Most Rev. Bishop Awotwi Kofi Pratt retires in September

Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church of Ghana, The Most Rev. Bishop Titus Awotwi Kofi Pratt is set to retire in September this year.

Retirement farewell service has been held in Kumasi in his honour by the five Methodist Diocese in the Ashanti region.

Rev Pratt is retiring at age 70 haven served the church 41 years in full time ministry locally and abroad.

A special send-off service held for him at Bantama Ebenezer Methodist Church saw the attendance of all the four Bishops of the various diocese in Ashanti and representatives of other groups in the church with each presenting a package of gift in recognition of the retiring Bishop’s contribution to the growth of the church.

“My self your presiding bishop and my family will like to use this opportunity to thank you all for your prayers, financial among others support that made my leadership desirable as stated in your various citations presented to us. With your countless support, I trust we didn’t disappoint the church and the almighty God who called me and my family into the service of God’’ he stated.

He also used the occasion to apologies to some members of the church including ministers in key position who were in some way or the other affected by some disciplinary decisions he took in the interest of the church.

Bishop Pratt entreated Methodist faithfuls to start praying for a unifier to take over from him. “As your outgoing Presiding Bishop, I will want you to start praying for the unknown new Presiding Bishop known to God alone to be a unifier, development and church transformation oriented.”

In line with the Methodist governing constitution, the Church will on Thursday, 23 August 2018 hold a General Council meeting which will be attended by all the Diocese Bishops across the country among other leaders of the Church to seek God’s face for a new presiding Bishop to direct the affairs of the church in the next three years through prayers and elections.

Below is the profile of the outgoing presiding Bishop

The most Rev. Titus Kofi Awotwi Pratt was born on 5th December 1947 to the most Rev. Charles and Mrs. Grace Longdon Awotwi Pratt. His father was elected the 4th president of conference in 1977, the very year his son Fiifi was commissioned into ministry.

He was educated at the Wesley Grammar School and Komenda College of Education where he trained as a teacher. He also attended the Victoria University of Manchester and also the University of Ghana, Legon. He did his probation at Sekondi and after his ordination; he had a scholarship to study in the United Kingdom. Whilst studying he served the Roundhay Methodist Church Ladywood, Leeds and later in the Manchester and Salford Circuits.

He returned to Ghana in 1982 to serve as Chaplain to Prempeh College. He had earlier served as Chaplain at Fijai and later as Headmaster of the then Wesley Day Secondary School, Kumasi.

In the late 1980’s he become a missionary to Gambia, first as Superintendent Minister and later as Synod Secretary until he was elected the Chairman and General Superintendent of Gambia District of British Conference.

Whilst in Gambia, he was appointed by the host Government to serve on several key statutory body amongst which was the Law Reform Commission of Gambia between 1996 -2003.

He returned home in 2003 after 14 years of distinguished service to British Conference in Gambia.

In 2011, he was elected the Bishop of Accra and four years into his term, he was elected the Presiding Bishop at the 2014 Kumasi Conference. He assumed office October 2015 thus becoming the 4th person to occupy the Wesley seat since our church went episcopal. His election was auspicious and historical as it marked the first-time father and son had headed the church since its establishment in 1835 in the then Gold Coast.

The Presiding Bishop is married to Mrs. Anna-Irene Pratt and they have five adult children.

Under his leadership, the Methodist Church Ghana is making inroads in the Volta Region and our activities in the Northern Region have been re-engineered. He has done a lot to bridge the gap between the GHAMSU and the mother church.