As the countdown continues for the official observance of the Golden Jubilee of the Anguilla Revolution, the Church of God (Holiness) on the Queen Elizabeth Avenue, held a special Heritage Celebration on Sunday, May 21.
Pastor Philip Gumbs and his congregation replaced their regular service with a programme of patriotic songs, poems, music and even a sermon for the occasion. The service recalled and celebrated the historic 1967 Anguilla Revolution and the positive changes it brought about in the island’s progress over the years.
The well-known revolutionary anthem, “We are out to build a new Anguilla,” echoed throughout the spacious church building, beautifully decorated with the national colours of the island. Other patriotic songs included “Anguilla I Love You”; “Anguilla My Home” written by Pastor Gumbs and sung by his wife, Mrs. Cynthia Gumbs, and his sisters Priscilla Gumbs and Mary Hughes; “The Golden Jubilee Song” written by Marvin Gumbs and played by the church’s steel band; “Cherish the Rock” written by Bankie Banks and sung by the church’s congregation; and a poem entitled “From Sunset to Sunrise” written by Patricia Adams and recited by church member Akaliah Carty. There was a monologue by another church member who covered some early events of the Anguilla Revolution – and the leadership of revolutionary leader, the late James Ronald Webster.
Asked to comment on the decision to hold the special event, Pastor Gumbs told The Anguillian: “My wife, Sister Cynthia Gumbs, was the inspiration. It was in view of the fact that this is the 50th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution and it is also the annual Family Month for our church. We felt it appropriate to celebrate with Anguilla the significant Golden Anniversary. So it was her idea, working with a number of other persons including Sister Brenda Gumbs who was involved in the key planning. We felt that, as a church, we cannot be separated from the community and what is happening nationally has to be reflected and expressed in the church as well.
“We sing the ordinary songs every Sunday, but we felt it would be very appropriate to sing songs that are patriotic and that speak directly to us as nationals, as citizens of Anguilla that we love.”
Pastor Gumbs took his sermon from Genesis chapter 13: 1-18. Asked to explain what he tried to convey, he replied: “I was trying to get across the fact that, as a nation, we have to see ourselves not just as individuals or people who we are competing with but as family. It is how we interact with each other; support each other instead of tearing down or hurting each other. It takes Christ to make that possible. Our human nature will cause us to fight against each other, even as family, but it takes Christ to make us function as a true family.”
