The Saint James Anglican Church at Enchi in the Sekondi Diocese has been elevated to an Archdeaconry with the Venerable Reverend Father Lawrence Kwao Donkor installed as the first Archdeacon.

Until his elevation, Venerable Donkor was the Parish Priest of the St Thomas Anglican Church at Wassa Akropong.

His area of jurisdiction covers five political Districts with 453 branches namely Suman, Aowin, Asankragwa, Manso-Amenfi and Wassa-Akropong with Enchi as the headquarters.

The swearing-in ceremony was jointly performed by the Diocesan Registrar, Mr.J.E.K.Abekah and the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi, the Rt Rev Alexander Kobina Asmah at Enchi in the Aowin District of the Western Region.

Administering the oath of office and the seal of mandate of the Diocesan Bishop, the Registrar of the Church charged the new Archdeaconry to uphold the authority of the Bishop with humility and zeal and serve the congregants well.

In a homily on the theme: "New Spirit, New Leadership," the Rt Rev Asmah appealed to the congregants to support the new Archdeacon to strengthen the Christian community in the parishes under his Archdeaconry.

He asked Christians to remain steadfast in the Lord in order to experience his bountiful blessings.

The Rt Rev Asmah charged Christians to thread on the path of holiness and study the word of God so as to do exploits in life.

The Sekondi Diocese was carved out of Accra in 1981.

In an acceptance speech, Archdeacon Donkor expressed gratitude to God for the elevation.

He said his new office made him a humble servant to reach out people in the area by leading them to the saving knowledge of Christ.

Archdeacon Donkor thanked the Anglican Church for the honour and promised to continue to propagate the gospel and assist the vulnerable to be steadfast in the Lord.

The new Archdeacon, a teacher, administrator and a priest, is a graduate of the St Nicholas Theological Seminary, Cape Coast, University of Calabar, Nigeria and MA in Theology from the Akrofi Christaller Institute of Theology and Mission.

Archdeacon Donkor is married to Veronica Esi Donkor with three children.