“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.  I sought the Lord, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears”… (Psalms 34:1-4)

Elder Beverley Maria Clarke was born in the quaint settlement of Roses, Long Island, Bahamas to the parentage of Atwell Williams and Ethelyn Cartwright-Wilson (deceased).  She eventually moved to New Providence and received her formative education at Western Junior and Senior High Schools.  And later continued her education through studies at various evening institutions, including the Bahamas Institute of Bankers.

Initially converted at the impressionable age of nine (9), Elder Clarke rededicated her life to God at fifteen (15) years old and never looked back.  God honoured her faithfulness, and in August of 1968, blessed her with a husband in the person of Bishop Vernal G. Clarke.  Though busy with family and career, she sensed a greater call to service and underwent a ministerial internship with the Church of God Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, which culminated in 1988, eventually being commissioned into the Gospel Ministry in Cleveland, Tennessee, later that same year.  In June 1999, she was ordained to the gospel ministry.

Over time, Elder Clarke has served God, her church and community faithfully in many wide-ranging capacities.  Some of her more notable appointments include, Youth Choir Director, Young Ladies Auxiliary (YLA) Advisor and Sunday School Superintendent.  But, undoubtedly, her most significant accomplishment, in this regard, thus far, has been her leadership of “Women of Integrity Ministries”, which she established during 1994.  This ministry has grown substantially since its inception and has become a major part of the church’s ministry.  Although it is held locally, annually it is Elder Clarke’s vision and dream to extend “Women of Integrity Ministries” beyond the borders of the Bahamas.  If you should ask Elder Clarke of her past community works, she would proudly say working with the Ranfurly Home for Children during 1979-1999 and assisting her husband in the prison ministry for approximately 20 years.

Elder Clarke has received numerous awards over the years in recognition of her dedication and unequivocal commitment to ministry.  Receiving the Most Outstanding Mother Award from Great Commission Ministry in May 1995, the Bahamas National Gospel Excellence Award in June 2001, in the category of Women of Influence and again in April 2002 she received the award for Religion from the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.  February 10th, 2005 Skills Bahamas honored Elder Clarke as Leading Woman for 2004. In May 2005, the Bahamas Mother’s Club proclaimed her Mother of the Year (2005-2006).

A much sought-after preacher and conference speaker, Elder B. M. Clarke, as she is affectionately known, has been called to be an encourager and motivator to the body of Christ.  She ably delivers the word of God under a prophetic anointing and has preached throughout the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States of America.

Following a productive thirty-(30) year banking career, Elder Clarke joined her husband, senior pastor, Bishop V. G. Clarke in full time ministry at Calvary Deliverance Church, in January 2001.  She enjoys travelling and spending quality time with her life long companion.  The couple resides in Highland Park, New Providence, and this union was blessed with six (6) children, Merilyn, Glen, Keva, Jayson, Ricardo and Lavonne, three (3) daughters-in-law Michelle, Natasha & A’Yanna and one son-in-law, Antoine “Rory”, and five (5) grandchildren, to date.

Extras: Elder Clarke was instrumental in starting a Toastmasters Club at the church in 2008 and a Family Conference last year with a goal to bridge the gap primarily between parents and children. Her ministry has even taken her into the schools where she along with volunteers from the church read to the children during Reading Month or other special event.