A twin ceremony marked the 30th Anniversary of Zion Methodist Church at North Hill. The first event, on Wednesday night, December 12, was a special service and a presentation of awards to various persons for the roles they played at Zion. The second event was an inaugural Christmas lighting and awards ceremony which immediately followed the service and was organised by the North Hill Community Action Group.
An historical account, presented by Sinclair Buchanan, showed that Zion Methodist Church was dedicated on December 12, 1982. The building was originally designed to have a multi-purpose function – serving as a place of worship on Sundays and for community activities during the week.
“Over the last thirty years, we can say this church has perhaps nurtured two generations of children,” Reverend Richardson said in his opening remarks. “An anniversary is a time of celebration and thirty years is indeed a significant milestone. It is also a time for reflection. As we reflect, we capture a sense of pride because we have been part of this journey. As we reflect, we think of persons who have been really key and critical, and played pivotal roles in the life of the church over those years, and that’s why we take time out to honour and recognise them.”
Reverend Richardson was among some twelve persons who were presented with awards for their service and dedication to the church. In the course of his sermon he declared: “As we reflect and assess, we can’t stay here. We have to look to the future and where we are going. Our purpose for being here is still the same. The question is: can we do what we are doing better, and can we do more than what we have been doing for the last thirty years? That’s the challenge that God and our community daily place before us…Continue to let your light shine so that others may see. That’s why we will be lighting the area after the service. It is all tied in. We are going to have lights in North Hill even if we can’t pay for it.”
Reverend Richardson said the lighting just outside the church was to send a message against the darkness of crime and violence which was causing persons to be depressed and sad. “We don’t want to leave home. We are afraid that people will break into our homes,” he went on. “We are sending a message. We are not going to roll over and play dead. We are not going to just give up the ghostand allow those who wish to run rampant and wild, destroying our society, to take over our community. We are here and we are here to stay; and we are going to claim back our society. This is our mission.”
Following the service, the congregation walked across to the basketball court area for the lighting and awards ceremony. There, Sinclair Buchanan, Chairman of the North Hill Community Action Group, delivered the opening remarks. “Following the spate of violence that was gripping the island last year, the group was formed in April 2011 to rescue and ensure that the youth of North Hill did not get caught up in gang violence,” he recalled.
He credited Monsell Lloyd for sharing his vision for a community group with him, Reverend Richardson and David Carty.
“The group is non-political and is open to all who are concerned about the North Hill community in general,” Buchanan stated. “The primary objective is to engage the entire North Hill community in conversation around issues facing our youth, the role of parents, elders and leaders in our community in relation to our children and young people. At the same time, the aim is to allow the youth to identify and express their needs. To this end, two community conversations were held addressing the high cost of crime, and its effects on the family, with a view to eliciting ideas from the youth.”
During the event, Certificates of Appreciation were presented to seventeen women and eleven men for being matriarchs, patriarchs and treasured citizens respectively in the North Hill community. Special Certificates were awarded to Mr and Mrs Bertram Richardson and Collins Richardson for their contribution in the area of business; Donald Lloyd for community service at the Sombrero Lighthouse; Aaron Richardson and Angeline Gumbs for outstanding achievement in athletics; Senegal Carty for outstanding achievements in education; and Merrick Richardson and Incia (Junior) Brooks for positive contribution to community youth work.
The Christmas lighting was performed by Bertram Richardson who turned on the switch. In addition to the presentation of awards, other activities included music, singing and dining, much to the delight of the large and appreciative crowd.
