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Religion of Monday, 7 May 2012

Source: GNA

Let’s put up simple but descent chapels-Presiding Bishop

Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, has urged the various societies, circuits and dioceses not to embark on complex church buildings which may take years to complete.

Instead, he said, they should construct simple but descent chapels that would not be expensive.

Most Rev Prof Asante’s call is contained in his message to the 15th Synod of the Tema Diocese of the Methodist Church in Tema.

The theme for the just ended five-day Synod was: “Fulfilling Our Vision and Mission… Moving The Church Forward.”

“We need to standardize our chapel buildings, taking into consideration the size of the society, the population of the area where the society is located, and its potential for growth.”

He pointed out that the quantitative growth of the membership of the Methodist Church could be taken care of through multiple services on Sundays.

The Presiding Bishop urged members to make meaningful contributions to the Methodist Development Fund (MDF), since “our development as a connexion hangs on the Fund.”

While urging Methodists' to give praises to God for ensuring the quantitative growth of the Church in the nation, Most Rev. Prof Asante urged richly endowed societies, circuits and dioceses to look beyond their ecclesiastical boundaries and factor the development of the less endowed or materially challenged ones in their development budgets and plans.

Rt. Rev. Winfred Habel Yao Ametefe, Tema Diocesan Bishop of the Church, urged Christians to let the virtues of humility and obedience permeate their lives, so that through them others may see the light and surrender their lives to God.

Bishop Ametefe reminded Ghanaians that they had no second nation, and urged them to embrace the Methodist Church’s “Pulpit for Peace” project in the Metropolis so that collectively, we would not only be tolerating one another, but would also be each other’s keeper, and ensure peace and stability in the country, even before, during and after the impending elections.

The Synod received fraternal messages and greetings from sister-dioceses of the Church throughout the country and also from the Metropolitan Assembly, Directorate of Education, the Tema Traditional Council and the Member of Parliament for Tema West.**