METHODIST CHURCH COMMISSIONS 74 NEW MINISTERS

Story: Emmanuel Ashong, Accra

The Methodist Church Ghana has commissioned 74 new Ministers to begin a three-year probation as Deacons of the Church.

The new Ministers comprising 68 males and 6 females were commissioned at a Commendation and Commissioning Service held concurrently on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at the St John Methodist Chapel, Tantra Hill in the Northern Accra Diocese, the Joseph Afotey Aku-Boye Memorial Methodist Chapel, Teshie North in the Accra Diocese and the Mt Zion Methodist Chapel, Sakumono in the Tema Diocese of the Church.

The Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, the Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo who led the Service at the St John Methodist Chapel, examined the Deacons and prayed for God to grant them “the strength, the wisdom and understanding, and all Pentecostal power and grace” to be obedient to God’s call.

Clad in their all black apparel, the Deacons were fitted with clerical collars by Bishops of the Church after which they were formally received by the Presiding Bishop as Ministers beginning their probation. Most Rev Dr Boafo presented the newly commissioned Ministers with Bibles and certificates, admonishing them to “take your authority, the Holy Scriptures, preach from it to the people of God in season and out of season”.

At the Joseph Afotey Aku-Boye Memorial Methodist Chapel where the Immediate Past Presiding Bishop of the Church, the Most Rev Titus Awotwi Pratt led the Commissioning Service, there was a mix on solemnity and joy as family members and loved ones of the newly commissioned Ministers filled the Chapel and makeshift tents outside the Chapel to witness what for many was an important milestone in the lives of the Deacons.

In a sermon, Most Rev Awotwi Pratt congratulated the Deacons and noted “This is a vocation; a calling to duty; a task performed by deliberately selected persons. So think of yourself as unique in the sense that, the Lord expected someone to perform a duty and He found in you, the type of person He could rely upon to make His intention known, to bring His people to fruition in faith”. He charged them to “never think too highly of yourself because you are a Minister” adding “you are going out as a servant, a servant leader, a leaven to make Christ rise in the life of His people”.  

The story was no different at the Mt Zion Methodist Chapel where the Most Rev Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, a past Presiding Bishop of the Church was the chief officiant. He thanked the Presiding Bishop for the opportunity to represent him at the Service and to preach the sermon.

Speaking on the theme “Why are you in the Ministry”, Most Rev Dr Aboagye-Mensah questioned the Deacons on their motive for entering the Ministry and stressed that “you are in the Methodist Ministry to serve”. He advised them to focus on serving the Lord and not positions noting, “When you truly serve the Lord, leave the position to the Church and others”.

The three Services were attended by present and past hierarchy of the Church at the Connexional, Diocesan, Circuit and Society levels. Funds were raised to support the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon in the training of Ministers.