Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/4386/-1/140/
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Mount Fortune SDA Church: Government Marks Two Years In Office
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The United Front Government in Anguilla, comprising the Chief Minister, the other Ministers, the Parliamentary Secretary, Advisers and Special Assistants, observed their second anniversary in office on Saturday and Sunday, February 17 and 18, following the 2005 general elections. They attended services at the Mount Fortune Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Ebenezer Methodist Church in The Valley respectively.
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Ministers affirming Thanksgiving Pledge
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The SDA Church, where Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming is a member, held an actual Thanksgiving Service following a Family Life Seminar which was specially organised for the three congregations. The Government officials were accompanied there by Governor Andrew George, Mrs. Ruby Fleming, wife of the Chief Minister and Attorney General Wilhem Bourne and his wife.
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The Youth Choir In Song
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Pastor Danny Phillip said he was happy to have the attendance of the officials at both the seminar and the service. “When we look at what is happening in Anguilla, as a Church we are saying that we are very much concerned and we want to play our part with the Government in passing on values to the next generation, so that we can curb what is happening on the island,” he stated.
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Government Officials outside SDA Church
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He admonished the Government to look to the Almighty for leadership in the affairs of Anguilla. “There are times when it seems that you can’t balance the Budget or you don’t know how you are going to handle certain projects or deal with certain issues, but God says ‘I am leading in your life and in the life of this nation,’” he said. He commended the Government for deciding “to pause after two years to say thanks to God.”
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Mr. Fleming and Pastor Phillip
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He invited the Chief Minister and the other three Ministers to the platform where they were led in repeating thanksgiving verses. Following this they, the Governor, Attorney General and all the other officials were presented with gifts. The Chief Minister and Mrs. Fleming were the recipients of a bouquet of flowers for their wedding anniversary as well as for Mr. Fleming’s birthday.
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Mr. and Mrs. Fleming
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The Chief Minister was delighted to have his colleagues at the church service, saying that on many occasions the Government had sought divine assistance with managing the island’s affairs. He hoped that the Ministers and officials would have had an understanding of what the Seventh-day Adventist Church was like and that they would feel obliged to return. He spoke of his own spiritual life and advised all, his colleagues and everyone else “to look to Christ” for leadership and hope.
The Attorney General, who recently took up his appointment in Anguilla, was grateful to the people of the island for their warm welcome and their hospitality shown to him and his wife.