Posts in category: Church News

The Downtown-Ofaakor Area of The Church of Pentecost, under the leadership of Apostle William Kojo Edzorhoho, on Monday, November 27, 2023, launched its monthly prayer service dubbed; “Shechem Prayer.”

Explaining the rationale behind the name “Shechem Prayer” on the day of the launch at the Akweley Astroturf Park in Kasoa Downtown, Apostle Edzorhoho noted that “Shechem Prayer” is a spiritual practice that aims to link Christians to what God has said about them.

“It is based on the biblical story of Abraham, who was called by God to leave his country and go to a land that God would show him. Along the way, Abraham came to a place called Shechem, where he built an altar and prayed to God. There, God spoke to him and reaffirmed his promise to make him a great nation and a blessing to the world,” he noted.

The Area Head mentioned that “Shechem Prayer” helps Christians to have faith in God’s promise and to receive a word from God about their future.

“It also helps them to align their calling with God’s purpose for their lives. God wants to use Christians as channels of his grace and love to the world, and this can only happen when they stay in Shechem, a place of prayer and communion with God,” he reaffirmed.

He stressed that “Shechem Prayer” is part of the vision to reposition the local church as a great and glorious church that God intended to use to transform society.

“By staying in Shechem, Christians can experience God’s presence, power, and provision in their lives and ministries,” he concluded.

The “Shechem Prayer” service will be held monthly on every Monday of the Communion Week in the Church’s calendar which will be known as “Shechem Prayer Day.”

Present at the service were a cross-section of the Area Pastorate and wives, officers, and members.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Elder Emmanuel Akakpo Mortoti and his wife, Deaconess Paulina Mortoti, were commended for their humility, giving spirit, affable nature, and sincere dedication to God and The Church of Pentecost during a retirement service organised in their honour by the Adamase District.

The commendation came in a sermon by Apostle Derek Mireku, the Agona Swedru Area Head.

Preaching on the topic ‘Well Done: God’s Marking Scheme,’ Apostle Mireku emphasised that God expects every Christian to be fruitful in handling some form of ministry, stressing the importance of every believer having something profitable to do for the Lord.

He assured that when our work is done, God, the righteous judge, will reward everyone.

Apostle Mireku used the occasion to praise Elder Mortoti and his wife for their dedication to their calling, encouraging them not to relent even after retirement.

Recalling the Mortoti family’s toils in the Lord’s vineyard during his six-year tenure as Area Head of Essam-Debiso, he commended them for advancing the kingdom of God.

In his remarks, the Area Head of Juaboso, Apostle Shadrach Asa-Otu, blessed the Lord for the lives of Elder and Deaconess Mortoti.

He highlighted their selfless giving to the church, humility in their interactions, and their accomplishment in ensuring their eleven children were well educated and trained in the Lord. Many of them have been ordained as officers of the church, serving in various Area and District Executive Committees.

He urged the gathering to emulate their example.

During a testimony, the Adamase District emphasised that the Mortotis served the Lord with their intellect, resources, and life. Elder Mortoti served as a District Executive Committee member for seventeen years, presiding from 1988 to 2005.

The couple donated two acres of cocoa farm to Agodzikrom Assembly, which they co-started. Elder Mortoti also opened nine Assemblies singlehandedly.

Deaconess Paulina Mortoti served as Assistant District Women’s Ministry Leader from 1990 to 1995 and has been a District Welfare Committee Member for over 20 years due to her benevolence in assisting the needy in the church.

The couple received over ten citations and an undisclosed amount of money from the District.

The ceremony was attended by a cross-section of pastors from the Juaboso Area and their wives, including Pastor George Osei-Asiedu of Dwenho District, who served with the Mortotis from 2015 to 2020 as the pioneer minister of the Adamase District.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Two hundred and one individuals in the Ashanti Bekwai Area of The Church of Pentecost have been ordained as officers to serve God and the Church as church leaders.

The ordination service occurred at the Area Officers’ retreat held on Friday, November 24, 2023, at the Bekwai Central Assembly.

The programme, which had Apostle Michael Collins Asiedu (Rtd.) as the guest speaker, centered around the theme “Lord, Stretch Forth Your Hand” (Acts 4:30).

