The Church Of Pentecost Loses Board Of Trustees Member web

The Church Of Pentecost Loses Board Of Trustees Member

The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, today paid a visit to the family of the late Elder Dr. Johnson Addo, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Church of Pentecost, following his sudden demise.

Elder Dr. Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Raphal Medical Centre, passed on to glory on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, after battling with a short illness.

Accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Mary Nyamekye, the immediate-past General Secretary of the Church, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi Larbi (now Ashaiman Area Head), and Apostle Emmanuel Ofei Ankra-Badu (Tema Area Head), the Chairman visited the bereaved family to sympathise with them for the great loss.

During the visit, the Chairman offered words of encouragement to the bereaved family and urged them to be strong in faith during this difficult period. He encouraged them to take solace in the fact that the late Elder diligently served God’s purpose in his generation.

“Elder Dr. Johnson Addo was a good man who spent his time on earth serving God, The Church of Pentecost, and humanity; and his good deeds on earth will forever follow him,” he said.

The Chairman further stated that, although his demise is a very painful one, Elder Dr. Johnson has been called to be with his Father in heaven and to rest from his earthly labour.

Apostle Eric Nyamekye also signed a book of condolence opened for the departed Elder.

The Church delegation also included Pastor Samuel K. Koomson (PIWC-Tema Resident Minister) and a cross-section of ministers and members in the Tema Area.

Report by Tema Area Media Team.

594 Children In Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Receive Holy Spirit Baptism During Camp Meeting web

594 Children In Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Receive Holy Spirit Baptism During Camp Meeting

A day’s camp meeting for children, organised by the Anyaa-Ablekuma Area as part of the recently-held National Children’s Ministry Week Celebration, witnessed a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as 594 children received Holy Spirit baptism.

The event, jointly organised by the Area Executive Committee led by the Area Head, Apostle William Ohemeng-Kwakye, and the Area Children’s Ministry led by Pastor Nana Kwame Damoa, was held on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at Pentecost Prayer Centre, Ablekuma-Agape. It recorded an attendance of 2000 children.

Pastor Thomas Ayamboya of Fanmilk District, one of the speakers for the event, took the children and teachers through Child Evangelism (Matthew 19:14-15).

He expounded on the need to evangelize the child, how both adults and children can do child evangelism, and where to find the children to evangelize.

A major highlight of the program was the great manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and deliverance sessions led by Pastor Emmanuel Teye Sackitey, who also serves as the Anyaa District Minister and the Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Secretary.

To the glory of God, 594 children received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

The teachers were not left out in this gratifying impartation service, as the children’s workers were prayed for and received various kinds of spiritual gifts.

Gracing the event was Pastor Peter Agyei, the Greater Accra Children’s Pastor of The Church of Pentecost, who delivered the closing remarks.

He encouraged the children’s workers to continue their good work since their labor will be rewarded by God himself.

In all, 2,190 persons, comprising 2,010 children and 180 children’s workers attended the event.

Report by Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Media Team

Asutsuare District Children’s Ministry Embarks On Excursion To Shai Hills Resource Reserve web

Asutsuare District Children’s Ministry Embarks On Excursion To Shai Hills Resource Reserve

The Children’s Ministry of the Asutsuare District in the Agormanya Area of The Church of Pentecost visited the Shai Hills Resource Reserve last Saturday as part of the activities for the recently-held National Children’s Ministry Week Celebration.

This year’s weeklong celebration was held under the theme: “Building the Foundations of the Local Church for Maximum Impact,” taken from Psalm 11:3.

The focus of the celebration was to intentionally train the younger generation, strengthen, and deepen their faith in the Lord in order to impact them as future leaders.

In line with the theme for the celebration, the leadership of the Church took the children out to appreciate the natural resources that are part of God’s handiwork and to inculcate in them the need to preserve and care for God’s creation.

The Shai Hills reserve is a fenced area, about 48 km2, and is made up largely of savanna-covered plains. A mosaic of forest covers the five separate hills in the reserve, while grassland and low dry forests are found in intervening canyons. Currently, 31 mammals, 13 reptiles, and 175 bird species have been identified in the reserve.

