Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, former National Peace Council Chairman, has inducted into office five diocesan lay chairmen of the Methodist Church, Ghana, in Kumasi.
They are Dr Nicholas Larbie, to be in charge of the Kumasi Diocese; Nicholas L. Anane, Sunyani Diocese; Prof. Albert K. Quainoo, Tamale Dioces, Louis Kwamena A. Bartels, Effiduase Diocese, and Grabriel K.D Nyamekye-Odum, Obuasi Diocese.
They have been given three years mandate each, to assist with the running of the administration of their various dioceses.
The new lay diocesan chairmen would serve as the primary leaders of the laity and work closely with the Bishops of their churches to ensure the accomplishment of spiritual ministry of the church.
Inducting the lay chairmen, Most Rev. Asante, who was also former Presiding Bishop of the Church, asked them to discharge their responsibilities with humility and the fear of the Lord.
He said “This is a great privilege and an opportunity which you must use in fulfillment of the Lord’s will and which you must not allow to degenerate into abuse through the weakness of the flesh”.
According to Most Rev. Asante, he said “…go and bear witness to your awareness of the meaning and weight of this responsibility which has fallen on your shoulders and to undertake to cultivate always the Lord’s presence so that you may be always found faithful in your stewardship”.
Right Rev. Oswald Samuel K. Boakye, former Goaso Diocesan Bishop, gave the sermon, on the theme, “We Came to Seek and Save the Lost”.
On the economic crisis, he questioned the integrity of Christians in the country as he accused some of them of deliberately cheating by increasing prices of products and foodstuff with the excuse of “dollar rise.”
He called on Christian traders to “allow Christian discipleship to be seen in them by all and sundry.”
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI