LET'S FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER- Ghanaians urged (Front Page)

By Graphic Reporters

CHRISTIANS throughout the country marked the annual observance of Christmas with church services and conventions, during which they expressed gratitude to God and prayed for the peace and stability of the nation in the coming year.
Carols nights, crusades and vigils were also held to usher in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. And the common message in most churches was need for peace, love and goodwill among men as well as the call for forgiveness and compassion.
At the Grace Baptist Church, Sakumono in Accra, the Head Pastor, Rev J. N. N. Ocquaye, called on Ghanaians to pray for leaders who had the fear of God to lead the country, reports Emmanuel Amoako.
He said just as Jesus came to promote peace, justice and goodwill among men, it behoved leaders to ensure equity, fair play and justice in all spheres of our national life.
Rev Ocquaye also urged Ghanaians to forgive anyone who had wronged them in the course of the year.
“If God, out of love, gave us His only begotten Son to wipe away our sins and reconcile man onto Himself, why must we allow the wrongs of others to block our blessings?” he asked.
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, advised Ghanaians not to lose hope in the midst of current global economic difficulties, reports Augustina Tawiah.
Rather, he said, they should have faith in the Lord that He would strengthen them to overcome the current difficulties.
In an interview yesterday after delivering a sermon at the Good Shepherd Methodist Church in the Kaneshie North Circuit, the Most Rev Prof Asante explained that "the message of Christmas is about hope to the hopeless because Jesus became flesh in order to redeem us. We may think that things are hopeless but because God is part of us, we have hope that He will redeem us".
He added that just as Mary conceived Jesus, who became the Saviour of the world, Ghanaians should conceive ideas that would contribute to the growth of the nation.
To the leaders of the nation, he urged that the birth of Christ should become an empowerment for them to spend and be spent for the nation.
"May Jesus enter their lives so that they will contribute to the well-being of the nation," he noted.
Earlier in his sermon on the theme, "How to grow with wisdom and favour in God", the Most Rev Prof Asante said those who lived in the Lord grew in wisdom and strength.
The Superintendent Minister of the Kaneshie North Circuit of the Methodist Church, the Very Rev Samuel Ofori-Akyea, in his message, urged Ghanaians to work towards peace and make sure that they maintained discipline at their various workplaces.
The church used the occasion to honour some members who had distinguished themselves in the work of the Lord.
At Sowutuom, members of the newly created Sowutuom District of the Church of Pentecost organised a Christmas convention on the theme, “The Son of the Living God Is Born”, reports Lucy Adoma Yeboah.
Preaching at the convention, the Dansoman Area Head of the Church of Pentecost, Prophet Osei Amaniampong, said the nation needed the favour of the Lord to guide individuals, families, the church and the country to achieve positive results.
He advised Ghanaians not to despair because of the current global economic situation but that they should continue to depend on the Lord for His blessings.
He prayed to God to smile at Ghana in the coming year.
The General Overseer of the Ablaze Chapel International, Apostle Daniel Clad, said, “As a nation, we need to understand that what will lead to our progress is unity,” reports Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho.
Delivering a sermon on the last Sunday of 2009, Apostle Clad said Christmas represented the demonstration of God’s love for all mankind and underscored the need for people to show love and compassion to their fellow Christians and their neighbours.
“Let your light so shine before men, so that they may see your good works,” he said, and called on people to stop the pull-him-down attitude.
Preaching at the Christian Praise International Centre (CPIC) at Pig Farm in Accra to commemorate Christmas, the Founder and Presiding Bishop of the church, Rev Dr Augustine Annor-Yeboah, said Jesus Christ came to restore man from sin to salvation, reports Kofi Yeboah.
He said in order to accept Jesus Christ and enjoy salvation, there was the need for man not to surrender to the will of Satan, such as unbelief and self-centredness.
“We are not complete in ourselves; our sufficiency is of God,” he remarked.
The Pastor in charge of the Global Evangelical Church branch at Kotobaabi in Accra, Rev Francis F.K. Abotchi, urged Christians to lead the crusade against climate change, reports Seth J. Bokpe.
“The Copenhagen conference would have been unnecessary if we had all played our roles well in conserving the environment God gave us,” he stated.
In a sermon entitled, “The Good News”, Rev Abotchi said it was regrettable that some Christians were part of those releasing toxic waste and other materials that posed a threat to the environment and generations yet unborn.
The birth of Christ signified love, reconciliation, peace and unity given to mankind by God, the Assistant Parish Priest of the All Saints Anglican Church, Rev Fr Raymond Otchwemah, said in a sermon to mark the occasion, reports Matilda Attram.
He said Christmas called for sharing, although most people linked it with merrymaking in their own ways.
“Beloved Christians, Christmas is a time for reconciliation; it’s the time to forgive, just as our God forgives our trespasses; it’s the time to let go and show love. This is the time to sacrifice the little we have and share with others what we have,” he stated.
The Head Pastor of Faith Cathedral Church, Rev Ebenezer Okoe Aryee, said for one to attain his goals in the coming year and be lifted to higher levels, there was the need to acknowledge the existence of God in one's life, Henrietta Brocke reports.