Addressing the over 100 children who took part in the excursion, Elder Joseph Nyarko, the District Children’s Ministry Leader, urged all to serve and worship God alone, since He alone has the power to save and preserve mankind and grant eternal life.

He cautioned that man is not supposed to worship the “created things” but use them for the benefit of humanity.

The Forest Guard took the team to the hills, caves, Baobab trees, museum, the animal farm, and the home of baboons and monkeys, where the children had the opportunity to ask various questions.

He also briefed them on the history and the aesthetic and economic values of the reserve.

The children, who expressed joy and enthusiasm in the day’s trip, remarked that they had enjoyed the trip and had been educated on a lot of issues relevant to their academic and social life.

The team also included the Asutsuare District Secretary, Elder Ezekiel Abban Teye, the District Youth Ministry Leader, Elder Foster Blankson, the School Outreach Ministry (SOM) Coordinator, Elder Richard Anim, Deaconess Gifty Kumah, an Executive Committee Member of the Children Ministry, and ten Children Ministry Workers.

Report by Agormanya Area Media Team.

La Area Renovates 6-Unit Classroom Block At Burma Camp web

La Area Renovates 6-Unit Classroom Block At Burma Camp

The La Area of The Church of Pentecost, headed by Apostle Dr Dieudonne Komla Nuekpe, an Executive Council Member of the Church, has renovated a 6-unit classroom block for the Forces Senior High Technical School (FSHTS) at Burma Camp in Accra.

Apostle Dr Nuekpe, on August 17, 2023, handed over the renovated classroom block to the authorities of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). Present were Apostle Dr Colonel Benjamin Kumi-Woode (Coordinator of GAF Chaplains), Pastor Thomas Anane (La Area Estate Chairman), Mrs Juanita Toffa Nuekpe (La Area Head’s wife) and the Area pastorate and wives.The gesture was aimed at cementing the existing cordial relationship between The Church of Pentecost and the Ghana Armed Forces. 

The scope of the work covered block laying to raise the building, painting, re-roofing, provision of fans, creating a new drainage system, electrical installation, and replacing old doors and windows.

The project began in August 2022 and was executed by Zap Plus Company Limited, a construction firm, under the supervision of the GAF.

Report by Overseer Daniel Nana Sei Mensah (La Area Media Committee Chairman)

Youth Ministry Launches PENSA Discipleship Program Manual web

Youth Ministry Launches PENSA Discipleship Program Manual

The Director of the Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Ebenezer Hagan, has unveiled a comprehensive manual for the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) discipleship program.

This event took place on September 9, 2023, at the ongoing PENSA Ghana Leaders’ Retreat (PGLR), held at the PENSA Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Building Site.

During the launch ceremony, the Youth Director passionately explained that the PENSA Discipleship Program (PDP) is a distinctive initiative born out of the Youth Ministry’s overarching vision: “Growing Deep Roots in Christ, Leading for Maximum Impact, Reaching Everyone, and Taking Over Everywhere for Jesus,” firmly rooted in the scriptures of Colossians 2:6,7 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20.

He emphasised that the program’s primary goal is to help young individuals establish godly connections and inspire one another to deepen their faith in Christ and actively pursue acts of goodness.

This newly introduced manual will be instrumental in training PDP leaders and will serve as the blueprint for the efficient implementation of the program.

Following the Director’s address, the Deputy Youth Director, Elder Professor Appau Asante, offered heartfelt prayers for the success of the PDP.

Apostle Hagan then formally presented the manual to the leadership of PENSA Ghana.

In response, Elder Samuel Boahen, the coordinator of PENSA Ghana, expressed gratitude on behalf of the organization and pledged full commitment to ensuring the effective execution of the manual.

The ongoing PENSA Leaders’ Retreat has drawn the participation of over 700 student leaders from the Church, PENSA Traveling Secretaries, resident campus ministers, and their spouses, along with members of the National Executive Committee of the Youth Ministry.

