A farewell service has been organised in honour of the outgoing Finance and Administration Director (FAD) of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko, as he leaves for the Twifo Praso Area of the church as Area Head.
A colourful service occurred on Sunday, August 13, 2023, at the D. K. Arnan Worship Centre in the Teshie-Nungua Area, where Apostle Otu-Nyarko serves as the Resident Minister. It was attended by ministers of the church, relations, and friends from across the country.
Among the personalities present were Apostle Samuel Osei Asante (Kaneshie Area Head and Executive Council Member, who stood in for the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye), Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh (Director of Pentecost Men’s Ministry and Executive Council Member), Apostle Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua (Vice-Chancellor of Pentecost University), and Apostle James Kwabena Asare (Kasoa Area Head).
Others were Apostle Rigwell Ato Addison – retired (former General Secretary of the church), Elder Prof. Stephen Owusu Kwankye (Finance Board Chairman), Mrs Philomina Mireku (Director of Women’s Ministry), Elder Dr Owusu Sekyere (Board Chairman of PENTSOS), Head Office Management and Staff, among others.
Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko and his family were welcomed to Daniel Kwabena Arnan Worship Centre on November 29, 2020. He was the second resident minister of the Worship Centre, transferred from Kade Area to the Headquarters as Finance and Administration Director of the church.
Testimonies
Various groups shared their testimonies about the outgoing Finance and Administration Director.
The Head Office described him as a “great innovator” who brought innovation to the financial management and system of the church, saying, “He was instrumental in the introduction of Office 365 and the PENT-ERP projects.”
According to the Headquarters, the outgoing FAD played an immense role in introducing online and digital banking, coupled with his enforcement of the church’s cashless policy.
“Apostle Otu-Nyarko also played a critical role in the major review of the church’s financial policies and introduction of the Area Deacons’ manual. He facilitated numerous training programmes organised by leadership for ministers, management, and staff of the church,” it added.
The Teshie-Nungua Area Pastorate also described Apostle Otu-Nyarko as “a real gentle giant, full of zeal for the work of God and with great teaching and apostolic gifting.”
The District Presbytery said Apostle Otu-Nyarko is a great man of God who carries God’s presence and power, describing him as “a teacher, a prophet, and an evangelist.”
The Women’s Ministry, on their part, extolled Mrs Doris Otu-Nyarko, his wife, for her guidance and support of the ministry’s activities.
“Her calls, prayers, motherly concern, and advice to members are usually out of her deep sense of discernment and always timely,” they said, adding, “She always wears a smile that welcomes all who approach her.”
Sermon
Preaching the sermon on the topic, “Repositioned for a Big Catch” based on Luke 5:4-6, the Teshie-Nungua Area Head, Apostle Wilberforce Nkrumah Agyeman, said Jesus directed Peter and his friends to reposition their canoe to have a better reach of them. According to him, when the fishermen obeyed Jesus and repositioned their canoe for him to address them, Jesus turned their situation of no catch into a bumper catch.
Apostle Nkrumah Agyeman defined ‘Reposition’ as making godly adjustments in one’s thought life, spiritual life and lifestyle, thus making the necessary changes that will necessitate God’s blessing upon one’s life.
Taking some lessons from the scripture, the Area Head said Peter obeyed Jesus despite his initial doubts. He entreated Christians to be willing to do whatever the Lord says, no matter the cost, because, without Jesus, there is nothing they can accomplish, saying, “Our success or our failures rests entirely on where Jesus stands in the picture. It is based on where you put him (Christ) in your situation. We cannot do it with our strength.”
He said after Jesus turned the fishermen’s dejection into triumph and their sorrows into success.
“God is interested in saving us and helping us in our daily activities. Let us be attached to Jesus because he is interested in every detail of our lives, and he is ever ready to come to our rescue,” he stated.
He added: “If your today is insignificant, a bigger tomorrow awaits you. Bigger things await you as you obey Jesus Christ and have faith in him because God wants us to see, know, and experience his supernatural provisions in our lives.”
Response
In his response, Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko expressed his thanks and appreciation to God for taking him through, as well as to the Chairman and the leadership of the church for locating him and his family and bringing them to the Head Office and in the appropriate time, sending them back to the field to engage in active ministry.
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