It was certainly a night for celebration at the Ursuline Convent Chapel in St Michael, Barbados, as Living Water Community held its now annual, covenant night Friday, January 6.

This little community has seen much growth since it first came to the island three years ago, and this night was certainly a testament to this. Not only did the community's 58 covenanted members renew their promises to God, they also welcomed 12 new covenant members and witnessed the consecration of five married couples and four individuals to the Lord.

Standing from left: Living Water foundress, Rose Jackman, Barbados-based household member, Lucille Cockburn and consecrated member, Sandra Armstrong, lay hands on Alice Theophile after her renewal of her Household promises. Photo: Ronald Armstrong.

Alice Theophile, a Household member of the Living Water group who has been in Barbados on mission, also renewed her consecration promises on this occasion.

Covenant members promise to pray and read the Scriptures daily, attend the community's prayer meetings regularly, support and serve in its ministries and witness to the power of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Single consecrated laypersons profess the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.

They live on their own, often holding jobs outside of the community, while household members live together in community and serve full time in its ministries.

The Household comprises both lay consecrated persons and diocesan priests who also profess the evangelical counsels. Consecrated couples, essentially, promise to make Jesus Christ the centre of their marriages.

Bishop Robert Rivas, Apostolic Administrator to Barbados presided, with concelebrants Bishop Emeritus, Anthony Dickson, and Fr Harcourt Blackett, Delegate to the Apostolic Administrator.

During his homily, Bishop Rivas spoke about the call to holiness, saying that all people, single or married, must seek to attain this by listening to God and discerning what He is asking of us.

“Holiness equals wholeness,” he said, exhorting members to seek God in prayer, in the Gospel and in their daily lives.

He encouraged the community to continue witnessing to each other in God's love as this helps to strengthen the community and gives its members the courage to persevere.

The ceremony was beautiful and moving and, in itself, was a wonderful testimony to God's work in the lives of His people.