Reset 2025 to honour gospel pioneers at inaugural staging
Dr Lester Lewis, Shirley Willis and Minister Sandra Brooks to receive lifetime achievement awards
Published:Saturday | December 14, 2024 | 12:08 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Three stalwart Jamaican gospel pioneers– Dr Lester Lewis, Shirley Willis, and Minister Sandra Brooks– are expected to receive lifetime achievement awards at the inaugural Reset The Nation concert set for January 4 at Manchester High School. Annoleah Wynter, brainchild for Reset 2025, briefly made the announcement during its launch event held inside Liberty for Living Ministries International church at the Trade Centre in St Andrew on Wednesday.
She said one key objective of the Reset Project is to honour musical stalwarts who laid a foundation which propelled the Jamaican gospel industry to heights, and the three named are worthy of such recognition. Wynter is excited that the Christian community has embraced her vision after two years of talk.
“A part of this seed came to life in 2022, as my own desire to see healing, restoration and unity in the industry increase. I understand the impact of united musicians and how we want to see God unfold and we want to see that Jamaica increase in beauty and prosperity and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race, and I believe that music plays a vital role in that,” Wynter said.
“Jamaica is in a crisis. We all know it, and we have become immune to crime. We have become immune to violence. We have become immune to all that is happening, the murders. We know we are in a crisis when we sit in the buses and the taxis and the music violates every moral code of public sanctity and we see nothing, and we do nothing. We know we are in a crisis when the playlist on our children’s phones are list with expletives and sexually exploitive content, and then we want to charge and punish young boys who believe it is okay to sexually assault a young girl. Children live what they learn,” she added.
Chevelle Franklin and Papa San are the two headline entertainers for the concert. They both announced that they are ready to unleash the Spirit of God at the first major gospel concert for the nation.
In his virtual pre-recorded address, Papa San said Reset is bringing to life some of the dreams and vision he had on his heart in years gone by, such as awarding the stalwarts in the gospel music industry. It is for that main reason, he chose to partner with the organisers.
“I am so delighted to see Reset come to life, to see how we can come together as people in the body of Christ; sisters and brothers, and put together something that will benefit the music industry, and not just that, [but also] Jamaica itself. Reset will achieve what the Lord made on our hearts to do, because I truly believe there are people and brothers and sisters in Christ who are carrying the torch for a long time [and] singing gospel music for so many years,” Papa San said, adding, Reset means a lot to me because it’s sounding on my heart for a long time to honour elders and leaders. Not just artistes, but there are pastors out there too as well, and people who are working in the field and behind the scenes and nobody recognised ... Reset is not just [about] Jamaica alone [but] it’s the world. People coming from abroad to be a part of it, so we are looking forward to it.”
For 2025, Papa San said he wants to see more unity is the gospel industry, and artistes rising up and maturing in faith which the event will set the tone for. He calls on everyone from all areas in the island, to meet at the central point in Manchester, and to embrace the mindset to worship God and give Him all the glory He deserves.
Franklin expressed by Papa San also defined her thoughts.
“The initiative Reset is just a gift from God. It represents a fresh start; It’s a new beginning at something glorious, something positive, something that is going to shift destinies, and also going to be beneficial for the next generation of new artistes, and I know that 2025, it’s going to be a glorious year.”
She recalled being approached two years ago about the concept of Reset by Wynter.
“She began speaking about the vision God had given her about Reset, and we didn’t have to spend long thinking about if we wanted to partner, and be a part of such [a] thing, because we recognised from the offset that it was Kingdom. And, we also recognised that she was also manifesting the prayers of many that have been waiting for such a move that someone would run with this vision,” Franklin said.
One standout feature of Reset is that there will be no MC to announce artistes, and there will be no band changes. The event will also include a pre-show starting at 5 p.m. with performances beginning at 7 p.m.
The Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Knockpatrick, Manchester is set to receive direct support from the concert. Wynter plans to donate $3 million towards creating a water harvesting system for the charity, as they currently purchase water for sustainability.