Sepe Buokrom Women’s Ministry Donates To Orphanages

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The Sepe Buokrom District Women’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost in the New Tafo Area on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, donated assorted items to the Kumasi Children’s Home and the All Nations Charity Home in the Ashanti Region.

The items were packets of toilet rolls, cartons of soft drinks, gallons of cooking oil, bags of rice, mineral water, and many others.

Receiving the items, Mrs Mabel Pinamang, Manager of Kumasi Children’s Home, appreciated the kind gesture made by the Women’s Ministry of the church to the children.

She called on the churches to remember the children and the centre in prayers.

“The women have demonstrated what holiness is all about by visiting the children in the home,” she stated, adding that “they have defined our welfare by bringing us foodstuff and gifts.”

At the All Nations Charity Home, Rev. Philip Nyamkye, Founder and Manager of the orphanage, received the items on behalf of the children.

Rev. Nyamekye acknowledged the efforts of the leadership of The Church of Pentecost in supporting the needy and orphans in the church and beyond.

Deaconess Esther Acheampong, District Women’s Leader of Sepe Buokrom District of the church, hinted of the ministry’s continuous support to the Home.

“The children are our hope. We pray that the good God will keep them and touch the heart of people to continuously visit here,” she said.

She further thanked the New Tafo Area Head of the church, Apostle Samuel Antwi, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Antwi; the Sepe Buokrom District Minister of the church, Pastor Frederick Sarfo, and his wife, who were instrumental in the donation.

Report by Owusu Dennis.

Marriage Was Instituted For Humanity – Apostle Nyamekye Declares

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The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has asserted that marriage was ordained for humanity, and not for Christians alone.

In a live televised sermon on PENT TV during a Special Evening Service on Sunday, June 26, 2022, as part of his series on “Family – An ‘Endangered’ Institution,” Apostle Nyamekye explained that marriage predates Christianity, and that one does not necessarily need to be a Christian in order to have a successful or fulfilling marriage experience. He said that all married couples living by the rules of love and understanding can make their marital union glorious.

“It is an understandable fact that marriage was instituted before the onset of Christianity,” he said, adding, “Marriage is not a Christian ordinance per se; it was ordained for humanity.”

Reading from Genesis 2:21-25, the Chairman indicated that when God created the woman, He directly gave her to Adam as a wife. He mentioned Noah, Moses, Abraham and other biblical personalities who all married before the advent of Christianity to back his message, stressing that “even when two unbelievers marry God is interested in the marriage.”

He further noted that marriage is a covenant, a three-way relationship in which the couple is accountable to God who acts as a principal witness to the covenant. 

Touching on Christian marriage, Apostle Nyamekye stated: “It is no ordinary union.” According to him, Christian marriage is a sign that speaks to the world about the mystical union of Christ and the Church with its foundation upon God Himself (Ephesians 5:23-25).

“Therefore, for the Christian, our marital lives should not only succeed, but must speak of the goodness of God,” he pointed out.

Quoting from Malachi 2:13-16, the noted theologian explained that when two Christians walk to the altar to be joined in matrimony, heaven rejoices because their union is strategic, and God expects from them godliness and godly offspring. 

Chairman Nyamekye mentioned that the relationship between husband and wife is more than a commitment between two persons. This, he said, is because God adds the spiritual dimension to the marital life and transforms the relationship into a powerhouse of strength.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye charged married couples to be faithful to their partners, saying, “Spousal fidelity is inextricably linked to spiritual well-being.” 

He also advised prospective couples against extravagant weddings.

Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah

PIWC-Tesano Youth Ministry Donates To Bostal Senior Correctional Centre 

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 The Youth Ministry of Pentecost International Worship Centre, Tesano (PIWC-Tesano), has donated some items worth GHS 7,000.00 to inmates of the Senior Correctional Centre in Accra – a detention centre for people under 18 years convicted of criminal or civil offenses.

The items, which included bags of rice, washing soap, cooking oil, bags of water, sporting wear (shorts) and stationery, were presented during a visit by the ministry to the centre last Saturday. The church delegation was led by Elder Joseph Obiri Yeboah (Presiding Elder, PIWC-Tesano) and Elder Jeffery Akurang (Youth Ministry Leader, PIWC-Tesano).

According to the Elder Akurang, the gesture is in line with the five-year strategic vision of the Church (Vision 2023), which seeks to influence and transform every sphere of life with values and principles of the kingdom of God.

