My church

David Thompson, an elder of Christ Church, Bermuda, reflects on what the church means to him

RELIGION was not an important part of my upbringing. My mother was a Christian and my father Jewish. We did not attend Church or Synagogue and my only exposure was at the Church of England school I attended where religious instruction was in the curriculum. I was baptised in my late 30s and shortly thereafter I moved to Bermuda with my wife.

I started attending Christ Church, Warwick, Bermuda 30 years ago. What initially attracted me was the vibrant community of the church, which had a great youth programme for my children. My wife is the daughter of a retired Presbyterian minister and attending and participating in church was important for our family. Our children were baptised there and we felt part of the church family. We participated in a lot of the church activities including singing in the choir and youth programmes involving our children. My personal interest in the church was always in the outreach programmes and what we could do to help others in need. I participated in the outreach ministry which I now head. My belief has always been putting faith into action. We work both locally and abroad to help people in need.

Back in 2007 I was invited to become an elder of the church. This increased my own involvement in the church and its governance.

In 2011 we launched the Loads of Love Laundry programme, providing laundry and showers to homeless people. It was a very humbling experience to serve others.

“ What initially attracted me was the vibrant community of the church, which had a great youth programme for my children.

A few years ago I volunteered to join the worship group, which leads Sunday worship when the minister is absent. I did this to challenge myself in my own journey to understanding my faith.

I looked forward to interpreting the biblical passages and finding ways to convey the message to the congregation and the challenge of sharing my own personal experiences and how they relate.

Over the years I have seen church attendance decline, especially among the younger members and families. There are so many other Sunday morning activities focusing on sports and hobbies that have taken their toll on church attendance. When my children were younger we had a very active social calendar centred around the church.

Covid had a significant impact on the church. The lockdown resulted in worship being disseminated online. On the positive side it was the catalyst for starting an island-wide feeding programme to help families in need. Food was provided free of charge to anyone who requested it, and the entire programme was managed by volunteers from Christ Church. Post-Covid, the feeding programme has continued, which I enjoy playing a role in.

It is nice to see a slow resurgence of families coming back to church. The church has Fabulous Fridays and Messy Church to encourage our youth and families back.

I look forward to seeing the church continue being a centre for social activities in addition to Sunday worship.

Christ Church has played an important role in my life. It has given me a far greater sense of purpose and I have enjoyed being part of the church family.