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16.04.2014 Diaspora (Canada)

Confusion Galore! Give And Take Hits North America Mission Of Methodist Church Ghana

Worrying Trend In Abroad Over Ghana Missionary Churches -- Part 2
By Obrempong Nana Yaw Baafi
Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel K. Asante, Presiding Bishop Of The Methodist Church GhanaMost Rev. Professor Emmanuel K. Asante, Presiding Bishop Of The Methodist Church Ghana
16.04.2014 LISTEN

A command contained in a letter purported to instill fear and cow some leaders of Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto in Canada, to withdraw their official resolution to the church's authority in United States of America [USA] has been parried away.

Expecting the members to be shaking and trembling after the issue of the command to withdraw their earlier resolution filed before the Missions Advisory Committee MAC of North America Methodist Church, the leaders fearlessly resisted the command.

Stacked to their guns, the leaders of the church called for a formation of a committee to conduct a thorough investigation into their complains contained in the resolution before the MAC .

The command was issued and signed on March 15, 2014 by Rev. Dr. B. Casely Essamuah, the assistant secretary of the Missions Advisory Committee MAC of the North America Methodist Church.

He noted that at its meeting on the said date at Emanuel Ghana Methodist Church Newark, New Jersey, the committee deliberated on the resolution which was dated January 5, 2014 on the committee's acceptance of a breakaway church in Brampton, Greater Toronto Area, [GTA] Canada.

Feeling insulted and condemned as sinners whose place would be in hell as stated in Revelations 21:8, as the letter tried to mean to some of these leaders, it stated that, “the MAC observed that the resolution was filled with misinformation and outright untruths that sadly have led to the unnecessary threats that have been made against the church”.

Then the command followed,” due to these facts, we would want to ask that you first withdraw the letter, in the spirit of charity and grace so that we can deal appropriately with the matter as Methodist” clearly underlined.

But the assistant secretary to the MAC, contradicted himself stating in the following paragraph that “the MAC recognizes that there are concerns that need to be addressed and so a committee has been set up to meet with you all and listen to your concerns with the objective of bringing peace in the Toronto church”.

Laughing off and describing it as a teaser and not assurance, the petitioners doubted whether a committee was already in place to investigate the concerns raised.


Then why did MAC wait till the leaders filed their resolutions only to be slapped with the command to withdraw their resolution some of the leaders asked?

The assistant secretary to MAC went on to issue an order which stated that “MAC will like the withdrawal letter to be as widely circulated as the original and afterwards the committee will schedule a time to meet with you” [the petitioners].

Turning round to sound like a peace maker, Dr. Casely Essamuah, pricked the already angry leaders of the church with a prayer that nothing will be done to affect the peace and tranquility that is enjoyed by Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto, Canada.

As stated earlier on, the members feeling unperturbed and not shaky by the letter as they parried it away insisted that those complains stated out boldly and clearly in their resolution be investigated and not throw it out.

The resolution issued and signed in Toronto on January 5, 2014 and addressed to the SMC and MAC in United States of America, which we managed to track a copy in Maryland USA, resolved among other things to eject the minister Reverend Dr. Emanuel Asare Kusi from the church manses.

Also the leaders resolved to retrieve the church van from him, freeze his monthly salary and further cut ties with the North America Mission of Ghana Methodist Church should the minister go ahead and form a breakaway church.

Copies of the resolution filed by the leaders of the church in Toronto and the controversial withdrawal order issued by the MAC are as follows, first the resolution and second the MAC's response.

Dear Sir/Madam


January 5 2014

RESOLUTION ON FORMATION OF NEW SOCIETY AT BRAMPTON

Based on a spontaneous response that the North America Mission, chaired by the Supervising Missions Coordinator (SMC), Rt. Rev. Benjamin K. Asare, has accepted and recognized a group of persons that broke away from Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto to form a church in Brampton, Ontario; the leaders and majority of the brethren of Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto-Canada hereby resolve in this resolution that:

1. Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto will cut ties with the North America Mission if the later goes ahead and give recognition to the breakaway church (Policy Document, Article 10.2)

o Any group of persons that break away from an existing church shall not be recognized by the Conference. In case of a break away or secession from an existing church, all funds, all properties and projects, whether real moveable or immovable shall be kept by the original church. Under no circumstance shall any person or group of persons break-away with properties belonging to the original church.

2. The Supt. Minister, the Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi, who supported the breakaway from Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto will not be recognized by members of the Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto until the matter before us has been resolved through the Toronto Circuit's Quarterly Meeting and the Annual General Meeting of the North America Mission (Policy Document, 10.3)

o Any minister who engineers, colludes, supports or incites any persons to break away from recognized societies shall be disciplined by the Conference.

3. Immediate plans would be put in place to let go the services of the current Minister, V. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi, suspend his salary and eject him from the premises of the church manse.

4. The GMCT will not sponsor the Superintendent Minister or any church member to the MAC/AGM meetings.

5. No Assessment will be remitted to the SMC/MAC/AGM from the GMCT effective immediately.

6. The Toronto Circuit inauguration will have to or must be suspended until further notice. A new date should be scheduled resulting from the resolution of the issue at stake.

