It was a spectacular and blissful moment at the United Methodist Church at Goderich Street, downtown Freetown on Sunday March 2nd, 2025 where hundreds of UMC congregation including senior Clergies from different branches across the country and other parts of the sub-region had gathered to witness the installation and celebration of their new Resident Bishop, Rt. Rev. Bishop James Boye Caulker.

Bishop Caulker, 61, was duly elected and consecrated Bishop of the United Methodist Church at the 10th Quadrennial Session of the West Africa Central Conference in Ghana from 5th –   8th December, 2024 having desirously, faithfully and dedicatedly served the mission from childhood defying every temptation and other isms. He was assigned by the West Africa Central Conference Committee on Episcopacy to the Sierra Leone Area. This was confirmed by the Chairman, Episcopacy WACC/Conference Lay Leader who proudly received and presented Bishop James Boye Caulker to the congregation.

In his sermon from the book of Jeremiah 1:1-18 on the theme “Receive Thou Authority,” the Rt. Rev. Dr. Tom A.D. Demby, Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church-SL vividly explained ways how a true man of God should communicate with God.

There are four channels of communication, he said, including the source, recipient, message and environment. One after the other, he explained them and told Bishop Caulker to take careful note of them which he insists are his guiding principles.

Like young Jeremiah, he told his colleague that God is his source and should always listen to Him because He is alive, powerful and ready to talk to him at any time. He told him not to allow his limitations to way him down as God already knows those limitations like in the case of Jeremiah. Secondly, being a recipient of God’s message, he should not be afraid to spread His words because He is there to rescue him all the times. That he must love and respect God and everyone but fear no one.

On the channel of third channel of communication, Bishop Demby told his counterpart that God has sent him to spread his message across and therefore should fear no one but should execute his duty justly in the glory of God who has sent him. On the last aspect regarding the environment, the man of God bluntly told Bishop Caulker that like in the case of Jeremiah, he should be aware that the environment is not healthy, that it’s noisy and chaotic but that should not in any case deter him because the most powerful God is there to protect him at every given time.

In conclusion, Bishop Demby encouraged his childhood friend to go out and make a meaningful sacrifice to the nation like Moses who delivered his people, like Paul who listened to God, like Peter who was not argumentative and like Jeremiah who always meditated on God’s words. He blessed and wished him well in his endeavours.

In appreciation the Rt. Rev. Bishop Caulker took his time to thank everyone who in diverse ways meaningfully contributed to his success story and the success of the event in general including but not limited to her lovely wife.

He admitted however that his journey has not been an easy ride but thanked God for grace and mercy to have seen him through.

Bishop Caulker assured all and sundry that: “With God’s help, I promise to bear and to proclaim God’s word, and rightly administer the Sacraments as your Pastor and servant.”

His election did not come as a surprise most of the Mission’s hierarchy, given his humility, and respect he has mankind in general which has undeniably catapulted him to his current envious position.