Pray for the nation- Kufuor appeals to Churches

Accra, Sept 26, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday commended churches in Ghana for the role they continued to play in ensuring a peaceful atmosphere in Ghana and urged them to pray for the country as it prepares to go for elections in December.

"We shall continue to expect the support and prayers of the church so that peace would prevail throughout the elections, the President said.

"The government is looking up to the churches at this period in time to rise up to the task of praying and also educating their teeming congregation on their civic rights and responsibilities in ensuring that peace prevail in our dear country before, during and after the elections."

President Kufuor said this in speech read for him by Mrs Cecelia Bannerman, Minister of Mines at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Divine Healers Church (DHC), one of the first Pentecostal Churches to be founded under the Gold Coast Apostolic Church, now Ghana Apostolic Church.

President Kufuor said since it was only God that appointed leaders, Christians must pray for Him to appoint good leaders for the Presidential and Parliamentary slots for them to work within the peaceful atmosphere to ensure development.

He said he believed that it was because of the guidance and teachings the Church was imparting upon its members, especially the youth that had helped maintain peace in the country, adding, "we are proud to say that, whatever this government has achieved within the last four years was through the support of Churches and the good people of this nation".

The DHC, founded by the late Brother Gilbert Ablorh Lawson, currently has about 989,000 members, both in Ghana, some parts of the Sub-region and the United States.

The General Overseer of the Church, the Reverend Apostle Amaziah Afla Armah, urged members to resolve to offer themselves wholly to the dictates of the Lord Jesus Christ and walk before Him in devotion and righteousness as they celebrate their anniversary.

He said: "our celebrations will be meaningless, dear brethren, unless it is translated into a deeper sense of godliness, holiness and service to mankind on the part of each and everyone of us, to the glory of God".

Rev Armah appealed to all Christians to heed to the call of President Kufuor and pray for the peace of the nation, adding, every Christian also has the responsibility to participate in the elections and choose godly people to rule and manage the affairs of the country. He urged politicians to be careful of their language as they campaigned for votes, to complement the efforts of the Church in ensuring peaceful and successful elections.

In fraternal messages, the Revered Ekow Wood, General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal Council (GPC) advised leaders of churches, particularly, Pentecostals, to lead exemplary lives as Pentecostalism is about discipline, good morals and the fear of God, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The Reverend Julius Senuvie, Vice President of the Ghana Apostolic Church, congratulated the leaders of the DHC for holding the mantle up to this time and urged them to be steadfast in the faith.

He asked the members to continue to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing healing and salvation to every person as Christ commanded.

As part of the celebrations, the DHC donated cash and food items to various regional hospitals, including the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Tema General Hospital and also organised blood donation exercises at some of the hospitals.

The Church was yet made a presentation of money it solicited to be donated to the Cardio thoracic Centre at Korle-Bu Hospital in Accra.