The "Little Church on the Rue de Hollande" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Visiting the city of Marigot which is the capital of St. Martin.  Twice a week the market along the waterfront is filled with the regular touristy items as well as fresh fish and produce.  Always fun to walk among the vendors to see what they have for sale.  Carol and I were trying to decide if we wanted to buy a fish for our evening meal, but decided we couldn't keep it in the hot car for any length of time without it spoiling so we opted for another time.  I bought a shirt from Secret Spot, my favorite t-shirt vendor on the island and Carol looked at the jewelry that Tessa had for sale at another stand.  Then we decided to head to Marina Royale to look at the shops and restaurants that border the water.  To reach the marina we have to walk through Marigot proper which is lined with just about every type of shop from art galleries to clothing stores.  As we were walking down Rue de Hollande we passed one of the most unique churches in the city.  Neat little place with white-washed walls and coral-colored trim and front door.  The church is called the Ebenezer Methodist Church.  The sign in the front displays the shield of the church with a note telling that Bible Study is Wednesday at 7H: PM.  On either side of the front door are palm trees which give you the feeling that life will be good inside those doors.  We have never passed the church when the wooden windows have been opened and have never tried the front door to see if it was unlocked.  Not sure why, but again we stopped to admire the church and read the plaque outside the church without venturing through the front door.

 The plaque out front gives the history of the Methodist religious movement which was inherited from England's 18th century protestant church.  Methodism appeared in the Caribbean islands as early as 1760, and in 1818 the first Methodist priest, from neighboring Anguilla, officiated at the Methodist church on the Dutch side of the island.  The church we are standing in front of was built under the ministry of Reverend Georges Sergeant between 1853 and 1856.  The Saint-Martin Circuit of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean covers the whole of the French Territorial Collectivity of St. Martin and is made up of five congregations, with Ebenezer being one of them, and as of a few years ago had a confirmed total membership of 507.  It is officially located at 217 Rue de Hollande in Marigot.  Even though the church is on the French side of the island, the services are conducted in English.  Even with a fairly small congregation, I'll bet that place really rocks on a Sunday morning.  My one commitment to my self is to make sure I try the front door the next time I walk past the church.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.