Gov't to forge new relationship with Church - JAK

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday, said government was ready to develop and forge new relationship with the Church for the total development of the country.

He said the challenges in the country's present quest for national renewal, reconciliation and the strengthening of the basic values to draw a collective attention in the path of national efforts required both physical and spiritual dimensions.

"Therefore, it is necessary for the Church and the State to strengthen existing partnerships and even build new ones in order to make a lasting positive impact in the shortest possible time", he added. President Kufuor said this when he unveiled the plaque to dedicate an 800 million cedis chapel for the Nativity Presbyterian Church at La, a suburb of Accra.

The 2,000 capacity stone-claded chapel, which has a close resemblance to the Church of the Nativity in Israel has an upper auditorium and a basement hall.

The Right Reverend Dr. Sam Prempeh, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, dedicated the chapel for the Church, which was established on Sunday, September 25, 1981. President Kufuor said the Church was well-positioned to foster and nurture a communal spirit out of which neighbourhood development projects could be realised.

He said there was an urgent need for all religious institutions to take up a new challenge of pastoring their membership and the congregations to attain higher moral, ethical and social values that were needed for the fulfilment of the spiritual obligations and the rapid advancement of the country.

President Kufuor said without peace, nobody could inherit and develop the country and this had placed on all the citizenry, the responsibility to be peacemakers, build bridges of understanding and reconciliation and working hard to remove mistrust and the pursuit of sectional interests.

He said this was the only way to create the necessary conditions for improving the spiritual and physical lives of the people. President Kufuor urged the congregation to use the chapel to promote the spiritual and physical progress of the La community through the teaching and practising of the Christian virtues of love, co-operation, discipline, sacrifice, forgiveness and peace.

Rt. Rev. Prempeh, in a sermon, said Ghanaians should remain vigilant in prayer and fasting and not wait until crisis loomed over the country before going on their knees to pray to God.

"Even in crisis, we should have to focus on God to achieve our ultimate aim with God being our helper.". The Moderator asked members of the Church to contribute new ideas, suggestions and prepare to support the new changes such as reforms, transformation and renewal, required to sustain the church, adding, " we should evolve new evangelisation strategies and do something new without losing our identity as Presbyterians".

He commended the congregation for good work done and urged them to have a change in attitude and mind, increase in faith, have new understanding of life and encourage more members to join the Church.