—the good work must continue, be appreciated, PM says

RECOGNISING the work done by the congregational church community in support of the 1823 Demerara Slave Rebellion, Prime Minister Brigadier (Retd’) Mark Phillips has said that Guyanese must never forget the multifaceted institution.

PM Phillips was at the time addressing a mammoth congregation on Sunday at the Bethel Congregational Church at Beterverwagting, on the East Coast Demerara, where the Guyana Congregational Union (GCU), Guyana Reparations Committee (GRC) and the Council for World Mission (CWM) held a commemorative service for the 200th Anniversary of the Demerara Slave Rebellion.

“There was a significant organisation that went along with all that happened in 1823, and that significant organisation and their work we must give credence to. That is the Congregational Church,” PM Phillips said.

He drew attention to the role the church has played in building communities and schools to push the education of Afro-Guyanese.

“We must never forget the pivotal role that the congregational church played before and after Emancipation. The congregationalists provided spiritual solace and education to the enslaved Africans in our nation, and that foundation was built upon after Emancipation,” the PM said, adding:

“The Congregational Church ignited the flame and knowledge within the hearts of the freed population. The Congregational Church also supported the efforts of the Village Movement by freed Africans.”

According to PM Phillip, education became the cornerstone of the church body, by equipping people with the necessary tools and values to build village economies.

“The Congregationalists were there to support the villages by building their churches. They provided more than a place for worship; they also set up schools to educate the children, and their churches were often used as meeting halls for community meetings,” he said.
According to PM Phillips, the work of the church body must be recognised and appreciated by generations to come.

“As we remember the struggles and triumphs of the past, let us recognise the responsibility we carry to continue this legacy of education, empowerment and community building,” he said.

Aside from the PM’s feature address, the congregation was treated to a hearty sermon, led by Reverend Dr. Roderick Hewitt of Jamaica.

Several special prayers, messages, and hymns were recited in celebration of the anniversary.

The service also saw special attendees, among them the Moderator of CWM Reverend Lydia Neshangwe from Zimbabwe; British High Commissioner to Guyana Ms. Jane Miller; and Chairman of the Guyana Reparations Committee Mr. Eric Phillips.

In his brief remarks, Phillips said that in commemorating the efforts made by the Congregationalists and the ancestors who fought for freedom, Guyanese must reflect on their history, and fight against injustices and prejudices.

The 1823 Demerara Rebellion was the first massive slave uprising in the County of Demerara located in the then British Guiana. It broke out on August 18, 1823, and involved an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 enslaved people from about 55 plantations on the East Coast of Demerara, from Liliendaal to Mahaica.

This uprising was an attempt by Africans to gain their freedom from an oppressive, authoritarian system that characterised the plantation economy in the then British Guiana.

These enslaved people eventually won their full emancipation on August 1, 1838.