BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, September 17, 2018 (PLP PR Media Inc.) -- As the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis prepares to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of its Independence on Wednesday September 19, the celebration’s theme has been hailed as one that heightens awareness of people’s role in nation building.
“As I reflected on the theme for our celebrations ‘Love, Service, Patriotism, and Pride, Independence 35’, I thought immediately about our National Motto, ‘Country above Self’,” said Bishop Charles A. Seaton on Sunday September 16 while delivering the sermon at the State Service of Praise, Prayer and Thanksgiving.
He noted that as he looked at the theme for this year’s celebrations, through the lens of the country’s motto, “I was somewhat intrigued by the remarkable connection between them. One seems to influence the other, and I wondered if that were merely a coincidence or a deliberate attempt made to heighten the significance of the moment.”
The State Service of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving in Celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Independence of the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis, which was held at the St. George’s Anglican Church in Basseterre, was attended by hundreds among them the Governor General His Excellency Sir Tapley Seaton, and the Deputy Governor General for Nevis, Her Honour Mrs Hyleta Liburd and Mr Elmo Liburd.
Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, who read the Old Testament Lesson (from the book of Nehemiah) led the Team Unity Administration’s Cabinet, the Premier of Nevis the Hon Mark Brantley led the Cabinet of the Nevis Island Administration, while leading members of the Opposition was the Rt Hon Dr Denzil Douglas who read the New Testament Lesson (from the book of Colossians).
The Tabernacle Village-born Bishop Charles A. Seaton, is the President and General Superintendent of the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas, Leeward Islands District Conference. He advised that he chose to entitle his message ‘Building Against the Odds’, as he reflected largely on the theme for the independence celebrations ‘Love, Service, Patriotism, and Pride, Independence 35’.
“The theme for this year’s Independence celebrations is not only quite appropriate, that is in my opinion, but stimulating as well,” said Bishop Seaton. “Think of it for a while - ‘Love, Service, Patriotism, and Pride,’ I suspect though that this theme was meant to summon more than just a special word, a special greeting - a maxim at this particular time in our nation’s life, but more especially to heighten our awareness of our role and responsibility in nation building.”
Giving a narration of Nehemiah’s love for Jerusalem, whose walls lay in ruins, even though he (Nehemiah) worked and lived over 800 miles from the city, Bishop Seaton said that there was need for every citizen of the Federation to love their country with the same spirit of patriotism. He however cautioned that there are no quick fixes for repairing any breaches to the country’s proverbial walls.
“We need to place God, first and foremost, in the life of our nation and therefore in the lives of all of us,” observed Bishop Seaton. His advice came towards the end of the sermon when he said: “I want to suggest to us that blaming and hurling accusations cannot be the answer. I think that too many of us are forgetting that if we forget God, then our nation is doomed.”
The order of the service was prepared by the St. Kitts and Nevis Christian Councils and Evangelical Association in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.
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