Speaking at the event, Apostle M.C. Asiedu emphasised that leadership is service, meant for servants but not for novices (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Ecclesiastes 10:16-19).

He asserted that the success of the church relies on its leaders, highlighting faithfulness as a crucial requirement in leadership (1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Luke 16:10-12).

Apostle Asiedu stressed the necessity of strong leadership for the church’s health (Acts 20:28), stating, “The absence of strong leaders makes room for all non-sense in the church.”

He underscored that God places a high premium on Christian leadership, often calling individuals who may not initially qualify (Exodus 3:7-12). God, however, qualifies them by stretching forth His hand to prepare, equip, and anoint them for leadership.

Highlighting that God shapes those He calls into what He desires (Mark 1:17), Apostle Asiedu concluded by stating that the one whom God calls owes allegiance to God.

Pastor Seth Ansah led the presbytery in an intensive prayer.

Subsequently, Apostle Fred Tiakor guided the candidates in making a public declaration of their acceptance to serve as non-paid officers of the church, and prayed ordained into their respective offices.

In total, 45 elders, 64 deacons, and 92 deaconesses were ordained at the event.

The officers’ retreat was attended by a total of 705 officers, along with Ministers and Wives in the Area.

Report by Ashanti-Bekwai Area Media Team

A residential retreat has been organized for all ministers and wives in the Sawla Area of The Church of Pentecost, with a call for them to embrace “Vision 2028” with the spirit of excellence to transform the world.

The two-day retreat, initiated by the Area Head, Pastor Frederick Obboh, was held to shed light on the new five-year strategic vision of the church, dubbed “Possessing the Nations (Phase 2)”. It also meant to share the rationale behind the 2024 theme of the Church and discuss other issues arising from the recently held Heads’ meeting at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.

The event, themed “Pursuing the Vision with the Spirit of Excellence,” began on Wednesday, November 21, 2023, at Sawla English Assembly auditorium and saw all 27 ministers and wives in attendance.

In his address during the opening session, Pastor Obboh spoke on the topic “The Importance of Vision for a Leader,” with scripture reference from Acts 1:8.

The Area Head emphasised the need for leaders to have a vision, stating that it drives their agenda and passion, guiding them to avoid mistakes and achieve set objectives.

Pastor Obboh highlighted the church’s vision for the next five years, where the church, having been called out from the world and equipped, is now being unleashed into the world to be catalysts, and serve as “Salt and Light.”

He further explained that the church is being unleashed to serve as change agents to transform their world and influence their spheres with the principles of the kingdom of God.

According to him, the focus of Vision 2028, is to see the church lead great transformation and awakening in all spheres of human endeavour to make the kingdoms of the world the kingdom of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

“This places a responsibility on every member to strive to proclaim the gospel using all available means everywhere, to minister and bring transformation,” he said.

Reading from Ecclesiastes 9:10, Pastor Obboh admonished ministers to strive and run with the vision, achieving results for the leadership, families, and ultimately, God who redeemed them to be agents of transformation.

The ministers and their wives were also taken through some issues of concern emerging from Vision 2028 for their attendance and compliance.

As part of the retreat, the ministers held a five-hour prayer marathon to intercede for the church, Vision 2028, and the Church leadership, among other concerns.

The second day of the retreat saw the Area Head’s wife, Mrs. Joana Mina Obboh, speak on the topic “Excelling as a Minister’s Wife.”

In her presentation, Mrs. Joana Obboh challenged the women to be ministers’ wives of prayer to support their spouses’ ministry.

“Become the pillar behind the power demonstrated in the ministry of your husband,” she urged.

Reading from Judges 4:1-9; 5:7, Mrs. Obboh underscored the importance of women as great supporters and partners to the success of the ministry of their husbands.

She called on ministers and wives to strive for excellence in every aspect of their ministry, emphasising the need for modesty, humility, pragmatism, prayer, and maintaining a great sense of decorum.

“The minister’s wife must be an example in everything to the women,” she noted.

The retreat brought fresh fire as the entire sessions were filled with Spirit-led discussions and spontaneity, sparking great enthusiasm in the hearts of all participants.

Report by Overseer Jones Dwomoh Amankwah