The Christian Fellowship Church on the Blowing Point Road in Anguilla staged one of the largest youth and adult activities seen on the island in recent months. It was called the “First Annual Kingdom Awakening Dance Conference” and was held on Thursday, October 31. It attracted scores of young people and adults, not only from the Christian Fellowship Church, but from other evangelical churches as well.
The event was held at the J C Recreational Centre, at South Hill, owned by fitness therapist, Louis Price, a member of the Christian Fellowship Church. The location for the event provided ample space for the large gathering and the various dance performances and other activities.
The dance conference was an inspiration of Janet Connor, of Blowing Point, one of the backbone and influential members of the church. “On behalf of the dancers and myself, we are excited for you to join us in our time of celebration,” she told members of the public in the well-sponsored anniversary booklet for the programme.
She said that the event was created by her after attending a Sister Conference in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, under the theme “It’s bigger than you”. She went on: “With the blessings of my Pastors (Rev Drs Ambrose and Kathleen Richardson), sending me forth, I am now hosting the First Annual Kingdom Awakening Dance Conference 2013. Our goals are to bring men and women, young and old, back in alignment, with their original purpose, to the body of Christ. We pray that as they hear the sound that comes from Heaven, they will be awakened to fulfil their destiny.”
The performing groups in the dance conference included New Dimension Dancers who emerged from the Majestic Dances, who started dancing in the Christian Fellowship Church in 1984 under the leadership of Janet Connor. The group has performed in the United States and various Caribbean islands. Another performing group of the church was the Ministering Dancers who began its ministry in 1991. Its members have performed all over Anguilla and in many regional islands. Susan Best, the church’s celebrated singer, worship leader, song writer and producer, was also a participant in the programme.
A Gospel Explosion Concert, part of the dance conference, was held on Saturday night, November 2. The performing groups were from the Christian Fellowship Assembly; Church of God of Prophecy; Dominion Faith Centre; Immanuel Methodist Church; New Testament Church; From Within Dance; and the Praise Dancers from St Kitts. Individual performers were Susan Best, Joseph Pradel and Gershwin Lake of Anguilla; and Annette Richards of Jamaica.
(Photo courtesy Gavin Jean)
The October 31 – November 2 dance conference included a number of visiting speakers. They were Dr Sharon McDonald, a highly-sought-after empowerment speaker – and conference host – residing in the US Virgin Islands; Dr Evelyn Turnbull, who was born in St Thomas but has relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where she is as an Assistant Pastor at All Nations Church; and Annette Richards, Country Representative for Christian Dance Fellowship, Jamaica. She is a Counselling Psychologist and Teacher.
Commenting on the event, Rev Dr Ambrose Richardson said that, as Pastor of the Christian Fellowship Church, he “was very delighted and very intrigued by the dance conference and the concert.” He continued: “Sister Janet has always done a very good job and the children are very involved and enjoyed it tremendously. She has my support 100 percent. The event has had a tremendous impact. We did not have room to seat the people – especially at the dance conference. It has been a very serious move of expectation and participation and the community was very much involved.”
