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The Bawku Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a four-day prayer and orientation retreat for all ministers and their wives in the Area.

The 2020 edition of the annual retreat was held from Tuesday, November 24, to Friday, November 27, 2020.

The programme saw word ministrations from the Bolgatanga Area Head, Apostle Wilberforce Kwame Nkrumah Agyeman, the Walewale Area Head, Apostle Francis Yaw Adu, and the Bawku Area Head, Pastor Eric Kwabena Gyambibi Boateng. There were presentations by the Binaba Divisional Chief and a Nutritionist from the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital. 

Topics treated were “Being a Blessing in a Glorious Church,” “Don’t do what they do,” “Revival in the Desert,” “Loyalty,” “the Head of Goliath,” “Building Indigenous Churches,” “Ministering in Muslim Communities,” and “Becoming Effective Ministers within the Kusaal Culture,” among others. The November 2020 Circular also received full attention.

In his closing remarks, the Bawku Area Head, Pastor Gyambibi Boateng, charged the ministers and their wives to be a blessing in their various districts in pursuance of the “Possessing the Nations” agenda of the Church. “All ministers must become loyal agents of transformation to bring about revival in their districts and communities,” he stressed. 

The Bawku Area currently has 17 districts with 18 ministers.

Report by Bawku Area Media Team.

A thanksgiving service was held yesterday [Sunday, November 29, 2020] to climax the weeklong national fasting and prayer exercise for the upcoming elections organised by the Christian Ecumenical Council in Ghana.

The event, which was held at the Perez Dome in Accra, was attended by the various Heads of Churches including the Most Rev. Dr. Paul K. Boafo (Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana), Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong Manso (President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council), Archbishop William Duncan Williams (President of the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches) and the host minister, Most Rev. Dr. Charles Agyin-Asare.

The Church of Pentecost was also well represented at the event by the Chairman of the church, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw-Kumi Larbi, the Anyaa Ablekuma Area Head, Apostle Samuel Gakpetor, and other ministers of the church.

Other notable attendees were Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose (General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana), Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei (General Secretary of the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches.), Apostle Dr. Aaron Ami-Narh (President of the Apostolic Church, Ghana), and Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee (Founder and Executive Director of Salt & Light Ministries), among several others.

Addressing participants at the event, Most Rev. Dr. Boafo, the Chairperson of the Christian Ecumenical Council of Ghana, which comprises the Christian Council of Ghana (CGC), Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Ghana Catholics Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches (NACCC) and all other churches and Christian organisations in Ghana, said the event marked a historic period in the history of Ghana and Christian bodies in the country. This, according to him, is because for the first time all Christian bodies have come together to commit to peace and organise a national prayer and fasting exercise towards a successful general election.

He said that the exercise was necessary because scripture enjoins Christians to always pray for the prosperity of the nation.

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana also noted that the unity of the Body of Christ is a clear demonstration to the Ghanaian citizenry that despite their obvious differences, they could still live in peace come December 7 and beyond.

“As a people, although we come from different denominations and political backgrounds, there is one common denominator, and that is, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. For this reason, the values of human dignity, such as care, kindness and love, should be our guiding principles in our relationship with each other,” he said.

He, therefore, called on Ghanaians to desist from any form of violence before, during and after this year’s elections and rather commit to protecting and deepening the democratic base of the nation.

Exhorting the audience on the topic; “Shalom,” with 1 Corinthians 14:33, Jeremiah 29:7, 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Deuteronomy 33:27-28 and Philippians 4:6, as Scripture references, Archbishop Duncan Williams explained that God is not the author of chaos, rather it is the devil who employs it to destabilise the world. Hence, in order to obtain peace, Christians must deal with the root cause, who is the devil.

He further noted that for many years the United Nations and other organisations have failed in their quest to establish world peace because of their approach to broker peace through negotiation and not by the Prince of Peace, who is Jesus.

He asserted that “Peace is not obtained through negotiation. Peace is not a commodity. He is a personality; Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and for this reason, there shall never be peace until Jesus is brought to the table.”

He added that “peace is important because it brings tranquillity; tranquillity brings stability; stability promotes creativity; creativity leads to productivity and productivity leads to prosperity. So, until the nations of Africa obtain peace on the continent, there will be no prosperity.”

Archbishop Duncan Williams, therefore, urged Christians to rise in prayer and confront the evil forces that promote chaos in the nations. He also urged Christians to pray that the counsel of the Lord will determine the outcome of this year’s elections.

