IT WAS a great honour for Guyana yesterday when the first-ever female presiding elder in the global African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) attained the glorious and venerable age of 100 years. On this occasion, the distinguished Reverend Dorothy Millicent Stephens Morris, M.S., now fondly referred to as “Sister Dor”, joined the ranks of the nation’s few but privileged centenarians.
In acknowledgement of her attaining this signature milestone, and in appreciation of her golden years of service to family, friends, and indeed the entire nation, a birthday celebration was hosted in her honour at her home at Lot 138, Crown Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.
Celebration was by thanksgiving, over which the Reverend Herbert Patterson, Justice of the Peace, presided. This was followed by a modest birthday reception, during which the precious soul mingled with guests and was showered with tributes.  Selected hymns were: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Now Thank we all our God, New Every Morning is Thy Love, and The Lord’s my Shepherd.
Joining the centenarian and her family in celebration were Education Minister Priya Manickchand-Murly, on behalf of the Government; Attorney-at-Law Debra Backer, representing the Opposition parties; representatives of the church community, and friends.

Product of the Pomeroon
Reverend Dorothy Millicent Stephens Morris was born in the Pomeroon on July 21, 1912, as the second of two siblings to James Alexander Stephens and Josephine Ivy Hackett Stephens. She received her education in the Pomeroon, but later moved to Georgetown, where she learnt dressmaking, and made a splendid job of practising that craft.
Elegantly adorned and looking as prim as a peacock at her birthday function yesterday, her appearance was testimony to her taste and to the quality of work she produced as a dressmaker in her time.
In 1956, she married Reverend Alphonso Morris, a widower with three children (Miriam Agatha Morris Patterson, James Albert Morris and Ruby Hyacinth Miller-Glen), and it was at her husband’s A.M.E Church in Charlestown, Georgetown that Sister Dorothy Millicent Stephens Morris responded to the call to ministry and evangelism.
In 1957, she was ordained a deaconess; and in 1962, pursued ministerial studies within the Guyana Annual Conference. On March 1, 1964, she was ordained a local deacon, and on April 20, 1969, she was ordained an itinerant elder.
In 1973, Reverend Dorothy Morris was appointed Acting President Elder, and this appointment was confirmed at the 1974 Guyana Annual Conference.
Reverend Dorothy Millicent Stephens Morris is the recipient of the Medal of Service (MS) award for her missionary work among the children and aged in the Charlestown community. She loves children, and has been blessed with nine (9) of them, together with 18 grand children and 18 great-grand children.
Abiding in a family and church environment where love abounds, her family and brethren now all join hands, hearts and voices to give thanks and praise to God for richly blessing her with continued health and strength, and for all that she is to her immediate and extended family.
The Sunday Chronicle joins in extending congratulations to Guyana’s newest centenarian, and wishes God’s continued love and blessings be showered on her each day.