"In this race, one needs to run as fast as a deer and never hesitate to trust in his God when confronted with problems,” he said.
Rev Aryee advised the congregation never to cease praying because prayer was the key to success, adding that for success to prevail, it was relevant for the congregation to unite with each other.
From Lapaz, Gloria Kyeremeh reports that the Head Pastor of the Abeka-Lapaz Community Chapel of the International Central Gospel Church, Rev Emmanuel Nene Dugbatey, said members should apply the law of recognition in their lives.
He said it was very important for Christians to acknowledge the existence and power of God over their lives, since humans were just mortal beings and had no authority over their lives.
Rev Dugbatey advised members to show gratitude at all times and to everybody, saying it was only by doing that would Christians grow in the Lord.
His sermon was on the theme, “Love”, based on Colossians 3: 12-17.
From Tamale, Vincent Amenuveve reports that Christians in the Tamale metropolis marked Christmas with church activities, while revellers celebrated the occasion with social events.
Churches in the metropolis, including the OLA Cathedral, the Bethel Chapel of the Methodist Church, Ghana, among others, were filled to capacity by Christians as they held church services, including vigils and carols nights.
The Co-ordinator of the Inter-Religious Dialogue of the Tamale Archdiocese of the Catholic Church, Reverend Father Boniface Maasoayele, in a message, urged both Christians and non-Christians to “take away their worried faces and shut off the darkness of worries that could prevent people from approaching them”.
He entreated residents of the metropolis to make peace and avoid hatred, saying Jesus Christ came into the world to ensure that people opened their hearts to their fellow brothers and sisters.
He indicated that there was a reason for Christ to have chosen to come into the world in a humble manner which many did not expect because He was supposed to be “the King of Kings”.
He explained that by coming into the world in that manner, Jesus Christ wanted to make Himself approachable to all mankind, adding that in the same manner, He wanted Christians to make themselves approachable.
In his message, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Nayina, stated that just as the wise men in the Bible presented “Baby Jesus with gold, incense and myrrh, so must Ghanaians present Mother Ghana with hard work, devotion and dedication”.
He urged Christians and Ghanaians to pray for peace, particularly in the north, saying by that “we shall continue to pride our nation as the source of peace in the sub-region”.
Benjamin Xornam Glover reports from Bolgatanga that the Head Pastor of the Kingdom Life Ministry Church, Rev Joseph Anyindana, called for peace and tolerance among the various political parties and asked politicians to offer constructive criticism to meet the basic needs of society.
“When this is done religiously and without malice, Ghanaians will be happier and a new and better Ghana will be built,” he said.
Rev Anyindana said the time had come for “politicians in Ghana to stop criticising each other unwisely, unfriendly and unproductively. They must also stop sabotaging each other’s efforts and rather appreciate and complement each other”.
At the Bolgatanga Peniel Presbyterian Congregation, the Resident Minister, Rev Fie Hyeamang, said God gave His only begotten Son to the world to dwell among men so that through Him people would turn their backs on sin and turn to God for salvation.
He advised the congregation to use Christmas to learn how to give, especially to the vulnerable in society, as Christ Himself was a gift from God to mankind.
In Kumasi, hundreds of worshippers converged on the St Cyprian’s Anglican Cathedral to mark the occasion with a church service, reports Kwame Asare Boadu from Kumasi.
In his Christmas message, the Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, the Rt Rev Dr Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, said Christmas reminded Christians to pursue peace, love, unity, goodwill and reconciliation for national development.
He said Ghanaians now needed peace and unity to build democratic governance, adding that Christians had a big role to play in making that a reality.
He quoted Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be full of grace and seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone,” and urged politicians to speak words devoid of abuse and rather join the people together for national development.
He urged Ghanaians to put their trust in God and allow Him to lead the nation to progress.
The Bishop said 2009 saw the nation facing some challenges but he was confident that with God, things would improve in the coming year.
At the St Peter’s Catholic Church at Asuoyeboah in Kumasi, Rev Fr Peter Osei Amoateng, who preached the sermon, said the birth of Christ gave Christians the authority to be children of God so there was the need for them to lead dignified lifestyles, reports George Ernest Asare.
“Any negative attitude such as rancour, back-biting, bribery and corruption, envy, among others, dishonoured the authority bestowed on you as Children of God, ” he noted.
He, therefore, charged Christians leading lifestyles that undermined the authority bestowed on them as children of God to change their attitudes as they entered the new year.
He said the three stars that led the Wise men to the birthplace of Jesus Christ also signified the victory of light over darkness and, therefore, charged Christians to worship God in truth, unity and holiness.
He said by worshipping God in truth, holiness and unity, Christians would be able to entice others to emulate their shining examples at their workplaces, their immediate environments and communities to enhance peace on earth.
Rev Fr Amoateng said leading exemplary lifestyles as Christians was also the best way to entice others who did not believe in their faith to accept Christ as their saviour.
While church services were underway, revellers used the occasion to organise social events such as parties, street jams and picnics, while families used it for social gatherings.
The various night-clubs and entertainment centres were also filled with holiday makers who were entertained with a variety of music from ace musicians in the country.