The Issue
1. When the idea of forming a church in Brampton was brought before the Leaders' Meeting on March 15, 2012, there was an intense debate which led to the formation of a committee. The joint committee of the Committee on Ministries and the Committee on Administration was tasked to collate views from recognizable organizations and groups within the church.

2. Unfortunately, on June 30, 2012, the Superintendent Minister terminated and disbanded the group, leaving the Brampton issue 'hanging' and thereby creating disillusionment among members and simmering potential for fractionalization of the church

3. Whilst on a visit, the Presiding Bishop, Most Reverend Professor Emanuel K. Asante, in a meeting with the Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto [GMCT] leadership on May 9, 2013 mentioned that “anybody can open a church; however it has to go through the proper channel”. We understand “proper channel” to include the full involvement of the Leaders' Meeting of the 'Parent Church' and the Circuit Leadership in terms of how the new church can be supported. Unfortunately, this 'proper channel' has not been followed in the case of the issue at stake. Indeed, not even Policy Document 10.1

The planting of churches shall be undertaken in consultation with the Supervising Missions Coordinator through the Committee on Ministries.

was applied as the Committee on Ministries does not have any documentation in support of the new church.

4. Without any deliberations at the Toronto Circuit level, the Superintendent Minister, announced during a telephone circuit meeting on Thursday, November 28, 2013 that the Brampton church issue has been sent to the MAC for approval.

5. At the last MAC meeting on December 14, 2013, the Superintendent Minister, garnered support for acceptance of the Brampton church. He argued that the establishment of the Brampton church has not had any effect on GMCT whatsoever. As a proof he made reference to the Harvest recently held at GMCT which successfully raised one hundred thousand Canadian Dollars [$100,000].

We wish to submit strongly that (i) neither the congregation (through Society Meeting) nor the Leaders (through the Leaders' Meeting) of the GMCT has recorded minutes indicating support for the Brampton church (ii) The Leaders' Meeting has never agreed to nurture the Brampton church. There is no such minutes as evidential proof (iii) The reference to the $100,000 Harvest Proceeds was a rather 'poor assessment' of the situation at stake. Members were motivated to go that 'high' not because they wanted to support any church but because the Harvest Committee promised to utilize money raised at the Harvest to defray part of the Church's mortgage. A fairer way to calibrate the impact of the Brampton issue is to look at attendance at the Brampton Prayer Meeting. It has been low since the whole issue started. Another sensitive impact is that this issue is gradually and seriously drawing a 'wedge' between family members!

6. We are convinced that what the group in Brampton is seeking to establish is nothing but a 'break-away' church because those currently spearheading its activities (including sending invitation e-mails to some members of GMCT) were/are members of Ghana Methodist Church, Toronto, who for not-very-clear reasons have chosen to de-escalate their involvement in GMCT activities. The fragmentation in the church is affecting the other societies in the circuit.

7. During the last society meeting on Sunday, October 6, 2013, the superintendent minister stood up and said, that we “have nothing to do with the Brampton group and that we should concentrate on the growth of our church, GMCT”. Why the 'turn-around'? Why is GMCT being again dragged into an issue we “have nothing to do with”?

Efforts

The committee that consulted with recognizable organizations and groups in the church was informed about how a church in Brampton at this time would negatively impact GMCT. Besides, any time the issue came up at the Leaders' Meeting, leaders have argued strongly against the pre-mature nature of that project. Unfortunately, the Superintendent Minister seems to be impervious to the voices that are coming from majority of the congregation/leaders against a new church in Brampton now.

On Sunday December 22, 2013, a select group of leaders and concerned members of the church met with the Stewards, expressed their discontent with the turn of events and tasked them to meet with the Superintendent Minister to impress upon him the possible backlash that his decision at the MAC could cause the church.

At the meeting held on December 26, 2013 (with the Stewards and members of Pastor-Parish in attendance), the Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi, remained adamant in his support for the founding of the Brampton Church; he refused the group's suggestion to take the initiative to get the MAC to rescind its decision. Instead, he advised the group to send a resolution (petition) if they had concerns.

It must therefore be understood, that this resolution is not the product of any 'hasty decision'. It was resorted to after all efforts to get the Superintendent Minister to 'listen to the voices of his own congregation' have failed.

Recommendations

(A) Membership at the MAC must be reviewed and changed at the GMCT society to ensure the integrity of the process.

(B) The misinformation regarding harvest situation should not be used as a financial assessment of the society and the Toronto circuit for the fiscal year 2014.

(C) All reporting information from all societies if not documented in a report should not be adopted by the MAC. (MAC should always work with documented report and not hear say)

We expect that by February 15, 2014, the MAC will respond by rescinding its decision to accept and recognize the group in Brampton, Ontario as a church. Any response that intends directly or indirectly to perpetuate the MAC's earlier recognition of the Brampton group as a Church shall be compel us to implement to the letter, our resolution (points numbered 1 to 6).

Yours in His Service

Leaders Meeting Secretary

On Behalf of Leaders – GMCT

Mission Advisory Committee (MAC) Members,

North American Mission Lay Movement,

Toronto Circuit Lay Movement Chairman

Society Stewards-GMCT

Also Attached Official MAC Response.....

Attachments

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