Ghana Methodist Choirs Of North America Mission Hold First Conference

By Joseph & Karen Essiful-Ansah

The Association of Methodist Church Choirs, Ghana of The Methodist Church Ghana, North America Mission held its first Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Hosted by the Mount Olivet Methodist Church Choir, the 3-day Conference was under the distinguished patronage of Madam Araba Ata Sam, the Lay President of The Methodist Church Ghana had as its theme; “THE CHOIR AND THE MISSION OF GHANA METHODISM IN NORTH AMERICA”.

Madam Araba Ata Sam called for unity among Ghana Methodists in North America noted that ‘If singing is central to our worship, then the choir and its choristers must consider themselves central to the maintenance of the body of Christ and to the execution of our evangelistic duties as Methodists. Choristers must consider themselves as people giving back with thanks, the talents freely given them by God, for His worship and for the building up of the body of Christ. It is a sacrifice of your talents to the giver of that talent and the Sustainer of your life’.

The Main Speaker for the Conference was Bro. Daniel Seedah, Member of Conference of The Methodist Church Ghana and of Dansoman Circuit; an Engineer by profession and a Prolific Writer and regular contributor to the Christian Sentinel, the official magazine of The Methodist Church Ghana.

In his Keynote Address on the theme, Bro. Seedah said that music is an intrinsic part of our lives whether we are black, white, young or old. Adding ‘Someone has said: music expresses what we cannot fully put in words, but about which we cannot keep silent. I knew of a home where a woman became a nuisance because she only sang as a means of insulting and casting insinuations at neighbors. So as choristers we must be clear in our minds the meaning and purpose of our ministry.’ He proceeded to discuss four points for Choristers’’ deliberation during the Open Forum as follows: “Discipline – a hallmark for Choristers, Choristers’ singing ‘orientation’, A new paradigm for confronting modern day reality and Choristers and their faith – the bottom line.”

Bro. Dan Seedah called on the Choirs to be up and doing in things of God, cautioning, ‘And let’s not deceive ourselves -, some of our ordained Ministers are into some strange teachings and occult practices and cannot be trusted to help us to stay in and live the simple truth of our Lord.’ Adding, ‘So Church and Choir leadership must not be satisfied with just a ‘good choir’ but a choir that sings what they believe and believe what they sing. It is only then can the choristers be effective witnesses to Ghana Methodism in North America and help spread the faith’.

In an Address then Chairman of the North America Mission, V. Rev. J.A. K. Bonful invited the Choristers to join him in singing to the praise of God for His inexpressible love in Christ Jesus our Lord as found in MHB 314 ‘Come let sing of a wonderful love’. Basing his address on the words of St. Paul in Colossians 3:16-17, the Chairman picked four lessons from them, addressing the Choristers thereon. He added “It is my humble, but fervent prayer that as we go through the activities of this Conference, we shall pay heed to Paul’s message to us this day.”

Host Choir Master, Bro. Robert Kow Taylor welcomed fellow Choristers to Columbus and assured them that all had been done to ensure that the Conference would go into the annals of history as memorable and beneficial. Society Steward of Mt. Olivet Society, Bro. Emmanuel Nana-Yeboah stated ‘As the Methodist Church Ghana takes a decisive step to prioritize its missionary work in North America, the theme chosen for the First Annual Choir Conference and musical celebration, “The Choir and Ghana Methodism in North America” is appropriate because it suggest that you trying to find the role the Choir will play in the spread of the Church’s activities on the North American Continent. I will therefore urged you to consider in your deliberations the deepening of our Ghanaian cultural heritage of thoughtful composed choral music and a renewal of our Methodist heritage of great hymns to enrich our worship life.’

Then Chairman of the Mission Choir Council, Bro. Papa Arko Arkhurst reiterated the commitment of Choirs under the North American Mission of The Methodist Church Ghana to the Constitution and Standing Orders of the mother Church and their commitment to be wherever the Mission would want them to belong. He added that the Mission Choir Association rightly called The Association of Methodist Church Choirs [GHAMECC] North America would embark on evangelism through music to win souls for God and The Methodist Church Ghana. The Association will open its arms to welcome any group or groups which would want to affiliate with it and admit new Choirs under the Methodist Church, Ghana, Delegates were told.

