Saluting two religious denominations in SVG

Fri, Mar 20, 2015

Editor: I take this opportunity to salute the New Testament Church of God and the Streams of Power Tabernacle Sion Hill for their unwavering Christian Services 75 and 50 years respectively to this nation. Both religious denominations have served with fervour. I am happy to recount my historical connections with these entities.{{more}}

In the mid 1960s, circa 1965, my mother was an ally and collaborator of the legendary ‘Mother Primus’. ‘Mama’ played an invaluable role at the New Testament Church by organizing concerts and penning recitations and poems for the cast of actors. Auditions were usually done at the church and the public concerts were held at the Peace Memorial Hall.

As a youngster I participated in these cultural packages with gusto. My last appearance was in 1969 at the Peace Memorial Hall, where I blasted out a searing rendition of a school song ‘Shiny eye girl’. The audience roared itself hoarse and demanded an encore!

The Streams of Power Church, a product of evangelism which was brought to Vincentian shores in the 1960s by an experienced preacher called ‘Brother Hank’, graced its presence on Sion Hill soil in March 1970. Children in the Sion Hill community, including this writer, were eager to attend the first Sunday School organized by this wonderful church. We met some pleasant Sunday school teachers who greeted us warmly. On that historic Sunday afternoon, questions were posed to us and I still proudly remember answering the first question correctly.

Streams of Power Church under the indefatigable pastorship of Errol Daniel and his able wife Carmelitha, has grown in stature, and has earned an unenviable reputation as one of the top Pentecostal churches. The Daniels are affable persons who, over the years, have been able to forge mural links with both Christians and non-Christians alike around St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The New Testament Church of God, like the Streams of Power Tabernacle, is inclined to spiritual nurturing and guiding us in our worldly challenges, thus helping to stabilize personalities and to look forward with hope to brighter and better days.

Patmos Richards