In a brief exhortation titled “Having A New Life In Christ,” Elder Obiri Yeboah urged the inmates to surrender their lives to Christ so that He would transform them for the better. He said that regardless of their past mistakes that may have led them to their present state, Jesus is able to change their situation if they would believe and accept a new life in Him. An altar call after the sermon saw 26 inmates making a decision for Christ.

The Senior Correctional Centre, formerly Borstal Institute for Juveniles, is a facility for incarcerated youth below 18 years. The facility serves as a detention center to help these inmates to re-path their courses in life. Detention duration for inmates ranges from three months to three years, depending on the nature of one’s crime or good behaviour.

According to officials of the centre, each inmate lives on a daily amount of GHS 1.80pesewas, which is woefully inadequate and, thus, heavily relies on the benevolence of religious organisations and external individuals to support their operations.

Report by Mercy Mensah

PENTSOS Construct Weaving Centre To Provide Employable Skills For Youth

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The Bawku Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Gyambibi Boateng, has commissioned a weaving centre for smock making constructed by the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) at Zebilla in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

The project falls under the Economic Empowerment Programme (EPP) of PENTSOS, which seeks to economically empower members of the Church, especially the youth, by providing them with skills training so as to gain sustainable employment.

Apostle Gyambibi, in his address at the commissioning ceremony last Sunday, indicated that, two years ago, the Area birthed the vision to start the weaving centre due to the high unemployment among the youth and the frequent travel to the south to seek livelihood opportunities. 

“The centre was, therefore, established at the premises of the Zebilla Central Assembly church to train members with economic livelihoods and empower the women to support themselves and their families,” he said.

According to him, the project is in line with the Church’s strategic vision, dubbed “Vision 2023: Possessing the Nations,” which seeks to influence every sphere of society with the values and principles of the kingdom of God. He, therefore, thanked the Chairman of the Church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and the Executive Council for the vision.

Elder Richard Amaning, the PENTSOS Director, stated that, beyond preaching the gospel message of Jesus Christ, Christians must seek to transform their communities. Hence, after discovering the centre during its routine monitoring exercise, his outfit decided to construct a suitable structure conducive for the training, he added.

He noted that the centre comprises a training area, an office and a storeroom for the vocations whose activities are affected by the vagaries of the weather. 

Elder Amaning further indicated that a similar project has been completed at Temaa in the Walewale Area (for sewing) and Daloagyili in the Tamale Area (for weaving, sewing and hairdressing). Meanwhile, the project at Kaleo in the Walewale Area is also ongoing.

It is also worth noting that PENTSOS, as part of its initial support to the centre, provided 15 weaving machines to the centre in 2021. 

The Bawku Area currently has three smock-weaving centres at Zebilla, Bawku and Garu, with a total enrolment of 192. The Zebilla centre currently has 76 apprentices, 37 of whom are due for graduation. It is the vision of the leadership of the Area to establish a vocational and technical school in the future. The Chief of Zebilla has donated nine acres of land to the Church for the school project.

Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS, Deaconess Comfort Tia, the trainer at the Zebilla centre, said that, since its establishment, the centre has provided hope and brought transformation to many teenage girls since they are no longer burdened with raising the “Masters fee” or buying weaving machine before gaining admission. This, she said, has contributed to reducing the migration of young girls to the south to engage in the head-porting (kaya) venture.

PENTECOST NEWS

Kofi-Badukrom District Constructs Rest Stop For Antwirifo Community

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The Kofi-Badukrom District in the Berekum Area of The Church of Pentecost has constructed a rest stop for the Antwirifo community to provide shelter for commuters.

The commissioning of the facility, which is in line with the Vision 2023 (five-year strategic vision) of The Church of Pentecost, took place recently at Antwirifo in the Ahafo Region of Ghana.

Speaking at the event, Overseer Bright Amankwah, District Minister of Kofi-Badukrom, thanked all who supported the project.

He admonished members of the community to develop a good maintenance culture to keep the facility in good condition.

The district minister used the opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with the people, which resulted in three persons surrendering their lives to Christ.

The short ceremony was graced by Nana Takyi Ababio III, Chief of Atwirifo, and some of the elders in the community.

Also present were Apostle Samuel Berko, Berekum Area Head of the church, and the Berekum Area Pastorate.

