MOUNT CAREY, St James — Outgoing pastor of the Mount Carey Circuit of Baptist Churches in St James Rev Dr George Simpson could not hold back the tears last week Sunday, as he listened attentively to the reading of the glowing citation in his honour, in front of scores of his colleagues and well-wishers at the Mount Carey Baptist Church, South St James.

For most of the four-hour-long service of retirement and thanksgiving in celebration of his 46 years of Christian ministry, Rev Simpson sat quietly, close to Joan, his wife of 45 years, occasionally nodding his head in approval of the tributes.

But, the 72- year-old Rev Simpson lost his composure and burst into tears as Deacon Patricia Palmer — while reading the citation — recalled the brutal attack on the pastor at the Mount Carey Baptist Manse almost eight years ago, which nearly cost him his life.

“The year 2008 was a year of adversity, pain and despair when you were brutally injured at the Manse. The road to recovery was long and daunted, but through surgery and pain you demonstrated forgiveness, through Christ you were able to defy the odds,” the citation read.

During the bloody attack, Rev Simpson was shot in the face, abdomen and chest by the hoodlums who also inflicted knife wounds to both of the pastor’s hands, one leg and his abdomen, as he shouted “The blood of Jesus! The blood of Jesus!”

Bleeding profusely, he was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. Weeks later, he was transferred to a medical facility in the United States where he underwent six immensely painful major surgeries. He also underwent two local surgeries.

Almost two years after the brutal attack, the pastor was back at work at the Mount Carey Baptist Church, after what many described as a “miraculous recovery”.

And during his first service there, Rev Simpson said he had long forgiven his attackers, some of whom, he claimed, have since died.

“I have forgotten them and I am not rejoicing over their death,” he told the Jamaica Observer then.

But, just over two years later, tragedy again struck at the church, nestled in the usually quiet community of Mount Carey.

This time, the almost 200-year-old church building was gutted by fire believed to be the work of arsonists. It was later rebuilt through a slew of fundraising events and donations.

Last week Sunday, Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) General Secretary Rev Karl Johnson, in his tribute, said Rev Simpson “was faithful to his vocation in good times and bad times and in sunshine or in rain”.

“He was a man consistent in his conviction, whether you heard him in the corridor or in the corridors of the executive room, the same views he held in quiet corner, he expounds it into open forum,” said Rev Johnson.

He added that Rev Simpson, who demonstrates great organisational skills, respected and supported the Baptist institution, adding that his wife was “a woman of faith and substance who possesses strength and character”.

Deacon Charles Hall, who spoke on behalf of the Mount Carey Circuit of Baptist Churches, said Rev Simpson had impacted every area of the church.

“Rev Simpson has been outstanding. He has touched every area of church life. He was part of the Sunday School, he was part of the youth fellowship, part of the young adult fellowship, part of the brotherhood, organist for the choir, he gave support to the Women’s Federation,” said Hall.

“Rev Simpson has served the circuit with distinction and I can assure you all that this circuit will not forget the work of Rev Simpson. He has set an example for us to follow, and I am sure we are following in that path.”

And Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris, also paying tribute, stressed that regardless of the challenges that he faced, Rev Simpson distinguished himself as a true public servant, who positively impacted many lives.

Other persons paying tributes to Rev Simpson and his wife included: President of the JBU Rev Michael Shim Hue; Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church Rev Everton Jackson; Ronald Woosen of the Sarasota Baptist Church; Rev Wayne Smith, moderator, St James Baptist Association; President of the St James Ministers’ Fraternal Rev Glendon Powell; Member of Parliament for St James Southern Derrick Kellier; Councillor for the Cambridge Division Homer Davis; Pastor of the Stewart Town Circuit of Baptist Churches Rev Stephen Henry; Rev Autman Morgan, a representative of the Thompson Town Circuit of Baptist Churches; HF Smith, community member and past principal of the Anchovy High School in St James, and Custos of St James Ewen Corrodus, whose tribute was read by President of the St James Chapter of the Lay Magistrates’ Association of Jamaica Claudette Bryan.

Rev Simpson, OD, was ordained a minister by the JBU in 1969. In the ensuing years, he was busy building the church. After 11 years in Stewart Town, Trelawny, he was called to the Mount Carey Baptist Church in 1980. The circuit had two churches— Mount Carey and Shortwood — along with nine “class houses”, which are outstations of a main church. Simpson decided with his congregations to transform the houses into fully-fledged churches. It was a mammoth task, but he was on a roll.

Four of the class houses — at Roehampton, Bickersteth, Comfort Hall and Belmont — became churches. Shettlewood on the St James/Hanover border was later added.

The pastor has served the Mount Carey community for more than three decades, and through his instrumentality, a raft of social and educational programmes have been implemented in the area.