As part of the event, prayers were offered for the key stakeholders of the electoral process (Election Commission, presidential and parliamentary candidates) as well as the various arms of government, security agencies and the media.

Representatives of the various political parties were also invited to pledge their commitment to peaceful elections.

Mr. Laud Bondzie of the Soul Winners music group, Pastor Joe Beechem, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, and Rev. Bruce Ghartey (Uncle Ato) also ministered to the participants in songs.

The Christian Ecumenical Council declared a weeklong non-denominational fasting and prayer exercise [from Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, November 29, 2020] for national peace before, during, and after the general election to be observed in churches across the country under the theme: “Seek Peace and Pursue It” (1Peter 3:11).

Thanksgiving services were also held at the regional levels at the various Jubilee grounds across the country.

PENTECOST NEWS

A sod-cutting ceremony to commence the construction of a new church building for the Adukrom Central Assembly has been performed by the Koforidua Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Osei Asante.

The event took place on November 26, 2020, at the project site. The Area Head was assisted by the District Minister, Pastor Francis Broni.

The one-storey church building, with a seating capacity of more than 1,200 people, is expected to be constructed within 12 months. It would contain three children’s apartments, a conference room, a baptism apartment, a lactation apartment for nursing mothers, an audio-visual apartment, a sound control room, washrooms, and offices.

Present at the ceremony were Pastor Kwasi Amo Afropong (Area Estate Committee Chairman), Elder Samuel Opoku Asare (Area Deacon), Elder Paa Kwasi Frimpong (the contractor), and his team.  

The District Executive Committee Members, some officers as well as members were also present.

Report by Isaac Agyei, Adukrom.

A Ghanaian scientist and member of The Church of Pentecost has been selected for the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme. The jury selected 20 young female scientists, including Esther Eyram Asare Yeboah among about 330 applicants.

Mrs. Esther Eyram Asare Yeboah, a pharmacist, is the wife of the Presiding Elder of the Tesano branch of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC – Tesano).

The young women researchers will receive financial support, through grants of €10,000 for PhD students and €15,000 for post-doctorates, to pursue and consolidate their research work.

The 11th Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talent Awards L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science selected Mrs. Yeboah, who is currently studying for her PhD, Biological Sciences, Antimicrobial Research Unit at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban in South Africa, where she is focusing her research on a category of bacteria (multi-drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens), which she is studying in patients in a teaching hospital in Ghana.

Her objective is to identify resistance genes to these bacteria in order to gain a better understanding of their functioning. She is also a lecturer at a school of pharmacy, where she promotes scientific subjects among her students, especially young girls, a press release announcing her selection said.

Credit: Ghana Business News

The newly created Lambussie District in the Tumu Area of The Church of Pentecost has been inaugurated. The ceremony also coincided with the welcome service for the district minister, Probationary Overseer Elijah Kwadwo Koi, and his family.

The new district was created out of the Nandom District in the Wa Area. It has since been transferred to the Tumu Area following a re-demarcation exercise approved by the Executive Council of the Church.

The inauguration service, which took place on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, was officiated by the Tumu Area Head, Apostle Daniel Kweku Dekpor, assisted by the Wa Area Head, Apostle Dan Nii Tetteh Tackie.

Delivering the sermon on the topic, “Clear the Hurdles that Hinder the Spread of the Gospel,” based on John 13:34-35, Apostle Dan Nii Tetteh Tackie admonished Christians to do their very best to clear all hurdles that hinder the spread of the Gospel as in their quest to possess the nations for Christ.

He said that the hurdles are many and varied. He cited personal interests, partisan politics, tribalism, business and money, and worldliness.

Apostle Tackie said that the only way that could keep believers through is to love one another to prove that they are the disciples of Jesus Christ.

He further explained that the body of Christ must reflect and project God’s love, for unbelievers to acknowledge such wonderful love and submit their lives to Christ’s Lordship.

In attendance were some ministers and their wives from the Wa and Tumu Areas of the Church.

Report by Pastor Gordon Ansah.

The Bawku Area of The Church of Pentecost has held a mammoth service to inaugurate the newly created Aramkoliga District. The ceremony was also used to dedicate the newly constructed district mission house and to welcome the first District Minister, Probationary Overseer Evans Akonsah, and his family.

The Aramkoliga District was created out of three districts; Zebilla, Teshie, and Gbantongo.

The colourful ceremony, which took place on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, was officiated by the Bawku Area Head, Pastor Eric Kwabena Gyambibi Boateng.

