State Service to mark 28th Anniversary of Independence

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas seated in front with (left to right) in the front row – Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Curtis Martin, His Lordship the Hon. Errol Thomas; Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam Condor and Mrs. Condor.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 19TH 2011 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Governor General His Excellency Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian; Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Curtis Martin and other Parliamentarians as well as visiting and resident diplomats attended Sunday’s State Service to mark the twin-island Federation’s 28th Anniversary of Independence.

The State Service at the Wesley Methodist Church on Seaton Street in Basseterre was also attended by the Governor General’s Deputy Sir Edmund and Lady Lawrence; Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam Condor and Mrs. Condor; His Lordship Mr. Justice Errol Thomas; Commissioner of Police Mr. C.G. Walwyn and Mrs. Walwyn, representatives of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force Coast Guard Unit, the St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, the St. Kitts Nurses Association and a wide cross section of the community.

The Service, which was conducted jointly by the St. Kitts Christian Council and the St. Kitts Evangelical Association commenced with the procession of the Officiating Clergy and the congregation singing “How Great Thou Art.”

Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent Minister of the St. Kitts Circuit of the Methodist Church gave words of Welcome.

The National Choir

The Call to Worship was delivered by Rev. Dr. Eustace Rawlings of the Basseterre Church of God and this was followed by the Opening Prayer by Archdeacon Hodge of the St. George’s Anglican Church.

Prime Minister Douglas read the Old Testament Lesson. The Responsorial Psalm was led by Pastor Leroy Matthew of the People’s Evangelistic Centre and the New Testament Lesson was read by Hon. Eugene Hamilton in the absence of Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mark Brantley.

The Gospel Reading was done by Pastor Erickson Cumberbatch of the Wesleyan Holiness Church in Molyneux and the Sermon was delivered by Pastor Prisca Hyligar of the Evangelistic Faith Church and this was followed by the singing of Lady Hulda Lawrence’s “Our Beautiful Country.”

The Congregation was led in the Prayers of Intercession by Rev. Canon Isaiah Phillip of the St. Peter’s Anglican Church.

A section of the Congregation

The Offering was blessed by Father Bernard Latus of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and the congregation was led in the Prayer of Affirmation by Rev. Nasil Ephraim, Chairperson of the St. Kitts Christian Council.

The Prayers of Thanksgiving was led by Pastor Sylvester Herbert, the Superintendent Minister of the Wesleyan Holiness Church and the final blessing was delivered by Pastor Benjamin Browne of the Cayon Church of God.

The National Mass Choir rendered “I’m gonna sing when the Spirit says sing” with pianists Ms. Tama Martin and Mr. Christian Nathaniel and “Crown Him with Many Crowns” with Dr. Louise Lawrence on the organ; Rev. Jeremy Francis on the Piano and Larry Inanga on the Trumpet.