This annual retreat, which serves as a nurturing ground for current and future leaders within the Church and the nation, is designed to equip, refine leadership skills, and unleash the spiritual gifts of all participants to have a profound impact on campuses and the nation as a whole.

Report by Youth Ministry Media Team

9-Year-Old Sunday School Girl Sews Dress In 15 Minutes web

9-Year-Old Sunday School Girl Sews Dress In 15 Minutes

Bridget Klove, a nine-year-old Sunday School girl in Avoeme District in the Aflao Area of The Church of Pentecost, wowed members of her church with her amazing sewing skills during a talent and exhibition event organized by the Children’s Ministry at Viepe Assembly as part of the just-ended National Children’s Ministry Week Celebration.

The gifted girl, who fellowships with Amedenta Assembly, sewed the dress in the record time of 15 minutes.

The event, dubbed “Talent Night,” was organised to encourage the Sunday School children in the district to showcase their talents and gifts.

Participants were completely shocked by the skills and dexterity of Bridget.

Bridget’s mother, who herself is a seamstress, exclaimed that she was always at a loss as to how her daughter could sew dresses since she had not undergone any professional training.

She added that some of the dresses her daughter wears to church are sewn by her daughter without any assistance. She, therefore, sees her daughter’s ability as a gift from God.

Pastor Daniel Teye Gyan Henanaopeh, the Avoeme District Minister, used the occasion to encourage parents to help their children explore their talents since the Lord has gifted them with unlimited capabilities.

Other children also seized the occasion to showcase their talents and abilities to the excitement of participants.

In attendance were Mrs. Hannah Henanaopeh (Wife of the district minister), Avoeme District Children’s Ministry Workers, and teeming members of the Church.

Report by Pastor Francis Lamptey (Aflao Area Reporter)

PIWC-Akropong Inaugurated web

PIWC-Akropong Inaugurated

The Koforidua Area Head of The Church of Pentecost and Executive Council Member of the church, Apostle Mike Kwame Etrue, has inaugurated the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Akropong, in the Koforidua Area. 

The colourful event, which took place on August 31, also marked the welcome service of the first Resident Minister, Pastor Alex Kojo Adjani and his wife Elsie. 

Speaking at the service on the topic, “Building on Christ the Solid Rock” – 1 Peter 2:5-10, Pastor Emmanuel Kofi Ahinkan (Rtd) said that there are many waves that are causing several people to put their trust in things other than Jesus Christ, the solid rock. But for believers, he said, grace has found them.

He indicated that believers are now valuable assets such that Christ builds his church with them. 

He explained that rock is a solid, strong and protective object in its physical nature, saying, “Christ being a solid rock means protection, securing and enduring.”

He charged Christians to rise since Jesus Christ is the church’s foundation. 

Present at the inauguration were ministers and their wives in the Koforidua Area, including the Area Secretary, Pastor Musah Yahaya. Also present were Elder Emmanuel and Mrs Deaconess Dr Gertrude Yirenkyi Antwi, who donated four-and-a-half plots of land to the church for the construction of the PIWC-Akropong auditorium, students from PENSA Upper Volta Sector and members of the church. 

Report by PIWC-Akropong Media Team.

HOW MY CHILDHOOD SUNDAY TEACHERS CHANGED MY LIFE web

How My Childhood Sunday Teachers Changed My Life

My parents relocated to Awoshie when I was still a child. I found myself attending Sunday school alone as a child from my family. Later my other siblings joined in. My dad and my mum were not attending church, although, at the time, they claimed to be Anglicans. My dad would often drop us for Sunday school but come home to “chill” with my mum and their friends. This was the “religious context” at home, which God has now transformed to His glory.

