KL Freelance Reporter

On the eve of the 28th anniversary of St. Kitts and Nevis, a state service was held at the Wesley Methodist Church Seaton Street. In 2011, the Independence Thanksgiving Service was organised jointly by the St. Kitts Christian Council and the St. Kitts Evangelical Association.

Welcome remarks by Rev. Dr. Wycherly Gumbs, Superintendent of the Methodist Church and Host, closely followed the arrival of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and the Governor General of St. Kitts-Nevis, His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian. Rev. Gumbs’ remarks sought to bear on the attention of the country’s leaders, reminding them of their responsibilities and challenging them to take the batons and “swing them wide so that our children may inherit a good day and a godly heritage”.

The 2011 theme of Independence: ‘Preserving our Heritage: Self Respect, Tolerance and Compassion” elicited from Pastor Prisca Hyliger, of the Evangelistic Faith Church, perhaps one of the timeliest and most stirring sermons of the day. Opening her sermon with an anecdotal story about a young lady named Kitty Genève of Queen’s New York, Pastor Hyliger focussed on the word “Compassion. Kitty Genève, she said, on March 13th 1964 was stabbed three times by assailant over an hour’s period and although no fewer than 38 of her neighbours witness the stabbings, only one neighbour called the police and by then Genève was dead.

Pastor Hyliger said the story symbolized, “The dark side of the national character it would stand for humans, American, Kittitians who were too indifferent or frightened or too alienated or to self-absorbed to get involved in helping a fellow human being in trouble.”

Taken from the book of Luke Chapter 10 the account of the Good Samaritan was retold. Pastor Hyliger then asked the congregants to turn to each other and asks “Who is my Neighbour? The answer: “Whoever needs help that person is your neighbour,” she said as she expounded on the virtues of having compassion one neighbour toward another neighbour.

“Compassion is costly. Compassion is a willingness to get involved, to meet the needs of someone. Compassion may require us to change our schedule to help someone in need. Compassion requires us to shift our priority. Compassion sometimes endangers our lives and our reputation when we step out to help someone in need,” she said.

Readings were completed by members of the various clergies with rejoining responses from congregant.

The Mass Choir sang excellently, firstly with, “Crown Him with Many Crowns” and again with “I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing”.
Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas read from the Old Testament; Parliamentarian Hon. Eugene Hamilton from the New Testament.

Nurses, Fire and Rescue Service personnel and members of the various divisions of armed forces participated in the service.

The Service concluded with the signing of the national anthem “O’ Land Of Beauty”. Dignitaries and other governmental members, both incumbent and opposition members from St. Kitts and Nevis were present.

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