Report by Overseer Bright Amankwah, Kofi-Badukrom District.

Dome Asamang District Gets New Mission House

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A new mission house built for the Dome Asamang District in the Dunkwa Area of The Church of Pentecost has been dedicated to the glory of God.

The five-bedroom mission house was dedicated by Apostle Jones Awuah Afrifa, Dunkwa Area Head of the church, assisted by Pastor Mark Owusu Ansah, District Minister of Dome Asamang.

In an interview with PENTECOST NEWS, Pastor Ansah said that the reconstruction of the new mission house commenced when the old building was razed down in a fire outbreak on November 14, 2020.

“Unfortunately, we lost everything through the fire,” he said, adding that it became expedient that a new mission house was put up. The project commenced on March 5, 2021, and was completed a year later.

The Dome Asamang District Minister expressed his immense gratitude to the Executive Council of the church, Dunkwa Area, members of the church, and some individuals who contributed to the success of the project.

Notable among the personalities commended are Elder Emmanuel Obeng, Dunkwa Area Deacon; Elder Samuel Amo Tobin, Chief Executive Officer of Tobinco Group of Companies; Elder Felix Atsrim, Chief Executive Officer of Fedems Ltd, Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Sakumono, among others.            PENTECOST NEWS.

Agormanya Area PEMEM Embarks On Road Safety Campaign

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The Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM) of the Agormanya Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a Road Safety Campaign at the Kpong Lorry Station in the Eastern Region as part of the activities marking the 2022 PEMEM week-long celebration.

Speaking at the event, the Agormanya Area PEMEM Leader, Pastor Joseph Kwadwo Tawiah, stated: “As citizens whatever we do in our lives must be done to the glory of God. Hence, the road safety campaign is an activity to glorify God.”

Reading 1 Corinthians 10:31, Pastor Tawiah iterated that drivers and riders are key persons when considering road safety issues, hence the need to engage and educate all road users to be disciplined and safety conscious.

Pastor Tawiah advised drivers to always put on their seat belts whilst driving.

The Chairman of the Kpong Branch of Co-operative Drivers Union, Mr. Paul Kantey, commended The Church of Pentecost for organising the timely campaign. He entreated other churches to emulate the example.

The Akuse Police Commander, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Agbefe, noted that good drivers are those who always return safely from their trips.

Taking the drivers through basic road safety tips, Elder Samuel Teye (Kpong District PEMEM Leader), asked drivers to avoid drinking alcohol, ensure regular and proper vehicle maintenance, maintain concentration when driving, and comply to speed limits and other rules of the road.

In attendance were Chief Inspector Agbemabiese Joseph of Kpong Police Station, Pastor Samuel Dadzie, Pastor Samuel Malack Arthur, and Elder Felix Akonnor (Agormanya Area PEMEM Secretary).

The PEMEM Directorate of The Church of Pentecost led by Apostle Vincent Anane Denteh launched the National Safety Campaign in 2021.

Report by Agormanya Area Media Team.

Apostle Nyamekye Visits Aflao & Sogakope Areas

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The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Nyamekye, has paid a working visit to the Aflao and Sogakope Areas of the Church.

The visit started on Monday, June 20, 2022, in the Aflao Area of the church and ended on Thursday, June 23, 2022 in Sogakope.

During the visit, the Chairman of the church met ministers and their wives, officers, chiefs, government representatives, security officials and members of the church in the Aflao and Sogakope Areas.

The Aflao Area has three zones, namely Anloga, Aflao, and Agbozume zones, whereas the Sogakope Area comprises the Akatsi, Sogakope, and Tefle zones.

According to Apostle Nyamekye, the purpose of his visit was to commend the officers and ministers of the church in the area and to throw more light on the ‘possessing the nations’ agenda (five-year strategic vision) of the church.

In a presentation, the Chairman said that about 75% of Ghanaians profess to be Christians, however, corruption is dominant all over the country, stressing that, “Believers are the salt of the earth, chosen to heal it of the darkness (corruption); if the light stands in the darkness, the darkness cannot comprehend it.”

Apostle Nyamekye noted that anytime God calls a leader, He gives them a message. This message, he further noted is used by the leader to lead the people from generation to generation.

“God gave the church a message which is to possess the nations,” he stated, adding that, “possessing the nations is equipping every member of The Church of Pentecost, to transform every sphere of society with values and principles of the kingdom of God.”

