A violent act in Nevis has led to the coming together of people who turned out for a healing joint performance by several choirs at the Cultural Complex in Charlestown and at Gingerland High School.
A British choir, the Small Heath Unity Choir, Nevis choirs and a St. Kitts choir joined together to provide inspirational music and uplifting thoughts as part of a series of fund-raising efforts following the shooting of Edric Stanley.
Stanley is recovering from his wounds after a gunman attacked him while he was going about his business. Joseph Parry, Premier of Nevis, told a crowd Saturday night at Gingerland Secondary School the visit of the British choir was ‘timely and refreshing.
Parry referred to the shooting as a ‘crazy incident out of the blue,’ and asked those present to pray for ‘those who are confused.’
He added, ‘Let us speak to the parents. Mothers and fathers should discipline their children. When they are wrong, tell them they are wrong.’
The Premier noted that children can get out of control after reaching their teenage years. If they are not properly raised and disciplined, he said, when they get older, some become rebellious enough to commit murder.
‘Stand up to them,’ Parry told the crowd. ‘Edric is a hard working man who was shot while going about his work.’ He also said a woman had been attacked in a separate incident while leaving her restaurant.
‘All of us must protect this community,’ declared Parry. ‘Let us keep Nevis a safe place. Pray for Edric and his family.’
Heath Unity Choir members paid their expenses to be in Nevis for the fund-raising for Shiloh Baptist Church’s expansion project. The choir was invited by a retired couple from England, Mr. and Mrs. King, that attend the church.
Choir Director Carol Clarke said the choir’s mission is to spread the Gospel through music.
‘We reach out to the lost and encourage Christians,’ she said. ‘People take delight in music because the mind is musical. Music has an impact on people. Some who do not go to church are drawn by music sung by the choir.’
Clarke said her 26-member choir is flexible and uses many styles of singing to worship God and to please audiences.
Musician Joseph Nelson is part of the group. He called the choir a contemporary group that meets the music needs of young people and draws people to Christ. The choir uses many mediums to get their musical message across, from hip-hop to rhythm and blues and reggae.
As to why young people often would rather hear secular music rather than Christian, he said it is probably because secular musicians speak to real issues they are facing and can identify with the listeners.
‘We make sure our music does not dilute the Gospel, but we also make sure the music is not dead and boring,’ he said. ‘We sing with energy and make our music relevant and vibrant to the youth and let them express themselves and say who they are.’
Joseph challenged church leaders to be flexible and to work on programs that are both creative and spiritual to hold onto young people.
‘You are not less Christian when you express yourself,’ he told those present.
Clarke said the British choir does not dilute the Biblical message or compromise it in any way.
‘We are relevant to people’s cultures,’ he said. ‘We do not dilute the truth.’ She said the choir has to be relevant in order to reach the people in their worship practices in Nevis.
‘We go into the real world to preach the Gospel,’ Clarke said in explaining the British choir’s ooutreach ministry. ‘We sing at elderly people’s homes, at community projects and at local churches. When it comes to doing God’s work, one must make sacrifices. The sacrifice we make cannot be compared to the souls we touch.’
Several choir members who were interviewed said they enjoyed Nevis and found the tranquil isle to be quiet and relaxing.
