. Today we mourn a man of stature and a figure of great faith and leadership.

"As we reflect on his powerful preaching and his vision for doing great things through the proclaiming of the gospel, we can only be thankful that we knew him and were able to benefit from his example."

Roman Catholic Bishop Robert Kurtz said: "I'm very sorry to hear of his death. I feel very close to Bishop Smith."

He spoke of how inclusive he was, reaching out to him by inviting him to church activities.

Bishop Kurtz said his life "is a testimony to God calling a man to the Ministry in the church. He's been a great force for good in the community."

Anglican Bishop Ewen Ratteray, expressing his sympathy and prayers for his wife and family, said he made a "valuable contribution" to the community.

"He will be missed," he said.

Bishop Neville Smith, of Radnor Road Christian Fellowship, said: "What a great churchman he was. What a great person. Death is a painful experience for all of us, but the pain is softened a little because of our faith."

He praised Bishop Smith because of the consistency of his Christian beliefs and "his great love for the people of Bermuda."

Peter Carpenter, the public face of a group that campaigned for the Stubbs Bill that sought to decriminalize homosexuality, said of Bishop Smith: "He demonstrated to me that people may possess differences in opinion but nevertheless remain polite and civil when they see each other in the street.

"I'm very sorry to hear of his passing."

Former premier Sir John Swan said: "I would like to extend my deepest sympathies on behalf of my wife and I to his family. Goodwin was a legend here in Bermuda in his time. He did a lot, not just from a religious point of view, but also from a community point of view to foster relations.

"We always remember him as a very bold, outspoken and determined individual. He leaves a legacy and strength that helped Bermuda to bond together and I shall miss him as a great friend, a person who I very much enjoyed being in the presence of and listening to."

He said Bishop Smith was a giant among leaders in the island. He said he had been in Bermuda for some weeks and was recovering. He died at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Bishop Smith has his own website, where friends and church members have been offering prayers and their wishes for his recovery for several months.

According to the website, he was born in Hamilton Parish, and was an avid sportsman in his youth. He played cricket for Hamilton Parish and Warwick Workman's Club and had been a football referee.

He was a manager at Gosling's before he became a born-again Christian. He was a pastor in Harlem, New York for eight years before returning home to run New Testament Church of God, which was then a much smaller church, which operated in rented premises on Victoria Street.

When the premises, the old Opera House, was destroyed by fire, Bishop Smith began the drive to build a new church, Heritage Worship Centre.

A man who was instrumental in leading the fund-raising drive was businessman Richard Gorham. Bishop Smith brought new members to the church, which also has a nursery and pre-school Kidds Kollege. It caters to 110 students and is run by his wife Ruby.

Bishop Smith gave up responsibility for the day-to-day running of Heritage Worship Centre several years ago, to devote more time to running the seven churches.

Bishop Smith is survived by his wife, Ruby, daughter Gayna, son-in-law Michael Joynes and also four grandchildren.     

        

Bermuda Sun – November 21, 2007

 

Born: Jun 28, 1936 in Bermuda

Died: Nov 20, 2007 in Bermuda

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