Cape Coast Holds Vigil Church Services

Churches in the Cape Coast Metropolis were filled with members who attended vigil services to usher in the New Year,praising God and praying for prosperous New Year.

Many Church auditoriums, convention grounds and classrooms where the "watch night" services were held were all filled to capacity with some churches erecting canopies outside to accommodate patrons.

Church members who were mostly clad in white clothes, sang and danced to the glory of God in appreciation of His love, mercies and protection throughout the year and asked for a better year in 2018.

The prayers went on unabated until the stroke of midnight during which muskets, trumpets and spontaneous shouts of joy were sounded at the birth of the New Year.

A lot of people, mostly the youth ignited fire crackers despite its ban and jumped in spontaneous joy while they watched them explode into the New Year.

The central theme of most of the sermons were based on Hope for the future, God's greatness and also on thanksgiving.

At the Ebenezer Methodist church, Siwdo, Very Rev. John Quayson, the superintendent Minister of the Ebenezer Circuit , likened the crossover to 2018 to Jacob's meeting with his brother Esau, after about 30 years of 'stealing' his blessing and running.

With reference to the meeting as recorded in Genesis 33, he said some Christians, due to past events in 2017 and previous years were skeptical about successes in 2018 and like Jacob, had drawn up their own strategies.

"But do not use your own strategies. You will fail. Depend on God for strength and direction. If God be with you, you need not to harbour any fear" he said.

Very Rev Quayson said the year 2018 would come with its own challenges but God could help his children to overcome them if they trusted him.

Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast, Right Rev Victor Reginald Atta Baffoe, in a sermon at the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral urged Christians to make Lord their utmost source of provision in the year 2018.

Speaking on the theme "Do not wrestle but nestle", Bishop Atta Baffoe said the only source of hope for Christians was God and therefore no one could not do anything meaningful without Him.

At the Lion of Judah Cathedral of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Cape Coast, the pastor in charge, Bishop Jake Godwyll encouraged the congregation to love God more in 2018.

Preaching on the theme 'The broken hedge', the Head pastor of the Praise Baptist Church, Kakumdo,Rev.Francis Kwame Arhin pointed out that as people rejoiced for being ushered into another year, they needed to resolve to place God as the number one priority in their daily lives.

He admonished the congregation to endeavour to clear all hedges in their lives before coming out with their resolutions for the New Year.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission at Abura, a suburb of Cape Coast also performed dawn prayers to thank Allah for a successful year and prayed for Allah's protection, guidance and for a good new year.

They also prayed for the development of the nation and its leaders as well as all Ghanaians to enjoy a prosperous new year devoid of misfortunes, sickness and disasters.

Murabi Ahmed Boahen, Circuit Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission appealed to Muslims and all Ghanaians not to repeat their mistakes of the past and advised them to aim high and rely on Allah for his mercies in the new year.

The GNA observed that the usual thick crowd at popular spots, pubs and entertainment centres where people troop to enjoy live bands remained empty throughout the night. .

GNA
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA