22 FEATURE
New Testament Assembly 60th Anniversary NTA Founders Bishop Melvin Powell & Bishop Donald Bernard
“Hitherto has the Lord helped us”
T
he impact of diaspora churches from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Latin America on the religious landscape of the United Kingdom and into all levels of society has been astonishing. Contributing to this phenomenon is the New Testament Assembly, the church where I currently serve as its national leader. The NTA was established in Jamaica, West Indies, in 1954. The church, which had its roots in the USA, was birthed out of resistance and in protest to the unacceptable racial inequalities and injustice that existed at that time. Among the founders of NTA were my late father, Melvin L Powell, and his close friend, Bishop Donald E Bernard. The two men in their twenties formed what was to become an enduring partnership. They travelled to England in 1961, and planted the NTA on British soil in the same year. The many challenges that West Indians faced when they came to Britain are well documented and widely available in many publications, books and film documentaries. My father often recalled stories about the harsh treatment, being turned away from places of worship or denied the use of premises, that he and other Caribbean migrants experienced. They were seen as
eiving her MBE Rev Rose Powell rec
second-class believers and not welcomed. Despite all this, he and his compatriots showed great resilience and, by God’s grace, persevered. From its humble beginnings, in the living room of the late Reverend Alfred Doyley (and his wife Kathrine) in Balham, South London, the NTA has grown into a global organisation, with churches and ministries across four continents. As well as being known for its vibrant worship and Christian witness, the NTA has a long and recognised history of community engagement and Christian social action. This includes the Tooting Neighbourhood Centre, its Home Care and other activities for which my late mother, Rev Amy Rose Powell, was awarded an MBE. The Ethnicity and Mental Health Improvement
Project, prison support, homeless food programmes and more are all a part of this rich legacy. The NTA is also home to pioneering women leaders like my aunt, the late Rev Dr Io Smith MBE; Bishop Esme Beswick MBE, and Rev Nezlin Sterling, who will be remembered for their indispensable contribution to the innovative role the NTA played in intercultural ecumenism, and the high regard in which it is held in mainstream denominations. Pastor Io Smith with form er
Archbishop Carey
