Don't 'get lost in the dance & reggae & soca & parades’- Bishop Shawn D. Bartley
Bishop Bartley, a Jamaican native living in Philadelphia, United States, was giving the sermon at the Emancipation Service on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town.
Responsibility to next generation
As the 70th anniversary of Emancipation Festival is being celebrated, Bishop Bartley said beyond the festivities attention must be placed not just on the present but the past, knowing there is a responsibility to the next generation of Virgin Islanders.
“We must embody the cultural relevance that celebrates true artistry and true dance and true parades but we must not get lost in the dance and reggae and soca and parades. We must look forward to the responsibility to make sure that the next generation feels what you feel. The mantle can only have meaning when we recognise we are stronger together,” the Bishop said.
Reading from the text in 1 Kings, he said Elijah passed on the mantle to Elisha who accomplished twice as much as he did, and so the mantle must be passed on to the next generation who must stand on the shoulders of their elders in order to do more.
The shackles are ‘coming off our minds’- Bishop Bartley
The people of the Virgin Islands, he said, should be constantly reminded by the rolling water and crashing waves of the sea that though the forefathers came in ships shackled, we are now a long way from that.
“Now we are stronger together and the best thing that ever happened was our emancipation, because now that the shackles came off our hands and came off our feet, it’s coming off our minds, and it’s coming off our spirits. And when a man’s mind and his spirit is free he is free indeed,” Bishop Bartley declared.
Among those at the service were Acting Governor David D. Archer Jr, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley, Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Dr the Hon Karl Dawson (R1), Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4), Opposition Leader Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) and Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull.
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8 Responses to “Don't 'get lost in the dance & reggae & soca & parades’- Bishop Shawn D. Bartley”
What then ? we must get lost in your white Jesus theory ?
Stop focusing on colour and know that whoever denies the Son of God denies God and God will deny those who do so!!!
Believe this bishop Shawn D. Bartley, you need Jesus just as much as they the revellers do, in reference to Godly truth in many areas of you life. If you pray honestly to God for help, he will help you.
The government heavily promoting it.
The youths them heavily into it. Hardly any show up for this match or gospel fest.
We have pictures off all the festival nights on Facebook but non for gospel fest.
Gospel fest was only a YouTube video while village have videos saved on Facebook...