AME Church Appoints First Female Presiding Elder
In a history making appointment, last night Reverend Betty Furbert-Woolridge became the first female Presiding Elder in the Bermuda Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church [AME].
The Presiding Elder is a very senior position with the AME, which involves overseeing all eleven AME Churches on the island, in the absence of the Presiding Bishop. The eleven AME churches on the island are; Allen Temple, Bethel, Bright Temple, Heard Chapel, Mount Zion, Richard Allen, St. John’s, St. Luke’s, St. Paul, St. Philip, and Vernon Temple.
Last night [Apr 30] the Rt. Rev. Richard F. Norris, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District of the AME Church, appointed Rev. Betty Furbert-Woolridge to be the new Presiding Elder of the East-West District of the Bermuda Annual Conference.
Rev. Betty Furbert-Woolridge was also appointed the new Pastor at St. Phillip AME Church, Harrington Sound Road, Smith’s Parish, following her previous appointment at Allen Temple AME Church, Sandy’s Parish, where she served for many years.
The vacancy was created by the retirement of 75 yr old Rev. Malcolm Eve after over a decade as Bermuda Presiding Elder, and Pastor of Bethel AME Church.
[Photo courtesy of Bdaconfame.bm]