In a short exhortation on the topic, “Fight the Good Fight,” based on 2 Timothy 4:7, Pastor Eric Boateng urged the members to focus on the Christian journey that is set before them. “We must follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus who has set a good example for us. We must turn our backs to the cares and worries of this world and seek the advancement of the Kingdom of God,” he said.

He added: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers. Therefore, let us be mindful of this, always praying and building ourselves strongly on our most holy faith, putting on the invincible armor of God, so that we may be able to fight the good fight and stand against all the schemes of the devil.”

The ceremony was attended by the wife of the Area Head, Mrs. Vivian Talata Adoma Boateng, the Area pastorate, as well as officers and members in the six districts that form the Zebilla Zone of the Area.

Report by Bawku Area Media Ministry.

The Assin Foso Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised a farewell service for the outgoing Area Head, Apostle Sylvester Arhin.

The mammoth service, which took place on Sunday, November 22, 2020, at the Assin Foso Habitat Prayer Grounds, was officiated by the Cape Coast Area Head and Executive Council Member of the Church, Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi.

Speaking on the theme, “Approach the Throne of Grace with Confidence,” based on Hebrews 4:14-16, the Agona Swedru Area Head, Apostle Derek Kwaning Mireku, called on believers to live a life of prayer.

He stated: “Prayer is the life-line of the church; it is our mode of communication with the throne room of God, and the church has been sustained since its inception through prayer.”

He, therefore, advised the church to continue steadfastly in prayer to maintain the presence and power of God in His church.

The outgoing Area Head, Apostle Arhin, arrived in Assin Foso Area three years ago from Australia in October 2017. His impact in the Area will remain forever. He has been transferred to the Tamale as Area Head.

Apostle Arhin is affable and down to earth. He is a teacher, a man of prayer, an excellent leader, an encourager with great interpersonal skills, and a tolerant person with a good sense of judgment.

He will be remembered for his weekly teachings on local radio stations, instituting the weekly Wednesday prayers. His evangelistic work led to an increase in the adult and children membership by 5,176 and 2,201 respectively. Under his 3-year leadership in the Area, one new Area (Twifo Praso Area) was carved out of the Assin Foso Area, while three new districts and 26 assemblies were established.

His mentoring and leadership development activities resulted in the calling of seven officers into the full-time ministry of the church and the ordination of 463 officers into the leadership of the church.

His tenure of leadership also saw the dedication of 48 church buildings and two mission houses with many other projects at different stages of completion. God through him also won a landmark case at the Cape Coast High Court for the church to secure the Assin Foso Pentecost Preparatory School lands.

Also present at the event were political and traditional leaders, ministers and their wives from the Area and other sister churches.

Report by Pastor Samuel Avornyo & Joseph Smiles Adu.

The Kintampo Area of The Church of Pentecost has launched the ‘Agent of Peace’ campaign, which is aimed at raising awareness on the need to maintain peace before, during, and after the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana.

The event, which took place on Friday, November 13, 2020, at the Kintampo Newtown Central Assembly, was preceded by a float from the Sawaba through the principal streets of Kintampo. The Area pastorate and their wives, as well as members of the Church, were clad in their beautiful ‘Agent of Peace’ branded caps and T-shirts marching through the principal streets with placards inscribed with messages of peace.

Speaking at the launch, the Kintampo Area Head, Apostle Gideon Obeng-Darko Debrah, called on all Ghanaians to make a conscious effort to seek peace and pursue it. He explained that peace is not a natural phenomenon; it has to be sought intentionally by all who desire it. “Peace doesn’t happen by chance, if we want peace, we must make conscious efforts and work towards achieving it,” he said.

He stressed that though Ghana has seen peaceful and successful elections in the past, the citizens must not be complacent, but rather pursue peace with all diligence during the December 7 general polls.

“The Church plays a key role as far as the peace of the nation is concerned, hence the need for the ‘Agent of Peace’ campaign,” he added.

Apostle Debrah, therefore, advised the youth to avoid violent acts and also charged them not to allow themselves to be used as a vehicle for violence by any political party or person before, during, or after the elections.

In attendance were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kintampo North, Hon. Michael Sarkodie Baffoe, the NCCE Director, the Divisional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service, Divisional Police Commander, representatives from some political parties, chiefs in the municipality, the Municipal Director of the Centre for National Culture, and the Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Kintampo North, Nana Boateng.

All parties and stakeholders present pledged to be agents of peace and to maintain the peace of the nation.

Report by Overseer Prince Augustine Ababio (Area Reporter).