BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, December 28, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — Prime Minister and Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Seven, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, joined the leadership and membership of his home town church, the House of Deliverance New Testament Church of God in Tabernacle, for worship on the last Sunday of Year 2020 (December 27), where he extended complements for the season to all and wished everyone all the best for 2021.
“The New Year will be a better year than this year has been,” predicted Prime Minister Harris.
Dr Harris who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett, Members of Constituency Number Seven Group, Peoples Labour Party (PLP) Constituency Number Five Branch Executive led by Chairman Mr Glenville Mills, and supporters from across the island, were welcomed by Senior Pastor Octavia Charles-Warner.
The House of Deliverance New Testament Church of God was praised by Prime Minister Harris for producing its leaders from within by allowing the younger ones a period of apprenticeship, meaning that whenever there was a vacancy someone grounded in the values of the church stood up and took the leadership.
“I think this is a wonderful thing,” said Dr Harris. “And you see the succession in the church where every time there was a void, somebody from within – you did not have to get a pastor from the USA or anywhere else – someone from the church always took the leadership and advanced the church forward. So I want to commend Senior Pastor Octavia Charles-Warner and her leadership.”
Dr Harris observed: “It shows that we have to be steadfast in our examples as leaders. Steadfast in our examples, and I want to commend this church for its steadfastness in the service of God.”
The message of hope during the Christmas season was delivered by Sister Leona Matthew, and in congratulating her, Prime Minister Harris said: “That was the hope that Christ brought for our world – hope of stability, hope for a better tomorrow, hope that the weeping will endure for a night but joy must come in the morning if we remain steadfast.”
Reflecting on the message, the Honourable Prime Minister observed that people in St. Kitts and Nevis are especially blessed, taking into consideration the difficulties many people are experiencing worldwide as a result of the coronavirus global pandemic including in the most powerful countries. He thanked God, prayer warriors and the excellent leadership which has seen the country stand tall with not a single death from the pandemic.
“Our churches are still open and shall remain open – the goodness of God, and we are privileged that in our country, now and hopefully forever, we will always be free to come in the House of God, seek His salvation, seek Him to guide us, and nobody will stop us from praising God,” stated Dr Harris.
He added: “We are a free country, so we can praise Him at work, we can praise Him in the supermarket, we can let ourselves be filled with the Holy Ghost and not feel fearful. God is with us, and so for the New Year I just want to encourage all of us – think wonderful things. Think positive things.”
Persons were however reminded by the Prime Minister that it did not mean that bad things will not be happening. He advised them not to let the bad things happening to consume them to a level where they forget that there is somebody more powerful than all their problems, their pains, and all their harassment on the job, and told them of the powerful name, and sweetest name of Jesus.
“May each of us make a New Year commitment to even serve more diligently in the spirit of the founders of this church, that we will serve our God,” said Prime Minister Harris in his conclusion. “We need a praying people if our country is to go well.”