Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5799/-1/135/
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Rt. Rev. Brooks 10 Years As Bishop - Archbishop Gomez: Message For Anguilla
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Anguilla’s top Clergyman, the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks, celebrated the Tenth Anniversary of his Consecration and Ordination as the Bishop of the Diocese of the North-Eastern Caribbean and Aruba with a Special Service at St. Mary’s Anglican Church on Wednesday evening, March 26.
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Archbishop Gomez, Bishop Brooks and Archbishop Lindsay (ret.)
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People from all walks of life filled the large church to capacity. They included some of the Bishop’s senior colleagues in the Diocese, representatives of the Anguilla Christian Council and the Evangelical Association, Government officials and many other leaders and officials and professional persons in the public and private sectors. Retired Archbishop Orland Lindsay, whom the Rt. Revd. Brooks succeeded as Bishop of the Diocese, was also in attendance.
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Section of the Procession to St. Mary’s
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The service was conducted overall by the Archbishop of the West Indies, the Most Revd. Drexel Gomez. He also delivered the sermon in which he featured the Virgin Mary whose resolve was to follow God’s leading in her life, to do what He wanted her to do, and the unexpected honour bestowed on her to give birth to Jesus. He thought hers was a great example in obedience to emulate.
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St. Mary’s Choir in song
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“All the social problems that we have in Anguilla and the rest of the Caribbean can be solved if the people of the region were listening to God and trying to go God’s way,” he stressed. “Unfortunately we are going the way of television…Whatever going in with rap music and all that’s stuff is what people are going after…If only we can be like the Blessed Virgin Mary who said ‘whatever God wants me to do, that will I do’ [we will be in a closer relationship with Him].
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Officials of Government
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“Look at all the evil and wrong in our world, the wrong decisions we make; the wrong turns we make in our life’s journey. All of them we do because we are not listening to God and are not trying to go God’s way and to do what He wants us to do.”
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The Reverend Dr. and Mrs. Clifton Niles, Bishop Brooks’ wife at right and others
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The Archbishop called for a change “in the direction of our lives for even the best of us is not totally committed to going God’s way.” He also spoke on the mission of the church and the responsibilities of a Bishop to lead the people of God.
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Archbishop Drexel Gomez
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“Tonight we give thanks for the ministry of Bishop Errol in this Diocese and within the church at large. “I ask you to please, please pray for your Bishop,” he urged the vast and attentive congregation.
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Bishop Errol Brooks
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Replying, Bishop Brooks thanked the Archbishop for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in the service. He was grateful to his ministerial colleagues for their continuing encouragement and support; to ministers and pastors from other churches who attended the celebration; to the government officials and other leading persons for their presence; and to his family, the Vestry and members of the three Anglican congregations whose support has been a source of strength to him.
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Archbishop Orland Lindsay (Ret.)
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Following the service, the celebration continued with a reception at the nearby Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium. Other activities include a dinner at Zurra Restaurant at the Golf Club House on Friday, March 28.