You were my shepherd, my Pastor, my teacher, my Bible Quiz trainer and in it all, you were a man of great love and integrity. Miss you Bishop, see you over yonder some sweet day.

Your life was exemplary. You were indeed a diadem, a rare gem. So many qualities you possessed which are worthy of emulation. You were very intelligent, remarkably kind hearted, exceptionally humble, and you unconditionally loved and cared for everyone who came your way. Helping people came naturally to you as you would not hesitate to go out of your way to put smiles on people’s faces.

My father shared so many awesome stories with me of how his older brother’s faith and deep passion for Christ encouraged him to serve the Lord . I thank God for the great heritage that my uncle so ably by God’s grace created for us. Rest in eternal peace. Uncle Steeple.

The memories and monument of “Souls is What Matters ” are left standing here at your gate to represent your lives spent here on this sinful earth; making it clear to others, Jesus saves, cleanse and forgive. There will be stars on your crown, glory to God. SIP Bishop, I’ll meet you in heaven.

Bishoparcher was a true man of god, I remember him as a humble soul, there was nothing too hard for bishop to help someone in need with, I remember in my time of needs, and I ask bishop for help he was always there for me.
Rest in perfect peace my bishop.

Bishop Archer he was like a dad to me ,my bishop a true man of God growing up as a little girl under the wings of bishop Archer it makes me what I am today am writing and am just last for words I know not in this life I will never have a bishop like you again you kept me like I was one of your child you help me to believe more in myself telling us I this road won’t be easy but hold on I was one of your singing bird and you would let us know that black river upc has the best singers I remember as a young teenager the struggles were real and you would just call me to come look for you and when I was ready to leave the blessings would come I was one of the young person you will never leave you teach us well bishop you leave a long lasting impact a impact that reminds me that you have run the race and you run it well bishop I can still hear your voice telling us the best friend to have is Jesus and not only that you would tell us too forward still its jehovah will bishop I never know this would be so hard for me am celebrating you but the painfully part is the fact that I won’t be at your thanks giving service I never knew that this would really be happening but God knows everything best i will stop here. To the family and church family our daddy and bishop has gone on before us and he has left a long lasting impact a legacy of how we should live let us cherish it hold on to God and if we do that we will meet our bishop again bishop your soul is resting you are in my heart forever

Bishop Theophilus Archer – A Man Of God.
My Mentor During My Early Ministry.

My first experience with Pastor Archer when he came to Black River:

Our parents were Pentecostals before I was born, but there were no Pentecostal Church in Black when most of my siblings or myself was born.

My father would ride his bicycle about 15 miles from Black River to a place that I have never been to called Carrisbrooks, to attend a Pentecostal Church, sometimes staying over night if my memory serves me right. My mother would attend a local church about 200 metres from our house with her ten children. The Church is called holiness Christian Church, still going strong today. We were one of the largest family in that church, probably the largest family in that Church.

My Father Was Relieved When Bishop Archer Came To Black River.

When Bishop Archer came to Black River in 1968 (I think), it was probably a great relief to my father, who was now in his 60ies. My father started attending the Pentecostal church in Black River, pastored by the then Presbiter Theophilus Archer. My mother and older siblings were so embedded in the Holiness Church where most of my siblings have been attending since birth, that it took a few years before they came over to start attending, the Pentecostal Church in Black River.

When I was about 7 to 12 years old, in the late 60s to early 70s, myself and some of my other siblings around my age (some older some younger than me) use to attend both Churches. The Holiness Church use to finish between 12 to 12:30pm, while the Pentecost Church use to finish 2 to 2:30pm. We use to head up to the Pentecost Church after Holiness Church was finish. My mother and our two older sisters would go home to cook the Sunday dinner, after the other church was dismissed. We know that dinner would not be ready until about 4pm, as just to make the soursop or carrot juice would take about one hour. Hence we enjoyed the one mile walk up to the Pentecost Church from the other church, then walked the one mile back home with our dad after service, my dad stopping by his friend’s house which had a lot of fruit trees, such as mangoes, Cashew fruit (meat) and sweet sops etc. We use to help ourselves with the fruits, for the 30 to 45 minutes that dad and his friend would be speaking. Then by the time we the younger siblings got home, it would be dinner time, or thereabouts. Wonderful Childhood Sunday Memories.

When My Whole Family Start Attending Bishop Archer’s Assembly.

When I was 12 years old my mother and most of my siblings started fully attending the Pentecost Church under Bishop Theophilus Archer, this was after the David Tyrell crusade in Black River 1975. Two of my older brothers and myself were baptised in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ during that crusade, at the independence park in Black River, hosted by Bishop Archer.

It was not a straight road in church for me, as after the death of my father when I was just 14 years, my Church attendance decimated, though my faith in the Lord was always intact, as I navigate those teenage years. At the age of 17 years old, for two whole years, I started to read off the whole Bible from cover to cover. Some books of the Bible I would read 2 to 3 times, as the case was with 1st and 2nd Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, and also the entire New Testament would be read more than once during those 2 years.

