00:00On March 30th, Spiritual Baptists will mark 75 years since the repeal of the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance of 1917.
00:08For this community, it signals strength in the face of adversity, adversity which forced them to worship their God in
00:15private.
00:16And so today as we prepare to commemorate 75 years of liberation, we do not celebrate rebellion, we celebrate resilience.
00:26We do not celebrate defiance, we celebrate devotion.
00:32We do not celebrate noise, we celebrate faithfulness.
00:37Spiritual Baptists are calling on the public to see more than their clothes and their processions, but their contributions as
00:44well.
00:44We contribute prayer to this nation. We contribute intercessions to this nation.
00:50We contribute moral grounding to this nation.
00:54We contribute community outreach, spiritual counseling and social support.
01:01Archbishop William Leon John says even with their freedom, the Spiritual Baptists were ignored for decades until there was intervention
01:08by former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley.
01:11He felt that the Baptist community should receive some kind of reparation.
01:17I am putting it this way. He didn't say so, but this is how I'm putting it.
01:21He donated the land. In fact, where we are now, it is land that was donated through him.
01:29And across the road where we intend to build the cathedral, that is land that was donated through him.
01:40So I always have to remember him and remember what he did.
01:44He also contributed a sum of money to the Baptist community.
01:48The construction work on the site is in progress, which will enable them to host functions there when it is
01:54completed.
01:54The 75th Diamond Jubilee will be commemorated through a week of activities, commencing on Monday, March 23rd, by paying homage
02:02to the pioneers of the faith.
02:04Tuesday is marked as a night of sacred strength, acknowledging the men and women who have built up the Spiritual
02:10Baptists.
02:11So Wednesday shifts the atmosphere a bit to celebration.
02:16The night of praise and triumph is a vibrant expression of thanksgiving for every victory, every breakthrough, every triumph throughout
02:26this 75-year journey.
02:28Thursday is a diaspora night, Friday a youth night, and then last but not least, the grand celebration on Monday,
02:36March 30th.
02:37Our grand celebration will be held in the canopy next door, where we will share with all the experiences of
02:49past and present, where we will engage all of us and share not just our struggles, as I said before,
02:56but much more triumph.
02:58Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
03:00Thank you very much.
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