On of Anguilla’s foremost preachers, the Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent of the Methodist Circuit, passed away suddenly on September 4, 2020, at the age of 75. He was accorded a National Funeral by the Government of Anguilla in recognition of his varied contributions to the island.
At one time, recently, he had spoken to some of the leaders at the Bethel Methodist Church about holding an Ecumenical Gospel Concert to raise funds for the rebuilding of the church which was extensively damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. As fate would have it, however, he died before the realisation of that undertaking. Now that a convenient time came up, the organising committee held that event at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral on Sunday evening, December 6.
The two-and-a-half-hour Ecumenical Gospel Concert attracted the participation of various individual singers, groups and choirs, as well as young dancers. It was a most moving and enjoyable presentation. It commenced with a devotion conducted by Mrs. Evalie Bradley, a Local Preacher, and an opening prayer by Acting Superintendent, Rev. Dunstan Richardson. The programme was chaired by Rev. Candis Niles.
The Gospel programme included selections by the following singers: Pastor Phillip Gumbs and his sisters; Mr. Foster Rogers and company; the Ebenezer Men’s Fellowship; St. Augustine’s Chorale; Immanuel Methodist Church Choir; Zion Adventures; Chris Richardson and company; and the Banks and Harrigan families. Other presentations included: Melodious Praise; Dumpa Martin and son; Joseph Pradel; the Girls’ Brigade with a dance; a selection by Elliott Gumbs, son of the late Rev. Dr. Gumbs; reading of poetry/articles by Rev. Gumbs, presented by Mrs. Hyacinth Hughes – and Mrs. Ursil Brooks, representative of the Anguilla Christian Council; a solo by Electra Carty; and a reading by a youngster from St. Gerard’s Roman Catholic Church. The final selection was rendered by the Bethel Methodist Church Choir.
The closing remarks were delivered by Rev. Candis Niles. She said: “It has been a wonderful two-and-a-half hours celebrating the legacy of an individual who touched the hearts, minds and lives of so many. This does not only include those in the Methodist family – those in the community of North Hill [birthplace] of the late Rev. Dr. Gumbs] – but throughout Anguilla, the Caribbean and perhaps throughout the world. It is my sincere hope that all of the renditions captured just a little part of whom Rev. Dr. Gumbs was as an individual, a pastor for all people -and that we really celebrated his spirit of ecumenicalism.”
She was grateful to Bishop Errol Brooks and the congregation of St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral for the use of the church for the Ecumenical Gospel Concert. She delivered the Doxology just after Mr. Rodney Rey, a leader at Bethel Church, delivered the Vote of Thanks.