I was very committed to Sunday school with the then Emmanuel Assembly which later became Emmanuel Worship Center and is now Pentecost International Worship Center (PIWC), Odorkor. I married in this same place while it was Emmanuel Worship Center with the then Overseer (now, Apostle) Samuel Gyau Obuobi (our current General Secretary) as our Resident Minister. The Sunday school teachers at the time took so much interest in me. They would visit me at home, to follow up on me and also to greet my parents. Among the teachers who touched my life are Teachers Ruth, Olivia, Adom, Ofosuhene, Lydia etc.

There were countless number of times that Sunday female teachers will pick me up especially on weekends to go round the homes of other Sunday school kids to visit them. One Teacher Ruth would buy biscuits and carry along as we went on visitation. In the homes of the kids, Teacher Ruth would share a word, ask how kids are doing, follow up on their parents, pray with us and then we move to another house. This built in me the desire to care for others and the drive for visitation in the local church.

It was through Teacher Ruth that I received baptism with the Holy Spirit with evidence in speaking in tongues. Anytime there was prayer session for baptism with the Holy Spirit, I would not receive and went back disappointed. After completing Junior Seconday School (JSS) and awaiting to enter Senior Secondary School (SSS), on one occassion, while on home visitation with Teacher Ruth, we were in the same area where our church building was so my teacher requested we go and pray in the church. No sooner had we started praying than I received the Holy Spirit baptism with evidence in speaking tongues; I received the gift there and then with my teacher alone; the Holy Spirit was there too.

I must add that, as a child in Sunday school without my parents, I sometimes felt very lonely because after church many of the adults would focus on checking up with children whose parents were known in the local church especially as leaders. I also wanted this interaction but hardly found it. However, some adults, aside my Sunday school teachers took notice of me and took interest in me to ensure that they showed me care and attention. Even into my youthful year, leaders such as Elder Ben Donkor (the former Area Deacon for Odorkor Area), Elder Emmanuel Eyison (current Area Deacon for Ablekuma), among others have continued to follow up on me, until today and supported me in sundry ways.

At one point as a Sunday school child, I did not go to church for two Sundays. Then, I found my Sunday school teachers in my house on visitation. They asked my reason for not coming to church. I told them. Few days earlier, a group of people in our neighbourhood who believe that “the Holy Spirit is just a force and not a person and that there is no such thing as speaking in tongues” had ambushed me and confused me. They had seen my zeal for the Lord and possibly wanted to win me over to their end. My teachers took time to open the bible verse by verse to clear my confusion. If not, I would be lost.

All this while, with my awareness of the love of God and His grace that brings salvation unto all, I was disturbed that my parents are not saved. I prayed for their salvation even as I entered my teenage years. At one time while on vacation from SSS, I went to preach the gospel to my Dad. He told me he can’t attend a church he is older than, at least within the community. He warned me not to share the gospel with him again. The interesting thing is that, he never opposed our going to church and would even drive us to church anytime and everytime. This rejection of my sharing the gospel with him really broke my heart.

Fast forward, I had gotten into the university. I loved to visit members of Pentecost Students and Associates ( PENSA) with some of my friends. If I did not see someone in church service, we would go and visit them. It was through one such visit that I met Seth Kwame Fianko-Larbi and the rest, it is said, is history. During these days in the university, we as PENSA were praying, preparing and planning to go for vacation time evangelistic outreach to a village. During the prayer times, I asked the Lord to touch my parents and save them through any means as He was also using me to go and save others. I had the Damascus encounter of Saul in mind as I prayed.

I came home from the “Village Crusade”, as we called it. When I attended my local church, many people were excited to meet me. Many of them were telling me, “I saw your Mum and Dad in church last Sunday.” I did not think they were talking about my biological parents. I thought they were referring to some of the adults in church, many of whom had become my “Mum and Dad” at the time. So I went home after church and asked my parents if they were in church last week. Here was the shocker!

Apparently on the next Saturday following the day I prayed to God to save my parents, my Dad said he felt a strong urge to go to church so he told my Mum who also agreed to go with him. They went to church and when the altar call was made, both of them came forward and that same day both of them were baptised in water. They have since remained steadfast in their faith the Lord Jesus Christ and their commitment to the local church.

