Methodists to mark 50 years of autonomy from British rule.

The Methodist Church Ghana (MCG) has outlined its activities to mark its 50 years of autonomy from British rule.

The activities include donation of blood to hospitals, clean-up exercise, musical concert; crusades, float and planting of trees.

The celebration will be climaxed with a thanksgiving service at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

The Presiding Bishop of the Church, the Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, announced this at a news conference in Accra yesterday.

On July 28, 1961 at Cape Coast, the district synod of the then Methodist Church adopted and signed the Deed of Foundation for the Autonomy.

Prior to the executive of the Deed, the British conference granted the Ghana church due autonomy.

The Most Rev. Asante said the church was very much concerned with the unreached and the disadvantaged in society.

"For this reason, the church's outreach programme has been uncompromising," he said, pointing out that it was the vision of the church not to merely engage in evangelism, but also work towards the improvement of the lives of the people and complement government's developmental efforts.

Rev. Asante said the church had actively used education as an evangelism and development tool, adding, "The church has since its inception, developed schools from both the basic to the tertiary levels"

He said many of the country's leadership in government, administration, management, and teaching, had been supplied by many institutions provided by the church.

"Recently, a multi-campus university, the Methodist University College, has been added to the church's educational facilities and efforts have not been spared in providing infrastructure to promote holistic learning, social, moral and religious values," he said.

Rev. Asante said the church was involved in other social and welfare activities including provision of medical facilities in the regions, agricultural projects sited in parts of the country and other service facilities.