This year’s National Independence Ecumenical Service will be held on Sunday, November 22, in Independence Square.
The theme is "Passing on Our Godly Heritage to the Next Generation" and Minister responsible for Ecclesiastical Affairs, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, explained it was chosen to acknowledge that Barbados is a God fearing nation.
"Indeed, our National Anthem speaks to that, ???The Lord has been the people’s guide for past 300 years’… We want to encourage our next generation, the young people, to take on this heritage, to continue to be a part of our Godly traditions," Dr. Byer Suckoo said today during a press briefing to outline plans to celebrate the country’s 43rd anniversary of nationhood.
The sermon will be delivered by the Right Reverend, Dr. the Hon. John Holder, the Anglican Bishop of Barbados; while there will be musical selections from the Bayley’s School Choir and The Lester Vaughan School Gospel Choir. Primary and secondary school children, and various youth, sports and uniformed groups are expected to participate in the service, which will begin at 4:00 p.m.
Members of the public are being encouraged to attend the service and they should be seated by 3:30 p.m. Parking will be available in the car park of the Barbados Tourism Inc., Lower Bay Street, St. Michael.????
Dr. Byer Suckoo pointed out that in case of inclement weather, the service would be shifted to the St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Transport Board’s Park and Ride System would be implemented. The shuttle service will start at 2:30 p.m. and buses will leave the Ministry of Education on Constitution Road, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Playing Field, and the Coleridge Street Car Park, opposite Central Police Station.