The care I received from my childhood Sunday school teachers seems to have birthed in my heart the desire for children and teenage ministry. When we served as Missionaries in Seychelles, being pioneer missions work, I spent nearly all my Sundays in the entire 5 years running Sunday school for the children and training Sunday school leaders in order to allow parents space to join the adult service for discipleship. The story isn’t different in the Kenya missions where we established teenage ministry in Nairobi Metropolis on our arrival in late 2019; a ministry which is a key driver for our city church model.

I wish to pay glowing tribute to my Sunday school teachers and the many adults in my childhood local church – Emmanuel Assembly – now, PIWC Odorkor, who helped to shape my life with the Word of God, prayer and care even when my parents were neither saved nor part of the local church. I also want to encourage children who are currently in the state I found myself and their Sunday school teachers for their labor. I pray that their labor will never be in vain. It is working. God is up to something great. Hallelujah

Written by Dr. Theresah Fianko-Larbi (The Church of Pentecost, Kenya)

REPOSITIONING OUR CHILDREN IN PRAYER FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT web

Repositioning Our Children In Prayer For Maximum Impact: The Role Of A Praying Parent

The apostle Paul had to point out Timothy’s spiritual legacy. It was a vital part of who he was. It helped shape him as a man, a Christ-follower, and an emerging apostle. Timothy’s actions prompted Paul to write, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Tim. 1:5).

Young Timothy became the recipient of a trans-generational legacy. Two generations of praying women shaped him from the inside out. Timothy’s home life, created by the faith of his grandmother and mother, left an indelible mark on him. His grandma and mom were praying women, and their behavior shaped his. The stark reality is you cannot take someone where you’ve never been yourself. To raise praying children means that you must first have a measure of proficiency yourself. In the book “No Easy Road” by Dick Eastman, it says: “To learn prayer, we must pray. We only learn prayer’s deepest depths in prayer, not from books. We reach prayer’s highest heights in prayer, not from sermons.”

Eastman’s observation is not isolated. E. M. Bounds, the prolific author of numerous books on prayer, notes: “Prayer is a trade to be learned. We must be apprentices and serve our time at it. Painstaking care, much thought, practice, and labor are required to be a skillful tradesman in praying.” Would you attempt to teach your child to swim if you were uncomfortable in the water?

Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley—founding brothers of the Methodist Church—had nineteen children. Seldom did she miss a daily hour of prayer. Even with the stress and time commitment of mothering, she made time to be with God. She had no private room or dedicated space in which to go and seek the Lord. Yet that didn’t stop her. This habit made it easy for her to model prayer to her kids. Eastman documents Susanna’s practice like this: “At her chosen time for spiritual exercise, she would take her apron and pull it over her face. Her children were instructed never to disturb ‘mother’ when she was praying in her apron.”

The sight of a praying parent leaves a huge impression on the soul of a child. It trumps any verbal instruction that you’ll ever give to your little one on prayer. This observation caused leading pastor and author Rick Warren to say: “A dad stands tallest when he kneels to pray with his children.”

Susanna Wesley taught each of her children the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–12) as soon as they could speak. She made them recite it twice daily: when they woke and again at bedtime. As they got older, she added other elements to their prayer regimen. They would be taught to pray for their parents and some of the promises found in the Bible. This was all based on their stage of development and ability to memorize.

Admittedly, we’re living in a different era with different cultural norms and expectations. But as Christians, we should never veer from this parental target: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

The Message puts it this way: “Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old, they won’t be lost.” We cannot cave in to popular culture that suggests that we leave our children to form their own opinions about God, about faith, or about prayer. God demands us to take on the role of a teacher—a teacher of prayer. We come full circle to my point: to raise a child who prays, you must be a “pray-er”!

In fact, author and teacher Mark Batterson writes: “Prayer turns ordinary parents into prophets who shape the destinies of their children, grandchildren, and every generation that follows.” You don’t have to be a perfect parent, but be a praying parent! God’s involvement with the rearing of your child will fill in the parenting gaps that you were unable to perform.

