St Mary’s Anglican Church fully embraced Heritage Month on Sunday.
The church featured works of art, artefacts and antiques displayed throughout as well as special guests, Minister in the Prime Minister’s office with responsibility for Culture John King, and former Liberian ambassador Lorenzo Witherspoon.
Liberia has strong ties with Barbados, as In the 19th Century, hundreds of Barbadians emigrated there after an invitation from the West African nation for people of African descent from the Caribbean to settle there.
King said St Mary’s was “a living museum” and a “cherished asset”, the only site where there was visible evidence of the Barbadian immigration to Liberia. He commended the church for its efforts to celebrate Heritage Month and said it would be bigger and better next year.
Officiating minister Reverend Canon Wayne Isaacs said Barbados featured a rainbow of heritage which made its people special, but recently, elements had entered society which were working against our heritage.
“Our nation is facing many challenges as it relates to violence, abuse, family life, sexuality and the like. Maybe what we are seeing has to do with the fact we have discarded a number of our traditions, cultures and values which over time have served our nation well.
“When we think of our heritage, we think about respect for life and property, things like truthfulness, honesty, patience, respect, helpfulness, understanding and anymore, but it seems many people no longer see these virtues as useful or necessary and the result is what we facing in our nation,” he said.
The cleric said it was time to stop pointing fingers at Government, the church and the schools and recognise the problem resided within everyone and the community at large.
“As we celebrate and thank God for everything we have gained from our fore parents, the question must be asked ‘what do we pass on to the next generation’, he said. (CA)
