On Monday, 31st December 1990, Central Baptist Church held its Watch night service during which Pastor Charles H. Grant, Pastor Ivor J. Walker and Pastor Willie Demps were ordained and installed as Associate Elders of Central Baptist Church to assist Pastor Jonas, the Presiding Elder, in the general oversight of the work.
On Sunday, 14th August 1991, the church voted unanimously to establish the East Caribbean Baptist Mission, an indigenous mission agency for the propagation of the gospel to our nation and the other island nations of the Eastern Caribbean. The mission’s focus would be on church planting, educational ministries, media ministries, and conference ministries. Ms. Paula Europe was added to the administrative staff of the ECBM to assist in the supervising of the staff.
September 1991, the Baptist Child Development Centre was organized to provide early childhood care and education for children up to five years of age with Mrs. Carlene Douglas as a supervisor.
In September of 1992, the ECBM Scholarship Fund awarded its first full scholarship for a ministerial student to pursue theological study in Canada. Scholarships were later granted to students studying other subjects like Elementary Education and Business Administration.
On October 7th, 1992, the church voted unanimously to grant the Tyrells Baptist Chapel its own Constitution and Bylaws under the name “Tyrells Baptist Church.” The new church was dedicated on November 29th, 1992 with a charter membership of 27 persons. The church also entered into a circuit arrangement with the Central Baptist Church for the purpose of sharing a common eldership and diaconate.
September 6, 1993, marked the expansion of the ECBM Educational Ministries. The Baptist Elementary School was established to educate children from ages 5 years to 12 years with Pastor Jonas as Principal and Ms. Nadine Smith as a supervisor.
In 1993, the ECBM joined with a few churches across our sub-region to establish the annual Baptist Heritage Pastors Conference with its first meeting in Martinique. The Rivière Salée Evangelical Baptist Church where Pastor Gabriel Ambroisine presides hosted the first conference. The conference has grown to include representation churches throughout the Caribbean.
On July 30th, 1995, the ECBM Ministries dedicated the Baptist Retreat Centre at Pares Village/Betty’s Hope. This facility was dedicated to host a variety of conferences for the edification of believers throughout the region.
In January 1997 the Governor General of Antigua & Barbuda signed into law the East Caribbean Baptist Mission (Incorporation) Act of 1996. Later that year Mrs. Vandah Jonas as added to the administrative staff of the Baptist Elementary School as a supervisor.
In December 1997, both the Central and Tyrells Baptist Churches unanimously acted to bring the constitution of the churches into further consistency with the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. This confession of faith is the doctrinal guide used by the ECBM for interpreting the Holy Scriptures.
In September 1998, the name of our school was changed to Baptist Academy of Antigua in anticipation of further expansion to include a secondary division. Mrs. Karen Wehner was also added to the administrative staff as a supervisor.
In September 2000, ECBM Educational Ministries saw further expansion in the establishment of a secondary division. The Baptist Academy of Antigua operates with four divisions (Daycare, Preschool, Elementary, Secondary).
In September 2001, Mrs. Vandah Jonas as named Vice-Principal of the Baptist Academy of Antigua to achieve a greater efficiency in the operations of the school which had reached an enrollment of over 250 students.
On November 4, 2001, Pastor Orvin Paige was ordained to the pastoral ministry and installed as an Associate Elder of the Central and Tyrells Baptist churches.
On December 10th 2003 the Villa Baptist Church entered in a covenant agreement with the ECBM as a Partner Church. This associate membership status integrates the Villa Baptist Church in the ministry of the ECBM while maintaining separate legal incorporation.
On Easter Sunday, 2004, the ECBM, under the leadership of Dr. Hensworth W.C. Jonas, constituted the Covenant Baptist Church. This move was initially motivated by a desire to reconstitute a disbanded Baptist Church in the Cedar Grove community. Nine members formed the charter membership of the Church, transferring their membership from the Central and Tyrells Baptist Churches. Pastor Orvin Paige was appointed as Resident Elder of the new congregation. The church was briefly relocated to rented facilities in the Coolidge area.
On September 1, 2004 Deacons Stephen Butters and Ian Blair were appointed administrative supervisors in the Baptist Academy of Antigua with special responsibilities for public relations and physical education respectively.
On September 5, 2004, the ECBM dedicated a new Secondary school facility on property purchased immediately south of the Central Baptist Church. The facility houses classrooms, rest rooms, science laboratory, home economic center, and media ministry studio.
On April 15, 2007, a newly constructed church building was dedicated for the Covenant Baptist Church. By the providence of God, the ECBM was able to purchased property in the Longfords Estate/Mount Pleasant community on Friars Hill road for the construction of this worship permanent facility for the Covenant Baptist Church.
On August 31, 2008, the ECBM dedicated a new Elementary school facility on the property immediately to the west of the Central Baptist Church. The facility houses four new classrooms, each with it own rest room facilities. Renovations were also done to some of the old elementary classrooms. This move enabled the Elementary Division of the Baptist Academy to completely move out of the Central Baptist Church building, opening up more space for church auxiliaries."
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