He urged every member of the church to be agents of transformation. He then asked that they carry themselves as priests in possessing the nations at their various workplaces.

He iterated that the mandate of the church is to go into the world to drive out the darkness. This, he reiterated that the officers of the church are frontline in achieving this goal of the church.

He admonished them to keep investing their resources in the progress of God’s work and never relent in their efforts.

The Aflao Area, led by Apostle Peter Kofi Dzemekey, has 23 districts with a membership of about 40,000. It comprises of Dzodze, Aflao, Denu, Afife, Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC)-French, Ave-Dakpa, Tadzewu, Wudoaba, Agorve-Woe, Ehie, Fihokope, Atorkor, Keta, Gblapedo, Anloga, Avoeme, Agbozume, Klikor, Posmonu, Salo, Dekpor, French, Dzodze-Adagbledu districts.

Notably, the Sogakope Area of the church, headed by Apostle Isaac Tetteh Judah, has 18 districts with 332 assemblies, and about 30,000 members. The districts are Akatsi, Sogakope, Battor, Abor, Tefle, Kpotame, Dendo, Larve, Mafi-Kumase, Agorve- Akatsi, Lawui, Agbakope, Mepe, Adutor, Dedukope, Adidome, Dabala Gbalixorme.

PENTECOST NEWS

PENTSOS Commissions Irrigation Farming Project

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The 10-acre solar-powered irrigation farm project initiated by the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) last year at Tanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana has been commissioned.

The project, which falls under the Sustainable Livelihood Programme (SLP) of PENTSOS, was commissioned by the Bawku Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Gyambibi Boateng, on behalf of the Chairman, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, at a special ceremony held yesterday.

The SLP, among other objectives, seeks to empower members, especially the youth and other local farmers, to gain sustainable income.

Apostle Gyambibi, in his welcome address at the ceremony, indicated that the mandate of the Church is to disciple the nations, and embedded in this charge is the responsibility of transforming society. 

The Area Head said the irrigation project is, therefore, a catalyst for achieving relevant priorities in the five-year strategic vision of The Church of Pentecost (Vision 2023) aimed at “possessing the nations” by transforming society with Kingdom principles and values.

He further noted that the Church leadership remains hopeful that, through such projects, young people in the northern part of the country would no longer migrate to the south in search of non-existing greener pastures during the dry season. 

Apostle Gyambibi, therefore, thanked the Chairman, the General Secretary (Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi) and the Executive Council for their immense contribution to the success of the project.

Explaining the rationale for the project, the Director of PENTSOS, Elder Richard Amaning, said that “a major challenge identified in the northern regions is the one farming season (May-September).”

Therefore, to enhance food security and job opportunities, PENTSOS, in partnership with the Headquarters and the Bawku Area, decided to embark on dry-season irrigation farming (mainly short-cycle vegetable production) to support members of the church to create job opportunities and sustainable income, he added.

According to him, the irrigation facility would directly support 50 smallholder farmers to cultivate vegetables like okra, onion, pepper, tomatoes, cabbage etc. and reduce their dependency on rain-fed agriculture, which is on a balance of probabilities.

Highlighting the scope of the project, the Operations Coordinator of PENTSOS, Elder Ing. Frank Adutwum stated that the project, which cost GHS 290,000.00, has three boreholes, supplying about 70,000 litres (15,400 gallons) of water for eight hours daily. Two boreholes have also been connected to solar pumps delivering about 50,000 litres of water into four installed Polytanks, while the remaining borehole operates on a generator. In addition, a drip irrigation technology has been installed on a three-acre portion of the land to ensure adequate supply of water on the farmland.

To ensure the sustainability of the system, Elder Ing. Adutwum said beneficiary farmers have been trained and facilitated to form an association with established modalities to contribute to the maintenance of the irrigation scheme. Also, PENTSOS is working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Bawku West District, to provide agronomic services to farmers. 

Mr. Abass Imoro, Deputy Coordinator Director at the Bawku West Assembly, on his part, said that the intervention is in line with the One-Village-One-Dam (1V1D) policy introduced by the government of Ghana to support irrigation farming and called on other faith-based organisations to emulate the gesture of The Church of Pentecost. 

The Chief of Tanga, Naaba Sampson Ayaba Ayuubo, in his remarks, thanked the church for the project, describing it as “more than gold or silver.” He also called on the entire community to take full advantage of the facility to ensure its success.

