Methodist Church To Help Deal With Developmental Challenges

The Methodist Church of Ghana intends raising GH¢ 2.9 million to enable it to address developmental challenges confronting both the Church and the nation in the areas of education, health and governance by the end of 2018.

The Church intends to achieve the projects through levying every member of the Church an amount of 50 pesewas every month into the Development Levy Fund.

The Presiding Bishop of the Church, Most Reverend Titus Kofi Awotwi Pratt, disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf during the launch of the Methodist Development Fund (MDF) Awareness Day and Special Fund Raising for 2017 at Winneba.

The event was under the theme, 'The MDF and Effective Stewardship in Sustaining Our Missionary Gains'.

The Most Rev. Pratt called on the congregation not to see the work of Christians as just spreading the Gospel of Christ but also doing charity work to better the lives of all Ghanaians in the areas of Education, Health and Governance.

He commended the congregation for living up to expectations by contributing 50 pesewas monthly in support of the Methodist Family as well as addressing challenges facing the destitute.

He said he was hopeful members would contribute towards the MDF to enable it to accomplish its target of GH¢ 2.9 million by the end of 2018.

The Presiding Bishop noted that, though contributions to the Fund in 2016 rose by 14.53 per cent, as compared to 8.10 per cent in 2015, the general contributions to the fund had not been impressive.

The Most Rev. Pratt said the MDF would be used to support activities of the Dioceses across the country, such as places of worship and Manses in rural and sub -urban communities, educational institutions, like the Ghana Methodist Students Union [GHAMSU], care for the deprived children, welfare of the clergy, among others.

The Very Reverend Ishmael N. Ghansah, the Director of the Methodist Development Fund, disclosed that part of the funds realised from the contribution was used to support infrastructural needs of schools and some orphanages as well as on street children.

The Rt. Reverend Dr. John Badu Buabeng, the Winneba Diocesan Bishop, expressed optimism that the fund when supported, would give practical meaning to their religious work as Christians.

According to him the MDF helps support challenged schools, hospitals, orphanages and farm projects in the country and called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to support the fund.

An amount of GH¢ 13,000 was realized during the launch of the event.

GNA
By Patience Gbeze, GNA