The Parish of St. Luke, St. John's, Antigua (pronounced Ann Tee' Gah)

St. Luke's parish was formed out of the Cathedral parish which originally had 15 outlying congregations. The Rev. Canon Valentine Hodge, now Archdeacon of St. Kitts, was the rector. He lived in Martin's village at St. Boniface church rectory. He also served St. Luke's, Bendals (3 miles away) and St. Lucy, Potters, also about 3 miles away. The Sunday attendance in the three congregations totaled about 300-400 on a Sunday.

I had read of the opportunity for American priests to do interims in the Caribbean and had applied and was accepted for the summer of 1990. Canon Hodge was to take long service-leave in England and Barbados. The good people of Emmanuel, Virginia Beach, agreed this was a good plan.

We had the use of the rectory and two, count 'em, cars. One was a very nice Toyota. the other a Suzuki little red wagon about which the less said the better. I was to sing the masses and preach in each congregation for 6 weeks. It is the custom there to use Hymns Ancient and Modern, renewal music, and other locally inspired compositions. With three High Masses each week, the presider would sing over 250 verses of one thing or another by the end of the day.

Happily St. Lucy's was the last church to visit each week. A new church edifice, it is situated on top of a hill which catches the trade winds. After sweltering at 7:30 and 9:30, the 11:30 was literally a breeze.

Aside from one funeral which required very fast foot and mouth work on my part, the interim was to maintain worship and visit all 365 beaches. My dermatologist tells me I should not have done the second part.