Barbados: Church Chronology

April 16, 1978 • BarbadosNorman, John, and June Naime were baptized. The following day, Brenda Foster was also baptized.

July 19, 1978 • Florida Fort Lauderdale MissionJohn and June Naime visited with Richard L. Millett, president of the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission, and kept in close touch thereafter. Missionaries arrived in Barbados in September 1979.

October 2, 1979 • Christ Church, BarbadosThe Christ Church Branch was created, with John Naime as branch president and Norman Naime as counselor.

June 26, 1984 • BarbadosBarbados became the headquarters of the West Indies Mission, with the mission office at Carleigh House.

1987 • BarbadosThe government of Barbados required that the number of missionaries be reduced from 34 to 12.

March 13, 1988 • BarbadosLatter-day Saints gathered for an island-wide conference with Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On the same day, the Christ Church Branch and Black Rock Branch meetinghouses were dedicated.

December 14, 1991 • BarbadosSeveral local Relief Society sisters, along with the mission president and companion, were invited by the local Soroptomist Club to sing and offer a blessing for a tree-planting service. Subsequently the mission sent missionaries to help with outdoor maintenance tasks.

January 1993 • BarbadosDuring Barbados Drug Awareness Month, Church members helped supply materials for an anti-drug display at a public library and also participated in a youth legislature, cosponsored by the Barbados Christian Council.

1993 • BarbadosTwenty-three young women and their leaders gathered for girls’ camp at the Marian House Retreat.

December 3, 1998 • Washington, D.C.Ambassadors from 51 countries, including Barbados, attended the ceremony for the Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Temple.

June 16, 2002 • Christ ChurchThe Christ Church Barbados District was organized, with John Naime as president.

2003 • BarbadosFourteen youth from the Black Rock, Christ Church, and Oistins Branches graduated from seminary in the West Indies Mission seminary graduation.

June 2006 • CaribbeanThe North America Southeast Area of the Church was divided, and the Caribbean Area, including Barbados and other island nations of the Caribbean Sea, was created, with headquarters in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

October 2010 • Christ ChurchThe technology for receiving general conference shifted from satellite to high-speed internet.

September 2011 • Christ ChurchChurch members participated in the Clean Up Barbados event, cleaning Miami Beach and also packing over 600 hygiene kits for use in the event of an emergency in Barbados and neighboring islands.

January 7, 2012 • Christ ChurchThe Christ Church District hosted a fireside service in the Black Rock Chapel for the National Committee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency. Honorable James Paul, MP for St. Michael West Central, and Pastor Victor Roach were guests of honor.

September 20, 2014 • Christ Church

Members partnered with friends from Our Lady Queen of the Universe to participate in Clean-Up Barbados, tidying the Cheapside in Bridgetown.

September 26, 2015 • Christ ChurchThe first 16 members graduated from the 12-week self-reliance courses Education for Better Work and Business Entrepreneurship.

November 4, 2017 • CaribbeanIn the wake of a devastating Caribbean hurricane season, members from Barbados participated in an International Day of Service. Volunteers prepared shipments of food and water for Dominica and also sewed crib sheets and curtain panels for the baby section of the Madam Ifill Day Nursery.

February 18, 2018 • St. George, Barbados

A small group of Saints gathered at a historic hilltop signal station with Elder Dale G. Renlund to dedicate Barbados for the preaching of the restored gospel.

May 2018 • BarbadosLocal Latter-day Saint leaders in Barbados and other Caribbean islands met for training sessions with Sister Cristina B. Franco and Sister Becky Craven of the Young Women General Presidency and General Primary Presidency, respectively.

September 20, 2019 • BarbadosThe Barbados Council for the Disabled (BCD) held a ceremony to recognize Latter-day Saint Charities’ donation of hundreds of wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and canes for Barbados residents, along with the work of numerous volunteers and trainers.

October 26, 2019 • Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, AnguillaChurch members and other volunteers participated in an International Day of Service for the Caribbean, visiting hospitals, preparing and delivering hot meals, helping elderly citizens, maintaining schools, and gardening.