Among other dignitaries at the commissioning ceremony were Pastor Joel Essel Donkoh (Bawku Area Secretary), Pastor Sampson Boakye (Tanga District Minister and Chairman of the Project Steering Committee), Elder Kwame Frimpong (Health Coordinator, PENTSOS), a cross-section of the pastorate and their wives, Bawku Area Executive Committee members, beneficiary farmers and members of the community.

The farmers expressed sincere gratitude to God and The Church of Pentecost for bringing them tangible hope. The farmers harvested some okra planted on the drip system during the event.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The Church Of Pentecost Children’s Ministry Holds 50th Anniversary Lecture

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History was made when a crowd of participants, comprising of ministers and wives, Children’s Ministry workers, and children, assembled at the Burma Camp Worship Centre (BCWC) of The Church of Pentecost, on Sunday, June 26, 2022, for the Children’s Ministry 50th Anniversary Lecture.

The anniversary lecture, a programme supported by the Women’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, was chaired by the wife of the Chairman of the church, Mrs. Mary Nyamekye. 

The special guest speaker was Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, wife of the General Secretary.

The event was under the theme, “The Children’s Ministry: Successes, Challenges, And the Way Forward.”

According to the Children’s Ministry Director, Pastor Prof. William Otoo Ellis, the anniversary lecture is the first in a series of two golden jubilee anniversary lectures held as the first activity after the launch of the anniversary of the Ministry.

“50 years in the life of an institution is a no mean feat in the ministry of the church,” he said.

He said that currently, the Children’s Ministry is one of the vibrant ministries of the church, adding, “even though in the beginning things were not formal, it has grown to be a well-organised ministry of the church.”

Delivering a presentation on the theme, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi said that in the formative stages of the church, there were no formalized children’s ministry or services. She noted that it was common to find parents coming for Sunday morning and weekday evening services with their children.

“As the numerical strength of the church grew, new members joined with their children, and this intensified the need and calls for a separate children’s service,” Mrs. Kumi-Larbi revealed.

She explained that children responded quickly to the gospel, and in some cases, they facilitated the conversion of their parents. This, she noted increased the desire to introduce Christ to the children at such tender ages.

The wife of the General Secretary iterated that in the 70s, the late Mrs. Margaret Mills (wife of late Pastor David Mills, who was then the Principal of the church’s Bible Training School), started organising children’s services in their residence in Asokwa.

She reiterated that some Elders and Pastors got interested and involved in ministry to the children in their respective jurisdictions.

Mrs. Kumi-Larbi outlined that the Children’s Ministry has undergone several transitions, accompanied by changes in name and leadership from 1972 to date. 

The first leadership led the ministry till 1983; they were the late Apostle Appau Asante (General Leader), the late Mrs. Margaret Mills (Deputy General Leader), and the late Mrs. Esme Siriboe (Secretary), she stated.

She further stated that apart from producing champions, the Ministry has also blessed many families in the church and society, saying that, “it is therefore not surprising that we find products of the Ministry in various spheres of society and professions.”

She then urged parents to ensure that their children attend children’s service until they reach adolescence when they graduate to the Youth Ministry of the church.

Again, she charged Children’s Ministry workers to prepare diligently before their classes. She urged them to stay relevant by using modern technology in teaching the children.

In her closing remarks, the Chairperson of the occasion, Mrs. Mary Nyamekye thanked the leadership of the ministry and the participants present.

“It is my prayer that this anniversary lecture will set the tone for a great 50th anniversary of the Children’s Ministry,” she mentioned.

Present were Prophet David Kankam Beditor (Patron, Children’s Ministry & Ashaiman Area Head), Apostle (Lt. Col.) Benjamin Kumi-Woode (Resident Minister, Burma Camp Worship Centre), Prophet Benjamin Adobah (Rtd) (Former Children’s Ministry Director), Mrs Deborah Agyemang Bekoe (wife of the International Missions Director) and Mrs Philomina Mireku (Women’s Ministry Director).

Others were wives of some Area Heads of the church, National and Area Executive Members of the Children’s and Women’s ministries, Children’s Ministry workers and children of the ministry.

The Children’s Ministry anniversary lecture is one of the activities outlined by the ministry to celebrate 50 years of raising and touching the lives of children in the church.

PENTECOST NEWS.