Tue, Oct 14, 2014

by Michael S. Peters

The finals of the 2014 SVG Independence Bible Festival took place on Friday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11 at the Faith Temple Church in New Montrose, with nine churches bringing their best in challenging competitions of Speech, Bible Drama, Bible Boxing and Quizzes.{{more}}

At the end of the competitions, Faith Temple Church, with a total of 163 points, were crowned the new champions of the National Independence Bible Festival in St Vincent and the Grenadines, winning the title for the first time, with defending champions, the Kingdom Life Ministries of Kearton’s, relegated to fourth position on 114 points.

In front of appreciative audiences, the finals began with the speech competition. Zoe Hambolou of the Glad Tidings Tabernacle out-pointed his opponents speaking on the topic: “What did Jesus mean when he said: God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth?”

In the much anticipated category of Bible Drama, where participants had to dramatize an activity or incident involving Jesus, Roy George, of the Hope For Life Restoration Ministries, had the crowd on their feet with his portrayal of “Jesus and the Crucifixion” and walked away with the title of best Bible Dramatist. George also won the award for Most Outstanding Participant.

In a competitive Bible Boxing final, Philvina Deroche of the Church of God Worldwide Mission, Redemption Sharpes, defeated Virginia Cumberbatch of the Glad Tidings Tabernacle, to take the title of Best Bible Boxer, after Cumberbatch repeated a verse in the seventh round.

The six rounds of quizzes went a long way in determining the final places, with some 450 points at stake. With strong performances from Cornelia Peters, who won the award for Best Young Quizzer, Bradley Douglas who won Most Outstanding Quizzer and Keyon Gaymes in the final round putting in strong performances, Faith Temple Church put themselves in a good position for the overall title by winning the quiz competition.

In the end, Faith Temple Church was able to just nose ahead of the Hope For Life Restoration Ministries, who finished in second position on 159 points, and win the title for the first time, to the delight of their supporters. The Glad Tidings Tabernacle came in third with 135 points.

The SVG Independence Bible Festival, now into its sixth year, has been organized by the SVG Gospel Fest Committee since 2009, under the theme: ‘Study To Show Thyself Approved Unto God’.