HISTORY OF CALABAR AOH

CHAPTER 1
And it came to pass that on Sunday, September 9 ,1973 Deaconess
Floris Headlam of the daughters of Holiness being moved by a grave
concern about the large number of children aimlessly roaming the
streets on Sunday afternoons, decided to start an evening Sunday
school on the balcony of her home . And so it was that this evening
Sunday school grew exceedingly great so that that the numbers
became overwhelming and she pondered in her heart where to go from
there.
In those days came a mighty woman of valor called Ivy P LeFranc, the
apothecary and Chief of Missions and Evangelism for the Church of
God Holiness, riding in her steel horned Buick chariot and preaching
the Gospel as she drove and distributed gospel tracts through Calabar
and they twain communed oft one with another on matters concerning
the church because they were likeminded
And lo, in April 1974, the Deaconess of Holiness reknown, invited her
to assist with the evening Sunday School and the Lord was with them.
CHAPTER 2
Now the birth of the Calabar Assemblies of Holiness was on this wise
that the idea of an outdoor Evangelism Crusade came to the
apothecary and she hastened to bring words of entreaty to the
National Board of Management
And so it was that the crusade venture received , approval and
support from the Board of Management; and straightway, It was
launched on the driveway of the Headlam’s residence and thus was the
beginning of the pioneer church at Calabar. The new church continued
at this location for six months as they met for worship on the
verandah, in the living room or outdoors on the drive way.
Now there dwelt among them a seer named Joseph, son of Simeon of
the Headlam tribe of the Portland Maroons. He, it was that the Spirit
moved upon to compel the Board of Management to purchase property
of Robert West the Calabarite. And so it was that the Board did as they
were commanded and this land became the inheritance of the
Assemblies of Holiness unto this day.
And it came to pass that many souls were added to the church
monthly.
Then went out from among them a Macedonian call to the Board of
Management to send pastoral help.
And when they heard the good report of the growth of the church, they
cast in their minds what manner of man should be sent over to Calabar
and lo, the lot fell on a young pastor fresh from college whose name
was Enroy of the tribe of Clarke who sojourned into the land of Calabar
on September 1, 1974
And seeing the multitude, he went up into the mountains and cut sticks
and hewed stones to build a temporary tabernacle for the flock.
Nevertheless, the sight of the building cast doubt in the heart of many
and so they turned away from following
Now these are the names of the members of the faithful pioneering
congregation: Joseph and Floris Headlam and their offsprings,
Alexander and Cynthia Gibson and their offsprings, Phillip Brown,
Greta Gibson, and Estella McInnis
And the young Enroy Clarke laboured among them for 5 years,
preaching, teaching, baptizing and christening many and also burying
a few.

Then certain of the heads of the Board of Management sent out a

decree that the young Pastor should be transferred to the church in
Falmouth and lo, there was weeping and gnashing of teeth among the
brethren.
Then was the church at Calabar left without consistent pastoral care
for 6 years but the brethren bonded together in prayer and kept the
mission going through the grace of God and help from fellow believers
from the lands of Carey Park and Duncans chief of whom were these 3
disciples: Bartley, Martin and Moulton.
After these things, the Board of Management looked out and behold,
they saw that indeed the church at Calabar was without a Preacher .
And so it was, that on Sunday, September 1, 1985 they comissioned
Patrick son of Chambers to both Falmouth and Calabar churches and
gave unto him an armour bearer called Winston, of the sons of
Sinclaire. These two gave oversight to the work at Calabar
And the foundation members continued in fasting and prayer and
giving of the best of their service.And the Lord had regard for their
faithfulness.
And so it was, that on Sunday, - 1996 there came 15? believers from
the south saying; make us room in your tabernacle so we can come
and worship there also.
So the faithful founders shuffled up themselves to make room for them
because the ancient tabernacle was very small. And they tarried there
until this day and the work was revived.

Again, on the first day of the month of September , in the year of

1996? after the manner of time that the Board of Management would
recomission the pastors and elders of the temple, A new Pastor,
Alexander of the tribe of Chambers was assigned to the church.
Now the acts of the preachers Patrick and Alexander, sons of
Chambers are they not written in the Lord’s Book of Records?

CHAPTER 3
In the year that Alexander son of Chambers resigned, the church at
Calabar experienced a rebirth . And the change occurred on this wise
when in December 2006, Alexander son of Chambers declared his
intention to resign from pastoring the flock.
And so it was that the Board of Management appointed a Minister from
among them named Maxine of the daughters of Joseph, son of Simeon
of the Headlam tribe of the Portland Maroons to lead the flock at
Calabar from January 1, 2007 unto this day.
And being in an agony over the dilapidated state of the old temple, she
rallied the brethren most earnestly to start the work of constructing the
new.
And she appointed a faithful woman-servant called Delrose, who was
the wife of - - Allen, to give oversight to the building thereof and she
wrought mighty works in accomplishing the mission as she started out
with a budget of twenty five thousand dollars—sufficient in those days
of heavy taxation, only to buy five loaves and three fishes.
And she had as fellow worker, one who was of the order of Noah. His
name was Herman of the tribe of McNeil.
And he was oft-times alone in his labour on the walls of the temple but
He remained steadfast and would have completed the work all by
himself if permitted.
Therefore did the brethren at home and abroad, give willingly each as
the Lord prospered them –gifts of cement, blocks, marl, paint, ceiling
fans, food, local and foreign currency and free transportation.
Yea out of the rocks of Trelawny Aggregates Ltd. gave they them of
their valuable stone dust and of the chiefs among the Anglicans, was
one named Derrick of the tribe of Arscott He it was that donated all the
doors of the temple.
And when they had exhausted their resources, they turned to the
rulers of Tankweld Janaica Ltd. and said: Give us of your hardware
supplies for ours have run out. And the rulers gave to them most
generously – exceedingly, abundantly above all they thought - even to
the construction of the Community Homework Centre and Skills
Training Institute.
And when the members of the community and the regions beyond saw
it, how determined the brethern were in building the temple, they too
came and brought gifts of free labour
And Sanballat and Tobiah were nowhere to be found.
So built they the temple unto the completion thereof; for the people
had a mind to work.
And so it was that on the nineteenth day of the month of December in
the year of our Lord 2010, when Robert Roach the Great presided as
Bishop and General Overseer of the Assemblies of Holiness in Jamaica,
they rested from their labour and declared a Feast of Dedication of the
temple and they celebrated with exceeding great joy.