It is safe to say that the 2017 Anguilla Day Ecumenical Service at Bethel Methodist Church on Sunday, May 28, was larger, more colourful and patriotic than that of any other year.
Throngs of uniformed young people, representing various church and community organisations, formed a long and impressive procession to the church ahead of the service. There, capacity crowds filled both the church and the tent to overflowing. Everywhere the national flag and colours of Anguilla stood out prominently – and the singing of patriotic songs by the choir, youth group and the congregation made the event a truly enjoyable and mem
orable occasion.
The service, marking the Golden Jubilee of the Anguilla Revolution, had as its theme (as all the other organised activities) “Celebrating Fifty Years Since the Revolution; Transforming, Empowering and Building our Nation”. The service got off to a grand start with a procession of flags to the platform of the church and their presentation as follows: The Governor’s Flag to Governor Christina Scott; The Union Jack to Deputy Governor, Mr. Perin Bradley; The National Flag to Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks; The Flag of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas to Rev. Franklin Roberts; The Mermaid Flag (an early flag of Anguilla) to Mrs. Olive Hodge (Heroine of the Revolution); the Revolutionary Flag to Mr. Clive Smith,(Hero of the Anguilla Revolution); and the Boys Brigade Flag to Rev. Joseph Lloyd.
The service was jointly organised by the Anguilla Christian Council and the Anguilla Evangelical Association in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Officiating Ministers were Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit; the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks of the Anglican Church; Rev. Lindsay Richardson, Methodist Minister, who delivered the sermon and Pastor Philip Gumbs of the Church of God (Holiness).
Governor Christina Scott, Chief Minister Banks and Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Palmavon Webster, joined in delivering Scripture readings as well as brief remarks.
Not only was the service a memorable occasion, but the sermon delivered by Rev. Lindsay Richardson memorable as well. A noted powerful and outspoken preacher, he dismissed, in his own unique style, claims by certain persons that Anguilla was worse off now in 2017 than in 1967. In hinting at some of the accomplishments, he described the claims as “reckless disingenuous blasphemy”.
He went on: “To engage such persons in conversation is to prove yourself ten times more unwise. So how can we truthfully assess this 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Anguilla Revolution? The first step is not to allow other people to tell your story; secondly, what happened in 1967 laid the foundation for the construction of an Anguillian nation, society, culture and people that currently exist.”
In other words, though experiencing certain fiscal, economic and other difficulties of life, he was putting forward that Anguilla had emerged from a period of abject hardship and under-development in 1967 to a more prosperous period in 2017. Rev. Richardson credited this to Revolutionary Leader the late Ronald Webster and others who did what was considered to have been their best at the time, and under the circumstances in which the island found itself.
Rev. Richardson took a hard look at behavioural problems involving young people; the lack of parental responsibility, control and upbringing; crime, violence and drugs as well as other forms of youth depravity. He was grateful, however, to conclude that all was not lost – taking into account that there were many young people and their leaders who were engaged in responsible living and good citizenship, and were thus a credit to the good and patriotic name of Anguilla.
