Last week?s concert featuring the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has proven to be more than successful, with more than 4,000 people gathering at the National Sports Centre.

Beyond enjoyable music and spiritual refreshment, a key goal of concert organisers was to call Bermudians to unity.

Pastor Gary Simons, senior pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, addressed the crowd: ?We stand on the brink of a changing society. We can change for the better or we can change for the worse. We join here tonight with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to celebrate that each life is important and if we value one another more, we can make a lasting change in our country.?

The concert, and the Bridge the Gap conference that preceded the concert, both had a strong focus on finding ways to deal with and prevent the gang violence that appears to be taking an ever increasing hold on Bermuda?s society.

Pastor Simons also called on Bermudians to ?appreciate the value of every life.?

?Despite ethnic backgrounds, economic status and age, every life is important.

?In light of recent developments in our society that have forced fear into many hearts, we are here tonight to encourage one another that, as a community, we can make a difference. We can reach out in God?s love and have a lasting effect on one another.

? Tonight we want to elevate peace rather than violence, similarities rather than differences, and unity rather than division.?

Central to the desire for Bermuda to take a stand against violence and guns was the urging that parents become more involved in their children?s lives, with a special emphasis on the need for stronger fathers.

Pastor Simons directly linked a failure on the part of parents, especially in providing children with a sense of security and belonging, with a desire for some young people to find that security and belonging in gangs, through drug abuse and in shallow, negative relationships.

In addition, to help assist Bermuda in reaching these goals, a scholarship has been established by the Cornerstone Foundation, a local and international registered charity, to assist Bermudian children in foster care cover the costs of higher education at a technical school, trade school or university.

A special offering was taken during the concert specifically to benefit this fund.

The concert ended with an invitation for prayer and intercession. More than half of those in attendance went forward, asking for prayer.

Persons or companies interested in participating in the Foster Care Scholarship programme, or those wanting more information on other programmes offered by the Cornerstone Foundation can contact Sherry Swan at 295-9640.