Anniversary Service in London Receives Blessings of UK Clergy

LONDON – The Service of Praise and Thanksgiving to be held in London in observance of  the country's 50th anniversary of independence, has received special congratulatory messages from a range of religious leaders in the United Kingdom and Jamaica, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.

To be held at the historic Methodist Central Hall, in  Westminster, London  on July 21, the service has also received the blessings of the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu; the National Overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy, United Kingdom (UK), Bishop Wilton Powell; Administrative Bishop, New Testament Church of God, Dr. Eric Brown; the Bishop of London, The Right Reverent Richard Charters; the General Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, Karl Johnson  and  the Superintendent Minister for the Methodist Central Hall, Reverend Martin Turner.

The officiating clergy at the service will include Reverend Joel Edwards, the International Director for Micah Challenge, who will preach the sermon; Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is Chaplain to the Queen and Vicar of  Holy Trinity Church, Dalston & All Saints Church, Haggerston; The Reverend Prebendary Carl Ramsay, Rector of Pelsall, in the West Midlands; and Overseer Charles Wright of the Assemblies of the First Born, Battersea.

A message from  Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller, will be read by High Commissioner, Her Excellency Aloun Ndombet Assamba.

There will also be a special creative dance choreographed by Mr. Jackie Guy; Independence Poems read by actress, Dona Croll, and presentations by the London Adventist Chorale, the Nexus choir from Jamaica, award winning Saxophonist Yolanda Brown and Soloist, Mr Robert Anderson.

The Westhaven Children's Home in Hanover and the St. Monica's Home in Clarendon are the charities that will benefit from the collection  at the service.