JESUS, THE PRAYING CHILD

Before there was a cross, there was a cradle. Jesus did not skip steps on the way to the cross. He had to progress through all of the ordinary, yet necessary, stages of human development. Scholars use the terms “very God” and “very man” to describe the unique nature of Jesus. He was totally God while at the same time totally man. His humanity did not take away from His divinity. His divinity did not suppress or deny His humanity. In fact, being human enabled Jesus to sympathize with our weaknesses, as our High Priest (Heb. 4:15). He accurately and compassionately brings our suffering before God’s throne of grace.

Jesus’s prayer life had a starting point, just like yours, mine, and our children’s. Jesus was a baby, a preteen, a teenager, and a young adult before He made His mark on the world as an adult. The Bible gives us little bits and pieces of His life prior to adulthood. We have enough to form this conclusion: God does not wait until you’re an adult to respond to your prayers.

  • Jesus, the Twelve-Year-Old Prayer Warrior

At the age of twelve, Jesus understood the importance and value of prayer. He participated in prayer—His Father’s business—and other spiritual matters. Jesus made that point very clear to His earthly parents. Unbeknownst to Mary and Joseph, on their return trip home from the annual Feast of the Passover, Jesus stayed behind. Like all parents, when they realized He was not in the caravan with any of the other families, they returned to Jerusalem in search of their little boy. When they found Him, Jesus respectfully said: “Why were you searching for me? . . . Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49, NIV).

What did Jesus mean by this? What was this twelve-year-old doing? The answer is found when we understand what occurs in the temple. Years later, as an adult, Jesus said: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17, emphasis added). Jesus used the terms “My house” and “My Father’s house” (John 2:16) interchangeably. Both terms reference the temple as a place of prayer, among other religious activities. Without reading anything into the text, we can easily see that Jesus prayed as a child. If the Father valued, respected, and answered Jesus’s prayers while a child, God also values the prayers of your children.

  • The influence of Mary and Joseph

As parents, Mary and Joseph created a certain home environment, family culture, and expectation about Jesus. Even if their influence on Him was limited, flawed, or partial, they still played a role in His spiritual development. Joseph was a carpenter (Matt. 13:55). Jesus became a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Jewish boys, in those days, went into the same line of business as their father. Becoming a carpenter was no accident. We know that parental influence was at work in Jesus’s life. It didn’t stop at His vocational choice. It extended into the whole, of His life.

The religious practices of Mary and Joseph are without question. When Jesus was eight days old, like any good Jewish parents, they had Him named and circumcised (Luke 2:21). At the appropriate time, they traveled to Jerusalem to dedicate Him to God, in accordance with the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22). Every year, Mary and Joseph faithfully went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41). It was during one of these annual visits that Jesus, at twelve years old, remained behind to pray and attend to His “Father’s house.”

The Bible doesn’t detail all the things Jesus learned from the godliness of His parents. Even in their limited knowledge, imperfect lifestyle, and inadequacies in raising the Savior, they still played a critical part. Your role in the spiritual development of your child is invaluable. You cannot deflect it back to God. You cannot claim that your inadequacies disqualify you. Even if they do, you still cannot abdicate your role as an influencer. You can’t even say: “My parents didn’t teach me how to pray. Therefore, I lack the tools to teach my child.” None of these excuses hold water even if they are true.

Your home is the number one influence in the life of your child. The average church has a child one percent (%) of his time, and the school for sixteen percent (16%), but the home for eighty-three percent (83%) of his time. This reality does not eliminate or reduce the need for churches or Christian schools to serve as positive spiritual training centers for your child, but it establishes the fact that your home dominates your child’s world, and you have an opportunity to maximize that benefit. You must, therefore, take your role seriously!

Written by Elder Johnson Nyormah (Pentecost University)

Tema Greenwich Meridian District Retires 12 Officers web

Tema Greenwich Meridian District Retires 12 Officers

The Tema Greenwich Meridian District of The Church of Pentecost has held a retirement service in honour of 12 Officers who have meritoriously served the church for many years 

The retired officers are Elders Benjamin Amankwah (36 years of service) and Samuel Duker (33 years of service).