All this time that I was studying the word of God, I try keeping it from my mother and siblings, though they would’ve noticed that I’m spending several hours each day reading the Bible. Towards the end of the two years of me seeking the Lord through his words, my mother had this vision of me, where she described me having this hunger and thirst after the things of God, I knew what the dream meant but I didn’t say anything to my mother at the time. Then at the age of 20 years old I decided that the devil has had enough of me, and I vow in my heart that I will now take vengeance on the devil for robbing me of those teenage years, when I was hardly attending Church.

Though I am an introvert, who likes keeping my intentions to myself, such as the zeal that I have for the things of God and the level of dedication that I intend to put in. It wouldn’t take long before Bishop Archer notice the zeal that I have for the Kingdom of God. Bishop Archer would take me under his wings, like a father to a son, and started mentoring me in all aspect of life, not just Church issues, we became great friends. We were so relaxed in each others company that when we use to attend youth camp and conventions, some of my Church colleagues at the camp site from other parishes, actually thought that Bishop Archer was my biological father, as they noticed the close bond between us.

How Bishop Archer Mentored Me In My Early Ministry Pastoral Ministry.

At 23 years old I got married and lived in my wife’s community of vineyard district and started attending the Vineyard UPC, pastored by Bishop Archer’s younger brother, Presbiter Gauntlet Archer who also knew me from my childhood, while he was working with his older brother in the Black River UPC. Then at 25 years old, two years after I was married, the Lord told me to go over to Hilltop church and see what’s going on over there. I went to the Hill Top Assembly the Sunday morning and only one member turned up at about 1pm, I was living in vineyard district at the time. Then on the Monday morning when I came to Black River, as I operated my cabinet making business from my Mom’s home in Black River, I went straight to Bishop Archer’s house and told him what the Lord had said to me, and that I deliberately did not want anyone to know that I was going there.
I just got ready for Church, then stop by Vineyard Church and told Presbiter Gauntlet Archer what the Lord has said to me, and he gave me the okay to go by the Hill Top assembly.

After I told Bishop Archer what the Lord had said to me, and how I went with the Presbiter’s permission etc. Then I told him the experience I had at the Church, how I had to clean up the goat mess to get a spot to pray at the alter, and how I had to drive out the goats off the rostrum etc. (The assembly had no windows, it only had some boarded up zincs for doors, so the goats just walked in. The goats could also easily walked through the windows by the rostrum, due to the landscape being high at the back of the church etc). Bishop Archer then said to me ‘Well it is you who the Lord had asks to go over there. Hence, you’ll have to see what you can do over there’ or something to that extent.

I was appointed assistant pastor to Bishop Archer over the Hilltop Assembly for two years until I (hesitantly) migrated to the Uk in 1990, (my wife was born in the UK and she told me that she will be going back to the UK before we got married etc). Working with Bishop while I was at Hilltop is where I received my ministerial training, as I would pop by Bishop Archer’s house on the Monday mornings, and report what’s going on at Hilltop, then he would advice me as to how to address the issues at the assembly. Because Bishop Archer knows me from my childhood and we were already great friends, we could relax in the conversations and the mentoring would be like a father to a son. It was those ministerial mentoring years from Bishop Archer, that gave me the tools to do the great evangelistic work that I did in the Uk for many years.

The Only Minister That Bishop Archer Had Anointed In A Personal Capacity.

I was appointed to be an overseer in the Uk by the deputy presiding bishop for the organisation that I was with in the Uk. However, due to a falling out between the presiding bishop and the deputy presiding bishop, and myself getting caught up in the middle, due to the location of the assembly that I was pastoring at the time. I spoke to Bishop Archer about the issues and we decided to put my ministry in the UK under his leadership, due to the events in the Uk which include lawyers getting involved etc.

Like a father to a son, Bishop Archer decided to provide spiritual cover for me, he stepped out of his organisation shoes, and appointed me as an overseer, the same ministerial level of office that I had under my Bishop (the deputy presiding Bishop) in the Uk. The ceremony took place at Heaven’s Way Tabernacle, where Bishop Archer anointed me during a Sunday Morning Service, then did an excellent certificate for me to take back to the Uk etc. Hence, I have the honour of boasting that I’m the only person that Bishop Theophilus Archer has appointed at ministerial level or above, on a personal level. Any other minister who he has appointed would’ve been through the organisation, as oppose to one on one in the local assembly etc.

Without going into too much details, about the organisation that I was with in the Uk, at the time. Since these are well known, worldwide renowned apostolic bishops with Churches all over the world including in Jamaica, where they are from etc. However, things got so messy in the Uk that the third ranked Bishop, the general secretary for the organisation was behind bars for a couple years etc.

The Last Ten Years With Bishop Archer.

