The El Shammah Chapel of the Global Evangelical Church (GEC) at Tesano in Accra has climaxed its 40th anniversary celebration with a thanksgiving service to commemorate four decades of God's faithfulness and the congregation's contribution to the growth of the church.
It reflected on its four decades of ministry, growth and contribution to the spread of the gospel, as well as honoured individuals whose dedication and sacrifices had helped shape the church.
The thanksgiving service, held last Sunday, brought together the Moderator of the GEC, Right Rev. Prosper Dzomeku; the clergy, government officials, traditional leaders, and other guests.
The occasion also saw the recognition of founding members, past pastors and individuals who had contributed to the development and growth of the church, as well as pastors nurtured by the congregation.
The celebration was on the theme: “Behold, I create a new thing”, a biblical reference from Isaiah 43:18-19.
The Parish Pastor of El Shammah Chapel, Rev. Eric F. Avah, said the congregation had, over the past 40 years, established 10 other congregations and nurtured 15 pastors.
He said the church, which was the first congregation to emerge from the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, had remained committed to spreading the gospel and raising people for ministry.
He said the achievements reflected the church's commitment to its calling and its determination to extend its reach beyond the immediate community.
Call
The Moderator of the GEC, Rt Rev. Dzomeku, urged Christians to lead transformed lives and to uphold godly values rather than conform to practices that were contrary to their faith.
He explained that the biblical message in Isaiah 43:18-19 called on believers to prepare themselves to embrace new opportunities and a new phase in their spiritual journey.
Drawing lessons from Romans 12:2, Rt Rev. Dzomeku said Christians must renew their minds and allow God's word to transform their attitudes and conduct.
He said the transformation of individuals through Christ was essential to building a society founded on godly values.
He added that the church must focus on nurturing people whose lives reflected the values of peace, love, joy, faithfulness, goodness and self-control.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, said religious institutions remained important partners in the country's development, and urged the church to sustain its contribution to national progress.
She said churches complemented the efforts of government through education, health care, community support, youth mentorship, conflict resolution and the promotion of peace and ethical values.
“But you will agree that the government alone cannot achieve sustainable development without the partnership of faith-based organisations,” Ms Sowah added.
The deputy minister urged the congregation to support initiatives aimed at improving sanitation and keeping communities clean, adding that religious bodies had an important role to play in mobilising their members towards responsible citizenship.
Ms Sowah also encouraged members in the corporate sector to support the government's Adopt a Street, Adopt a Corridor programme, which seeks to encourage organisations to assist in maintaining streets, medians, roundabouts and other public spaces.
