Very Rev Dr Asare-Kusi elected Methodist Koforidua Diocese Bishop
The Superintendent Minister at the Calvary Methodist Church at Adweso in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Very Reverend Dr. Emmanuel Asare Kusi has been elected as the new Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana.
The election which climaxed the 39th Annual Synod of the Diocese saw the new bishop elect seeing off two other contestants with 112 votes as against 32 and 2 votes obtained Very Reverend Emmanuel Ansah of the Larteh Circuit and Very Reverend William Mpare - Gyekye of the Ghana Methodist Church Missions in Canada.
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Very Reverend Asare -Kusi, 57, who has served the Methodist Church in various capacities thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him.
He will take over from Right Reverend Michael Agyekum Bossman in September, this year.
Out - going Bishop
The out – going Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese, Rt. Rev. Michael Agyekum Bossman was of the belief that bible marathons should be a constant feature in all churches at least in the Koforidua Diocese in order to help increase the love of members to win other people to Christ and sustain any gains made and improve stewardship capabilities.
He said the call from the church was to maintain and recover a healthy status while not giving up on church growth through evangelistic efforts.
Commendation
A Past Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Dr Samuel Asante Antwi, commended the outgoing bishop for serving his people with respect and dignity as well as initiating several programmes and projects that were going to be beneficial to the dioceses.
He appealed to the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Eric Kwakye Dafuor to facilitate the construction and expansion of the Laterh road and also take advantage of the mountains in the area to set up a paragliding centre in order to promote economic activities in the area.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour commended the church for complementing the efforts of government in the provision of basic social amenities in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation among others.
He therefore urged the church to partner government in achieving goals set for policies and programmes such as the One district, one factory, planting for food and jobs, Free SHS and the fight against corruption, which were all geared towards empowering the economy.
He further called on the church as a matter of urgency to ensure that souls won for Christ were not led astray by the globalization and falling prey to the many social vices in the society such as armed robbery, internet fraud, promiscuity, drug abuse and others.
He then entreated the church to use their platforms to counsel traditional leaders to give peace a chance in the region, to help address chieftaincy disputes scattered across the region.
The Diocesan Lay chairman, Mr Samuel Mensah Jnr in response to the Bishop’s address indicated that the diocese was going look for accountability, value for money and be prudent in the management of resources at their disposal.
