METHODIST CHURCH BIDS FAREWELL TO SIS NAOMI ELIZABETH KORLEKI OKINE

Story: Emmanuel Ashong, Accra

It was an all solemn occasion as the entire hierarchy of The Methodist Church Ghana congregated at the Wesley Cathedral, Palladium - Accra, on Friday, July 22, 2022, to pay their final respect to the late Sis Naomi Elizabeth Korleki Okine, the last Vice President and first Lay President of the Church.

The Burial and Memorial Service of the woman who was famously called 'Auntie Naomi' within the Methodist fraternity, saw members of the General Purposes Council (GPC), the second highest decision making body of the Church in attendance.

Delivering the sermon at the Service, the Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, the Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo described the late Mrs Okine as “a wonderful woman whose faith in the Lord was so strong, whose love for the Church was obvious”.

He observed that “her friendship was endearing and I believe that is why most of us are here”, adding “She was a friend to all, someone who loved the Methodist Church and the Methodist people”.

Most Rev Dr Boafo opined that the occasion was also a moment to seek comfort from God explaining, "Auntie Naomi believed in this God of all comforts, this God of peace, this God who encourages in times when we are destruct and seem to have come to the end of the road”. He expressed the Church’s deepest condolences to the family of the late Mrs Okine “who are going through such a moment of bereavement”.

The Presiding Bishop further noted that “this loss is not just to you as a family but all of us as a Church”. “Auntie Naomi is not only for Ghana Methodist but in Africa as well as World Methodist Council, so it’s a big loss to us as the people called Methodists”, Most Rev Dr Boafo added.

The late Mrs Okine was a one-time General Director of the Board of Social Responsibility and Rural Development of the Church and served in various other capacities including representing the Church on the World Methodist Council, serving as a Registered Trustee of the Church, serving on all the Boards and Divisions (now General Directorates and Directorates) of the Church, as well as the Board of Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon.

She also represented the Church’s interest on the Boards of Donewell Insurance Company Limited and the Methodist Book Depot, where she served as Board Chairman.

Tributes poured in from the family, The Methodist Church Ghana, the Accra Diocese, and other corporate bodies the deceased was associated with.

The last Mrs Okine passed away on April 11, 2022 after a short illness. She was 87 years and was survived by two adult children.