History of the Ebenezer Methodist Steel Orchestra

    The Ebenezer Methodist  Steel Orchestra was formed in 1994. At that time it was a combination of members from the Bethel and Ebenezer Congregations, the two MCCA congregations on St. Croix. It began as a result of a grant, the purpose of which was drug prevention. The Superintendent Minister was the Rev. Joseph Hepburn. The group soon became two, with the Bethel congregation holding their own practices in the west while Ebenezer continued to meet in the east.

     Over the years the group has grown steadily. In 2004 a grant administered by the Church to provide for an after school program saw a drastic increase in membership to as many as 62 persons currently.

    These young people meet three times a week for practice. This is an outreach ministry of the Ebenezer Methodist Church. Most of the group are Methodist, however, the number of non-Methodist in the group is fast growing. The steel band ministry is a way for the young people to witness through steel pan music for Christ, as well as to broaden the experience of the young people and to provide them with a positive alternative to drugs, violence, and anti-social behavior.

     The group has several engagements throughout the year playing primarily religious music. These engagements are either for community service or fund raising efforts.  Thus far, the Steel Orchestra has traveled to St. Thomas in 2002, to Tortola in 2003, and to Vieques in 2004. There are presently two CD's.  The first CD was released in 2002.  The following year the group released a Christmas CD. A third CD is being produced for release in 2005.

    This Steel Orchestra is well recognized in the St. Croix community for its melodious sound and for helping to mold successful young people.

      The Steel Orchestra recently traveled to participate in the SAMHSA (US Dept. of Health & Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) “Community Prevention Day” held in January, 2005 in Washington DC. Seventeen members of the orchestra were chosen, attended, and performed before approximately 1,500 representatives hailing from the 50 states and US territories.

    We give God all the praise and glory for his many blessings and especially the talent given to the young people and for this opportunity to spread His word through the steel pan. It is our sincere hope that, as we continue to work with these young people that we may be able to help them to realize that every good thing comes from the Father above. We pray that they would continue to use their talents to spread His message here on earth and that others may come to know Him through their ministry. We hope that other young people may be encouraged by this outreach and may realize that the baby born in the manger long ago is the only true and living Savior and that having Him in their lives is the only real source of happiness.