On a bright Sunday morning in Oak Bluffs, voices rise in harmony from a small but spirited congregation. The rhythms of gospel and reggae intertwine inside New Life Ministries International M.V., Martha’s Vineyard’s newest Pentecostal church. Hands clap, feet sway, and the air hums with something familiar, yet new — a sound that feels like home. For many in the Island’s Jamaican community, this sanctuary represents more than worship; it’s a return to faith, family, and belonging.
Officially established this past spring, New Life Ministries International M.V. has quickly become a gathering place for those seeking both spiritual grounding and cultural connection. At the corner of Circuit Avenue Extension, the historic Strand Theatre now bears new light. Once known for film and laughter, it now adds faith — transforming it into a sanctuary in the heart of town.
The path to this moment began quietly, years before the official launch. “A young lady from the Island visited one of our services in Hyannis before COVID and told me, ‘We need a church like this on the Vineyard,’” recalls Apostle Dr. Donovan Kerr, who founded and oversees the ministry. “When I asked, ‘Aren’t there churches there?’ she said, ‘Yes, but nothing like what we’re accustomed to back home.’ That stayed with me.”
He understood immediately. “Jamaicans are particular about a lot of things — our food, our worship, our way of praise,” he says. “Just like our meals are seasoned with care, our worship has its own flavor — and both are sacred to us.”
The Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Jamaica “holds the Guinness World Record for the most churches per square mile.” Though the official record is difficult to trace, the saying has become a beloved emblem of how deeply faith is woven into Jamaican identity.
Building a home for that vision on Martha’s Vineyard took time. “It was very challenging to find a venue,” Kerr recalls. “It took almost a year. We started at the Island Inn in early 2024, holding Sunday evening services. Then, through community connections, the door opened for us to move into the Strand Theatre — right in the heart of Oak Bluffs.”
Every Sunday at 10 am, the Strand fills with voices lifted in praise, reggae-infused worship, and messages of restoration. The theatre’s seats become pews, and its stage becomes an altar where many cultures meet.
Pastor Donna Howell, who travels to the Island weekly to lead services, remembers those first gatherings and how quickly they grew. “We started out in a conference room at the Island Inn,” she says. “Soon after, we moved into the Strand Theatre. That was such a blessing — right where everyone can see and reach us.”
What began as an outreach ministry soon found its stride. On March 30, New Life officially launched as a full ministry and shifted to morning services. With that step came a deepening of commitment and community. “I’ve seen real growth — not just in numbers, but in spirit,” Howell says. “People are maturing in their faith. And we welcome everyone — not just Jamaicans or people of color. That’s why we are ‘international.’ From all races and backgrounds, everyone is welcome.”
New Life’s worship is vibrant, warm, and spirit-filled — unmistakably Jamaican, yet open to all. Services blend prayer with praise, testimonies with laughter, and the sweet scent of home-cooked meals waiting just beyond the fellowship hall.
That rhythm — joyful, communal, and inclusive — defines the church’s identity. “Our vision transcends denomination, ethnicity, and culture,” Kerr explains. “We are a church for everyone.”
For congregants, that vision feels personal. Stacy Thomas-Waite, a member and owner of Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine, describes New Life simply: “It’s a true family church. The head pastor makes sure he has everyone’s number, and takes time to really know each person and play a part in their lives. They keep the members active, righteous, and united as one. I’ve been searching for something like this on the Island for years, and I finally found it. It’s a beautiful, mixed congregation where everyone feels welcome.”
Community isn’t theoretical here — it’s practiced. The fifth Sunday of the month becomes Family Sunday, a beloved tradition where worship spills naturally into fellowship: shared meals, games, laughter, and connection. Howell recalls one recent afternoon when a family walking by paused at the Strand’s open doors. “They asked what was happening,” she says. “We invited them to join. They stayed, ate, and laughed with us the whole evening. That’s the spirit we want — where anyone can come, feel welcome, and belong.”
The story of New Life is also one of perseverance. For months, services were shaped by logistics — what could be set up, what had to be carried in, what each space would allow. Yet those constraints became part of the ministry’s character: adaptive, resilient, and rooted in service. “We see ourselves as a church for the people,” Kerr says. “Beyond the spiritual, we want to serve the whole person. We’re exploring how to meet physical and social needs too — to be a blessing to the Vineyard, to contribute, uplift, and love in action.”
That mission has not gone unnoticed. The church has already welcomed special guests and well-known figures from the Jamaican community. Their presence, leaders say, reflects the strong ties between the Vineyard and Jamaica — and how deeply the Island’s Jamaican diaspora continues to support one another, near and far.
Place also matters in this story. The Strand Theatre, a beloved Oak Bluffs landmark, has long been a gathering space — first for filmgoers and comedy enthusiasts, and now for the faithful. Every Sunday morning, before Circuit Avenue’s shops open and summer crowds begin to stir, a different kind of energy fills the street: tambourines, reggae chords, and the harmonies of worshipers gathered in gratitude.
In a town long celebrated as a center of Black joy and cultural history, New Life has added a new chapter: one that bridges generations, faiths, and communities through a shared rhythm of praise.
For Pastor Howell, the weekly journey to the Vineyard underscores that dedication. “I don’t live on the Island — I travel here for ministry,” she says. “But even though it’s a journey, it’s one I make with joy, because this church has truly become a home for so many.”
That spirit of devotion extends beyond the pulpit. From rides to church to shared meals after service, members embody a sort of love in motion — faith expressed through presence and care. The congregation includes Jamaicans, other Caribbean Islanders, lifelong Vineyarders, and newcomers alike. They gather not because they are the same, but because they are learning to belong to one another.
From a modest conference room at the Island Inn to the Strand’s well-known marquee, New Life’s journey mirrors the resilience and renewal that define the Vineyard’s Caribbean community. Each song, prayer, and shared plate feels like home — a place where faith and fellowship cross cultural lines. It is a ministry intentionally named for what it seeks to offer: new life.
As the summer season gives way to autumn’s quiet, New Life continues to meet every Sunday morning, carrying a steady rhythm into the months ahead. The plan, leaders say, is to deepen roots — expanding outreach, family gatherings, and local partnerships that meet both spiritual and practical needs. The goal is simple and profound: to keep opening the door a little wider.
In every sense, New Life Ministries International M.V. is exactly what its name promises: a fresh start, a spiritual home, and a living testament to the enduring strength and generous welcome of Jamaica’s legacy on Martha’s Vineyard.
And in the middle of Oak Bluffs, beneath a historic marquee and above a well-worn stage, a congregation keeps time to a familiar rhythm: faith that looks like family, and family that sounds like joy.
