GOODWILL MESSAGE

Dedication of Christ Congregation Chapel, East London
Rt. Rev. Prof. J. O. Y. Mante, PhD

I bring you fraternal greetings and warmly congratulate you on behalf of the General Assembly and on my own behalf on the occasion of the dedication of your Chapel. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) is very proud of your achievements as part of its mission, globally.

Gradually, Congregations in the Overseas Presbyteries are beginning to acquire their places of worship and we are grateful to the Lord. The sentiments of this occasion are aptly captured in the words of J. Z. Held when he wrote the words of PCG Hymn 115:

What the men of ancient days,
Waited for and longed to see.
Prophecies received from God,
All fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

On occasions like these, we share in the joy of the founding fathers and mothers which has become a reality. The dedication of a Chapel is an ideal opportunity for us to remind ourselves of the essence of it in the midst of the people of God. It affirms the holiness and presence of God. In a very secular culture such as ours with its very secularized institutions, the Church must be a continual reminder of God’s presence and holiness.

On this occasion, we are not only dedicating a building but we are dedicating ourselves to the Lord; this must compel us to proclaim to others, the power of the Gospel, the love and goodness of God through Christ Jesus. Proclaiming the good news that brings salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ should be the principle of life in this Congregation.

We are dedicating the Chapel at a time when the Church has chosen for itself the ecclesiastical theme “Let Christ be Formed in You (Galatians 4:19)”. In this admonition, the Apostle Paul was making a passionate plea to the Galatians, (and now to us) to ensure that they do not allow anything to move them away from the faith they had received. They were to ensure that they would be focused until Christ was fully formed in them.

As a Church, we have the vision to be Christ-Centered, Self-Sustaining and Growing Church. We will not relent in pursuing these. It is for this reason that the broad frame, Vision 1.5 has been accepted for implementation. Under this, we are seeking to grow our membership from the current levels to at least one and a half million members by 2023.

If there is anywhere the field is ripe for such a harvest, it is in the Congregations in the diaspora. The countries in Europe have become secularized and the recent influx of refugees, as well as the general uncertainties of life these days, make the grounds for Christian mission very fertile, an opportunity to give hope to people. Specifically, one of the opportunities you have is that you have a generation of Ghanaians who were born in the UK. If the Church is to make an impact on all these groups of people, then it has to really embark on aggressive in-reach evangelization and discipleship to them.

Once again, I wish to congratulate you on this wonderful achievement. Please accept congratulations on behalf of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and on my own behalf. Thank you and stay blessed in the name of Jesus Christ, our common Lord.

Rt. Rev. Prof. J. O. Y. Mante, PhD
Moderator of the General Assembly,
Presbyterian Church of Ghana

Church House, Osu
December 2019