As part of the Conference a programme of Hymns and their messages led by Very Rev. French was held as well as an intensive Prayer time, a Memorial Service for Departed Choristers, Workshop, Open Forum and Electoral College style election of Officers which produced the following new Officers of the Mission Choir Council: Sis. Comfort Anane, Rev. Gaddiel Acquaah Memorial Methodist Society, Alexandria, VA., Chairperson, Bro. Robert Kow Taylor of Mt. Olivet Methodist Society, Vice Chairman, Bro. David Firang of Ghana Methodist of Toronto, Canada, Secretary, Bro. Bernard Acquah-Imbeah of Covenant Methodist Society, Silver Springs, MD, Assistant Secretary, Administration and Sis. Joyce Attakorah, Ghana Emmanuel Methodist Society, Newark, NJ, Assistant Secretary, Organizing. Brother Albert Ntiamoah-Brobbey of Ghana Emmanuel Methodist Society, Newark, NJ, is Director of Music while Brothers Benjamin Richardson of Wesley Methodist of Ghana, Brooklyn, NY and Richard Ansah of Ghana Methodist of Toronto, Canada are Deputy Directors of Music. Others are Sis. Beatrice Biney, Ghana Ebenezer Society, Atlanta, GA, Treasurer, Bro. Lawrence Asiedu-Aboagye of Ghana Emmanuel Methodist Society, Newark, NJ, Financial Secretary and Sis Doris Gyimah of Ghana Methodist of Toronto, Canada, Co-opted Member. Bro. Papa Arko Arkhurst of Calvary Redeeming Methodist Society, Rockville, MD who is Immediate Past Chairman is Executive member.

The Officers were inducted into office by V. Rev. Kofi Bart-Martin, Minister-in-charge of Covenant Methodist Society, Silver Springs, MD, and Chaplain of the Mission Choir during the Divine Service which climaxed the Conference. At the same Service the Mission Choir honoured Bro. Joseph Essiful-Ansah and Sis. Karen Essiful-Ansah for their roles in making the first-ever Conference of Association Of Methodist Church Choirs, Ghana (GHAMECC) North America Mission a reality.

In a Resolution adopted at the end of the Business Session on Saturday May 29th 2010, the Conference resolved to continue with the building of GHAMECC in North America to eventually become a Diocese. In this wise the Conference decided on an open door policy to admit any Choir from any Christian Church as Affiliate members.

The special event that would have many in Ohio and beyond talking for months if not until the next Conference was the Rev. John Wesley’s Night held as part of the Conference. A test of the Choirs’ capabilities, the programme saw all Choirs present singing with the aim of finding out which Choir praises God best. Having prayed and prepared for months what mattered was to let God’s choicest praise be heard over the skies in Columbus, Ohio. This did happen as Choirs clad in carefully chosen Ghanaian attire poised to praise their Maker in a marching song/hymn, the Benedictus or Canticle 5, a Hymn of choice and two Anthems one in English an d the other in any local Ghanaian dialect. Each Choir left the podium with popular Ghanaian Gospel highlife songs which brought the audience to their feet on each occasion.

As young Choirs like Ghana Ebenezer Society, Atlanta, GA and Mt. Olivet Methodist Society pitched their vocal strength against giants in the trade like Ghana Emmanuel Methodist Society, Newark, NJ and Wesley Methodist of Ghana, Brooklyn, NY; one could only attribute the high standard to one person, the Holy Spirit. And when at the end programme then Chairman, Bro. Papa Arko Arkhurst led all present to sing popular Ghanaian lyric ‘Ebenezer’ it was to many a well deserved tribute to the Lord God Who had made all things well. No wonder members burst out in praise and worship immediately thereafter thanking God as led by Chaplain V. Rev. Kofi Bart-Martin.

Perhaps the sentiments of all present could be summed up in the statement by immediate past Lay Chairman, Opanin Kwadwo Fosu thus, ‘I have been to several Choir Conferences here in North America but this one has a touch from above’. The next Choir Conference would be held in New York to be hosted by Wesley Methodist of Ghana, Brooklyn, NY, during the Memorial Day Weekend 2011, God willing.

SOLI DEO GLORIA. [To God Alone Be the Glory]