In the late 1800’s a group of people desiring to meet and worship God, began to worship together in a thatch booth at Spot Bay. The 1932 hurricane destroyed that booth and another one was erected at the home of Mrs. Marion Ritch.
Just shortly after the hurricane had devastated the island, Bro. Ray L Kimbrough, Bro. T. F. Evans, and Bro Careswell, members of the Missions Board for the Churches of God (Holiness) in the USA visited the West Indies. On this trip they stopped in the Cayman Islands and visited Cayman Brac.
Most of the homes had been destroyed. One of the first things the visiting ministers did was to conduct a funeral for a bereaved family whose son had contracted fever during the storm. After the funeral one girl got saved. Although the visiting ministers were only on the island for two days and three nights, 36 people got saved.
At the time, the Spot Bay church was under the leadership of Sis Clara Ebanks, and Bro. Carl Scott. They appreciated the help they received from the visiting ministers and decided to become affiliated with the Church of God (Holiness).
A few years later, they began meeting in the home of William and Jane Conolly, south of the present church building at Spot Bay. The Conolly’s donated the land to the north of their dwelling, for the Church of God (Holiness) to build its first church in the Cayman Islands. Captain Burnet Bryan was instrumental in building it. That original building was located to the south of the present church and was situated east to west. The building was soon outgrown and moved closer to the sea.
Brethren from the Watering Place district began to worship with this body of believers. They would rise early on Sunday morning, walk to Spot Bay and spend the day in worship, eating lunch with other Christians. Late in the evening, they would begin their walk home. Some of these were threatened once they returned home by an unbelieving and antagonistic spouse.
The brethren from the Watering Place district began to meet closer to home in a thatch booth erected on the property of Mrs. Ellen Yapp. The 1939 hurricane demolished the booth and they gathered to worship in the home of of Mrs. Clara Conolly. Walking was the mode of transportation and when services were over at night, the older children would carry the smaller sleeping children on their backs.
Realizing the need for a permanent church structure in the Watering Place district, Rev. Carl Scott purchased lumber in the United States at his own expense and had it shipped to Cayman Brac. Rev. Dan Tomlinson, the first pastor of this new daughter church assisted Rev. Scott with its construction and they built it in sixty-six days. It was completed in the late 1940’s. Three Sunday School classrooms were added in the 1960’s.
In 1954, Bro. and Sis. F. B. Whisler came from the USA to conduct evangelistic services and Bible studies. In April 1954 the L. J. Watkins family were transferred from Jamaica to Cayman Brac to advance the work. They were the first resident missionaries.
In the early 1970’s, Rev. and Mrs. L.J. Watkins, the resident missionaries encouraged Edwin Tatum, a “Bracker” to go to Grand Cayman and start a church. With the building boom in Grand Cayman, and the lagging economy of the Brac, many Brackers from the Church of God (Holiness) had moved to the bigger island seeking employment. Bro Tatum visited these people and they were able to form the early church body which was later to become known as the Red Bay Church of God (Holiness). They gathered for services in the home of Mrs. Petrie Wethrell in Georgetown. A few years later, Silkirk Watler donated the property at Red Bay and a church was erected under the leadership of Rev. Wayne Sames. The treasurer at Spot Bay, Sis Vida Randkin, graciously assisted with the finances of the church to support this new endeavor.
Rev. Carl Scott enlarged the Spot Bay church and the porch was added later. In 1977, Rev Edwin Tatum added two Sunday School rooms and a bathroom. An additional two classrooms were constructed a few years later.
In 1980, after outgrowing the small original 32 by 17 foot structure at Watering Place, Rev. Tatum challenged the brethren to build a new church. Two hundred blocks were donated by Sis Levonne Ryan and $100. Construction began with Rev Theodore Scott and others assisting Pastor Tatum The 30 by 60 foot building was completed and dedicated in 1984. This church suffered severe damage during the 2008 Paloma hurricane and extensive repair and remodel were required.
In more recent years, serving as assistant pastors under resident missionaries, Sis. Levonne Ryan and Sis Sonia Christian have been instrumental in assuring that the work of God has continued on Cayman Brac. Their ministry has especially been valued as they have faithfully held the ministry together during times when there was no resident missionary.
While Rev. and Mrs. Richard Payne served as missionaries on Cayman Brac, plans were drawn for a new mission home. When Rev. Kenneth Peterson and family arrived, he continued on with this project and a new mission home 50 by 80 feet, valued at $150,000 was completed. Within five years, the people of Cayman Brac along with friends who live elsewhere, paid for it in full.
The two churches, Spot Bay and Watering Place work closely together. They have one church board that oversees both congregations. Their motto is “One Church – Two Locations.”
God has blessed the ministry in Cayman Brac. Two outstanding visitations of God’s presence were experienced in 1933 and 1977. Following local disasters, people listened to God and experienced deep conviction. Many were added to the church. In March 1933, revival followed the well-known 1932 hurricane and thirty-six residents were born again. The second revival occurred after a tragic automobile accident in 1977, when five teen boys were killed and three others were injured. Within two weeks, more than one hundred and ten people came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
In 1997 a 100th Anniversary celebration was held at the Spot Bay church.
God is not through with His work on Cayman Brac. Many still need to be saved and the people of both Spot Bay and Watering Place churches are praying for an island wide revival.
Following is a list of those who have faithfully served as pastors and missionaries to Cayman Brac.
Note: We do not have dates for some of the early pastors and missionaries and some of them may not be in the correct sequence.
Bro. Ezekial Scott, Jamaican pastor
Bro.. Carl Scott, (Cayman Brac national pastor – 26 years)
Bro. Dan Tomlinson, (Cayman Brac national pastor – the first pastor at Watering Place – dates uncertain)
Bro. Theodore “Teddy” Scott, (Cayman Brac national pastor – Watering Place – dates uncertain)
Sir Vera Ryan, (Cayman Brac national pastor – Spot Bay – dates uncertain)
Bro. and Sis. H.C. Dixon, (Cayman Brac national pastor – Spot Bay – dates uncertain)
Sis Florence Wilkerson, (missionary – dates uncertain)
Rev and Mrs Cody Rose, (missionaries – dates uncertain)
L. J. & Bernice Watkins, 1954-58
Arthur & Ruth Jarrell, 1958-65
Wayne & Joann Sumpter, 1966-68
L. J. & Bernice Watkins, 1968-70
Wayne & Mary Lou Sams, 1972
Robert & Donna Tate, 1975-76
Ed & Beverly Tatum, 1977-85
Troy & Doris Moore, 1982-85
William & Bertie Wilkerson, 1985-88
Richard & Reva Payne, 1987-89
Ken & Betty Peterson, 1990-91
Phil & Debbie Query, 1991-93
Jere & Ruth Ann Gowin, 1993-95
Ed & Beverly Tatum, 1995-2000
Davelee and Ruby Tibbits, 2000-2013 (Cayman Brac national pastor)
Sis Levonne Ryan, (Cayman Brac national, assistant pastor – 2013 until present)
Sis Sonia Christian (Cayman Brac national, assistant pastor – 2013 until present) Bobby and Rowena Clouse (interim pastors Nov – Dec 2013) David & Zenia Woods, 2014-2018
Dr. Gayle and Micki Woods, 2018 – present
Note: Much of the material for this page has been gathered from material written by local historians, the missions history book, “In Regions Beyond,” and conversations with people familiar with the history of the Churches of God (Holiness) on Cayman Brac. Any additional information or corrections would be appreciated. Please email them to drgaylewoods@gmail.com .