Dennis Millwood: Preacher & Educator

 

Dennis Millwood

Dennis Millwood was born in 1932. He trained for the ministry at Calabar Theological College, where he proved himself an academically gifted student. He graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree, as an external student of the University of London.  In later years, he completed post-graduate study at San Francisco Theological Seminary, gaining a Master of Theology focusing on Psychology and Counselling.

On August 10, 1960, Millwood was united in marriage to Ariel Alexander, an educator from Watt Town, St Ann. Six children came from their union, namely, Eleanor, Denise, Karen, Camille, Michelle and Michael.

After he graduated from Calabar, Millwood was ordained to the Christian ministry in 1960 and was pastor in the following settings successively, viz., Yallahs circuit for one year; Port Antonio circuit from 1962-66, and then Denham Town church, Kingston 1968-1970, during which he was chaplain at Calabar High School. He ended his ministry in the Phillippo circuit of churches, where he served from 1970 to 1985. At Phillippo, he led the church in significant membership numerical growth, the expansion of its property space and the erection of the infrastructure for a Christian education programme.

The other principal area in which Millwood made a significant contribution was the field of education. After leaving Calabar, he was recruited to serve as principal of the St Thomas High School – a project led by Baptists. The school was opened on September 1, 1958, with Rev U. N. Leo-Erskine and Rev. C. A. Samuels on the management team. Millwood worked hard to develop the fledgling project. This included relocating the school from Yallahs to Morant Bay. This did not save the project which was abandoned after 1963.

Over the years, Millwood also helped to form students at several other schools. He taught at Titchfield, and Happy Grove High Schools in Portland; Meadowbrook and Calabar in St Andrew, and at St. Jago High Schools and at St. Catherine Secondary. As indicated earlier, while at Calabar where he was Baptist chaplain, he pastored the Denham Town church. At St. Catherine Secondary, he was guidance counsellor.

Committed to community building, Millwood also took on the roles of Chairman of the St Catherine YMCA and Chairman of the St Catherine branch of the Bible Society of the West Indies.

When he died in Spanish Town on January 30, 1985, he was only 53. His death occurred two years after he had completed serving as Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) President from 1980-1983. Only three days before Millwood’s passing, Rev John Bee, a long-serving JBU leader died. These developments precipitated a period of mourning in JBU.

Ariel Millwood

Millwood’s wife, Ariel, who was born October 4, 1932 in Watt Town in St Ann to parents Gladys Alexander and George Alexander. An educator, she graduated from Shortwood Teachers College and Western Carolina University, earning a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling. She outlived her husband by 33 years. She passed away, aged 86, in the city of Sunrise, Florida, on November 10, 2018 after serving as Administrator at the Parkway Baptist Church in Miami Gardens, Florida for several years.

Dennis Millwood is remembered as a gifted preacher and versatile educator.