CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN THE BAHAMAS

St. Mary The Virgin Anglican Church,
Nassau, Bahamas

St. Mary The Virgin Anglican Church is one of the many Christian churches in The Bahamas. It is located on Virginia Street on the edge of downtown Nassau and was founded in 1844.

St. Mary’s Facebook page declares: “To be a welcoming church that proclaims and teaches the gospel, fosters a spiritual growth and encourages its members to offer their services, time and talents in missions and ministry for the building up of God’s kingdom.”

The church is also adjacent to the old Greek section of Nassau. When our sons were small, I used to take them with me to a little old wooden house near there when I visited an elderly bedridden lady called Mrs. Clarke. She enjoyed being read to and I would read children’s stories to her that she liked as much as our sons! I was referred to her by Christ Church Cathedral, which my family and I attended at the time. Visiting someone in need was a good lesson for our boys in humility.

INTO BAHAMAS BLUE!

Our son Gavin diving in the beautiful waters of The Bahamas near Rose Island! He’s always loved nature. My upcoming children’s adventure book was inspired by our two sons’ many visits to Long Island, an unspoiled island in the southern Bahamas, where my husband Erskine was born and brought up.

POETRY ON PARLIAMENT!

OBEDIAH MICHAEL SMITH

ADRIAN D'AGUILAR ON BASS,
ERIC BOXERMAN ON KEYBOARD
AND EVA ZARUCKI ON SAXOPHONE

I had a real treat on my birthday last Saturday afternoon! Erskine took me to “Tea Talk” – A Special Poetry Reading by internationally recognized Bahamian poet Obediah Michael Smith at Gypsy Books and Tea on Parliament Street, downtown Nassau.  

When we arrived we were met by the soothing tones of a jazz trio – Adrian D’Aguilar on bass, Eric Boxerman on keyboard and Eva Zarucki on saxophone. Dr. Harold Munnings also played soft jazz on his classical guitar during an intermission.

Other poets who read their work were: Shalimar Johnson, A. Shareef Josey, Princess Pratt (former student of Shalimar Johnson), Eric Rose and Ancilleno Davis.

As we settled into easy chairs it was like being in someone’s home. We were surrounded by books of all kinds and a variety of gifts were displayed on antique tables and shelves. I felt immersed in culture. It was so relaxing and peaceful, far away from the everyday rowdiness of Nassau – lovely soft jazz and good company, along with the spoken word beautifully presented by the poets. All of the guests sat quietly, giving way to the artists, but occasionally there was a jovial moment, especially when a poet’s work had a little humour in it! Teas were available at the rear of the store.

As we left this most enjoyable event, the heavens opened and the rain came down accompanied by thunder and lightening! We waited a while and then made our way home to get ready for an evening meal at Spritz, Sandyport.

I couldn’t have had a better birthday!

Check out Obediah’s Facebook page at OBEDIAH MICHAEL SMITH FACEBOOK 

or email him at bestwordsmith@gmail.com

WEST HILL STREET, NASSAU, BAHAMAS

West Hill Street, Nassau, Bahamas, where the famous and very elegant Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant are located is really looking quite spectacular these days!

TEA TALK BY INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BAHAMIAN POET OBEDIAH MICHAEL SMITH

This coming Saturday, June 8th, at 4.00 p.m., internationally recognized Bahamian poet Obediah Michael Smith will be giving his first poetry reading publicly since returning from Africa where he resided from 2014 to 2018. The event will take place at Gypsy Books and Tea on Parliament Street, down town Nassau (phone number 242-376-2466).

Obediah Michael Smith was born in The Bahamas and has published twenty-two books of poetry. He attended Memphis State University and Fisk University and has also lived in Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica and Paris. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech and Drama. He attended writers’ workshops at the University of Miami and at UWI, Cave Hill, Barbados, conducted by Lorna Goodison, Earl Lovelace, Grace Nichols, Merle Collins, and Mervyn Morris.

His poems in English are included in literary journals and anthologies throughout the Caribbean, England, Kenya and the U.S.A., and his poems translated into Spanish are included in anthologies in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Spain and Venezuela.

Click here for Obediah’s 20th book of poetry, “Women in Jinja - 28 Poems”, inspired by women he met while travelling through Jinja, the Eastern Region of Uganda, Africa: 

"Women in Jinja - 28 Poems"

Obediah Michael Smith’s Facebook page:

facebook.com/obediah.m.smith