I’ve been visiting Jamaica for an average of 6 weeks each year for the past 10 years, as I started making preparations for my retirement etc. While attending the Black River UPC, during my lengthy visits to Jamaica, Bishop Archer always insists that I sat beside him on the rostrum. There were 4 Arm chairs to the corner of the rostrum where Bishop Archer would sits on his own, but before the start of the midday worship on the Sunday mornings, Bishop Archer would not sit down until I came to join him on one of those 4 armchairs on the rostrum. Sometimes after Sunday school class, I would pop outside to have a drink or to use the restroom etc, only to come back inside seeing Bishop Archer standing and pointing at the chair beside him, for me to come and join him on the rostrum. Even if he was sitting down when I came back inside, he would stand up and wave to me to come and join him on the rostrum, he would not sit down until I join him. Of course I would make haste grab my stuff and quickly make my way to sit beside him, to avoid the elderly Bishop Archer standing for too long.

From My Facebook Page

RIP🙏🏿. My Mentor From My Childhood. My Father In The Gospel. My Friend #BishopTheophilusArcher. You (Bishop Archer) Passed Away On My Birthday – 3 Weeks After I Spend A Couple Hours With You At Your Home. A Great Man Of God – One Of The Pioneers Of The UPC In Jamaica From The Early Days.

The Lord Told Me To Go And Spend Some (Specific) Time In Jamaica And It’s As If My Father Was Waiting On Me. At 96 Years Old He Was Not Aware Of My Presence In The Room. Yet When My Wife & I Was Worshipping With Him, He Sang Along And Spoke In Tongues & Worshipped In The Spirit🙏🏿.

We Are Now Working On The Main Church, That Was Badly Damaged During Hurricane Melissa – To Get It Ready On Time For The Funeral On 29th & 30th Of May🙏🏿. A Great Send Off For A Faithful & Great Man Of God That Served His Adopted Community In Black River Well For Six Decades🙏🏿.

Ref: For Further In-Site On Bishop Archer’s Ministry In Black River.

During Bishop Archer’s retirement celebrations over a decade ago, his family needed someone to write a special article on Bishop Archer’s ministry in Black River, the family contacted me and said they have thought about who they should ask, then they decided that it got to be me, who should write the article. I said with pleasure, the article was published in the retirement magazine, probably without editing.

For more in-site into the personal relationship between Bishop Archer and myself, and Bishop Archer’s ministry in Black River on a whole, please read that article. Bishop Archer was a humble man of God, that would stoop down to the lowest level, to lift us out of whatever mess we got ourself into. Bishop Archer had also served at the Wildman street assembly in Kingston, where he was sometimes left in charge of that assembly when one Bishop Vanadoo was off the island, though there were other senior ministers at the assembly. However, he was seen as a steady hand, as the black power movement slightly crept into the assembly. Bishop Archer would tell me the history, which probably goes back to the 1950s, since he came to St. Elizabeth in the early 1960s. Time would fail me to go any deeper into the life and ministry of Bishop Archer in Black River, or our personal relationship both in and out of Church, as I also worked with Bishop Archer on the building site for awhile as well etc.

Closing Remarks

For all of us who have been under Bishop Archer’s Ministry. The Lord will hold us accountable if we don’t take a step back and reflect on the life of Bishop Archer, and follow his example as to how to serve selflessly, humbly and faithfully. Thank God for this great Man of God🙏🏿.

When I first heard the words to a song done by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, I immediately identified with it. To quote ‘If you want to know why I am the way I am., it’ s the church I grew up in. This Black River UPC I grew up in. I thank God for Bishop Archer being pioneer to the work in Black River. It’s where I grew spiritually, vocally-yes, I learnt to sing there, I grew intellectually, I grew in confidence, just about every way developmentally- I grew. I thank God for Bishop’s teaching, he was a teacher indeed. Always stirred deep thinking, notable lesson ‘See that you do not fall out along the way’. He took reference from Genesis 45:24- Joseph sending his brothers back after they had come down to Egypt for sutainance he revealed his identity to his brothers and forgave them, Joseph sent them back to Canaan to bring their father, Jacob, down to Egypt. As they departed that was Joseph advise to them. Bishop Archer gave us that advice on numerous occasions to keep in faith. The advice still lingers. As it has happened on multiple occasion: it was an expectation that if at anytime he’s finished speaking/preaching/teaching and he says ‘hallelujah’ a few times in succession it would be followed by a fluency of tongues of fire which came with authority and a word for us, straight from glory. Bishop Archer also loved music and loved hearing us sing. He once said that when he was a youth being a pastor/preacher was not his intent, He said he’d had it in mind to go around with and fund singers/singing and music ministry, God had other plans…, even though he didn’t go around funding music ministry he allowed for the flourishing of such a legacy of music and singing ministry in Black River… If you know you know…
I loved to listen to his stories and experiences,, they were iconic, awe inspiring and faith building. Thank God for the life and ministry of Bishop Theophilus Archer.