Reverend Dr Melvin A. Turnbull challenged the Christian community to make their voices heard and stop making excuses when it comes to issues in the wider society. Photo: VINO

Another view of the Remembrance March. Photo: VINO

A part of the turnout on Sunday August 3, 2014 at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town. Photo: VINO

Another section of the congregation. Photo: VINO

Persons marching on Sunday en route to the Sunday Morning Well. Photo: VINO

He was speaking during a commemorative service at the Sunday Morning Well Road Town following a remembrance march on Sunday August 3, 2014 in memory of the horrors of slavery and to celebrate its eventual abolition.

In delivering remarks at the service, Dr Turnbull said that the Anglicans and the Methodists started the Festival celebrations but credit is not often given to this contribution to history.

“Just for the record, these celebrations actually started with the church…the Anglicans and the Methodists rotated the leadership until 1954. Then the Church as I often say dropped the ball,” he said.

“By celebrating only 60 years are we discounting the invaluable part that the church played? We ought to wake up from our slumber and stop making excuses for your dysfunction,” he said.

“To the Church, the people of God, if you have concerns about certain aspects of the celebrations, don’t curse the darkness, light a candle. Don’t despise the organisers…bring your seasoning of good ideas and create a thirst after righteousness by showing us what real joy and fun is all about,” he said.

“Get in the freedom march and the parade of colours and preserve the values of kindness, compassion and generosity that made the BVI as great as it is,” he charged the congregation.

“Contribute to moments in BVI history that highlight the “heroes and sheroes” of the Virgin Islands so that our children can appreciate and understand how we got over,” he said.

“I want to close by asking a few questions…where is the church that Jesus built? The church that Jesus built is proactive not reactive, the church that Jesus built is compassionate not condemnatory. The church that Jesus built gathers for worship and scatters for service. The church that Jesus built is united not divided. I charge the body of Christ, let us come together, let us stay together, let us march together and by the grace of God, let the glory of God fill all the earth,” he said.