Anthony Minott, Freelance Writer

Church members march down King Street in Kingston after worship at National Heroes Park in Kingston yesterday, under the banner 'Emancipate Jamaica'. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

With a high murder rate and social and economic epidemic in Jamaica's midst, church leaders, led by the vision of clergyman, Bishop Dr Delford D. Davis of the Power of Faith Ministries in Portmore, in association with the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, yesterday descended on National Heroes Park in a bid to emancipate Jamaica of its ills.

God of deliverance

Bishop Davis, speaking under the theme 'Emancipate Jamaica 2008' and the underlying theme 'Jesus set the captives free', believes that "this is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about, that is, to set men and women free".

The bishop stressed that Jamaica was affected by adversities and calamities which were causing misfortune, trials and distress.

He, however, told the congre-gation, numbering in the thousands, that "the God who we serve was a God of deliverance, and he could deliver us from our adversities".

Bishop Davis said Jamaica had been emancipated for more than 170 years, but was still not free.

Messages

Earlier, there were messages by Bishop Herro Blair, head of the Deliverance Evangelistic Association and the political ombudsman, and Bishop Everton Thomas of the Emmanuel Apostolic Church.

The church members then marched down King Street and congregated at North Parade, and another session began, with worship and ministering.

Minister Noreta Lewis, gospel song competition winner in 2000, was a special guest.