Others are Deaconesses Esther Mintah-Frempong (24 years of service), Hannah Manu (34 years of service), Naana Abban Quaidoo (25 years of service), Grace Adu Boateng (27 years of service), and Hon. Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh (33 years of service).

The rest are Deaconesses Faustina Afriyie (20 years of service), Martha Bissiw (23 years of service), Faustina Apagya Kwofie (12 years of service), Mary Duker (23 years of service) and Joyce Ntiri Darkwa (23 years of service)

Pastor Dr Suleman De-Graft Issaka, the District Minister for Tema Greenwich Meridian District, officiated the first event held at the Community 3 assembly auditorium. In attendance were Apostle Emmanuel Gyasi Addo (the immediate past International Missions Director, but now retired), Pastor Samuel Nsiah (Rtd), Mrs Esther Issaka (Wife of the District Pastor), Deaconess Charity Kuwornu (Tema Area Women’s Ministry Leader) and her husband, Elder Paul Kuwornu (Tema Area Deacon), among others.

Speaking on the theme, “Lessons from the shore of Tiberias Sea,” Pastor Dr De-Graft Issaka read from John 6:1-9 about Jesus feeding 5,000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. He admonished believers to live chaste lives, saying, “Indicating your position as Christians doesn’t automatically guarantee heaven.” 

Picking some lessons from the passage, he entreated church leaders to be observant about situations and happenings around them, develop a hunger for things in Christ, be concerned about the welfare of people, show compassion, and make the members the topmost priority because people are their greatest resource.

“Nobody is useless in the house of God; hence, we must learn to appreciate what God has given us,” he said, adding, “The boy had food. The disciples had organisational skills, and Jesus had the ability to multiply. You have something somebody doesn’t have.”

He encouraged leaders to do their best and leave the rest to God. He also advised them to avoid waste in their leadership, such as time, opportunity, food, and lateness. 

Pastor Dr Suleman De-Graft Issaka concluded by encouraging the retired officers not to fear the future, stressing that the ability to finish the work and receive a befitting retirement is a great treasure. 

Apostle Emmanuel Gyasi Addo commended the Assembly for a well-organised program. He also congratulated the Officers on behalf of the Church and Prayed for the retirees. 

Apostle Emmanuel Gyasi-Addo (Rtd) officiated the second event held at the Safo Memorial Temple. 

Present at the event were Mrs Elizabeth Gyasi-Addo, Apostle Daniel Nsaful and Mrs Mary Yeboah Nsaful (New Tafo Area Head), the District Minister and his wife, Pastor Ralph Agyekum Darkwa, Pastor James Boakye Yiadom and his wife, Mrs Gloria Abbey, Mrs Esther Bonsu, Mrs Charity Kuwornu, Area Women’s leader and her assistant, Mrs Gloria Dennis, among others.

Speaking at the event, the District Minister, Pastor Dr Suleman De-Graft Issaka, exhorted the congregation from 2 Timothy 2:12, on the topic: “Doing Good Things.”

Pastor Dr Suleman De-Graft Issaka elaborated on weariness, its characteristics, effects, and solutions. According to him, weariness indicates a reduction in the frequency of what one does. 

To overcome weariness, he advised believers to constantly renew their relationship with God, avoid bad company, avoid listening to bad advice, and pray constantly to receive spiritual fuel to do good. 

Apostle Daniel Nsaful led the prayer session and prayed for the retirees.  

Congratulating the retirees, Apostle Emmanuel Gyasi-Addo (Rtd) blessed them for sacrificing so much for the gospel. He prayed that God would continue to bless and keep them. 

The retired officers, in response, expressed their appreciation to God for granting them the opportunity to serve in his vineyard in many distinct capacities. They also appreciated the leadership of the church for reposing confidence in them and their families for the tremendous support.  

Report by Benjamin Quarshie