“CHURCHES
MUST SUPPORT THEIR MINISTERS, NOT SLANDER THEM”
...Dr.
Sam Prempeh
By:
Emmanuel Wiafe
A former Moderator of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Very Rev. Dr. Sam
Prempeh, has expressed concern about how some congregants deny their Ministers spiritual
support during challenging times, adding that the practice retards church
growth.
He chastised church
members whose stock in trade is to slander and malign their Ministers. He
advised that Agents are servants of God, and must be accorded due respect.
“It is heart aching to
hear and see some of these members making irresponsible comments about their
own Ministers, instead of praying with them in difficult times,” he noted.
Very Rev. Dr. Prempeh
who deputized for the Moderator of General Assembly, (Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel
Martey), was preaching the sermon on the theme: “Sacrificial Life” during
the ordination of 13 Ministerial Probationers drawn from the Sekyere, Asante
Akyem and Kwahu Presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at the Christ Presbyterian
Congregation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in the
Asante Presbytery.
The former Moderator
asked the new Ministers to identify with and help meet the numerous challenges
confronting society today.
In an address, a
representative of the ordained Ministers, Rev. Nixon Tei Mensah-Yemetey expressed
gratitude to God and the Church’s hierarchy for the worthy experiences they had
gained from their training and probationary period.
The 13 ordained
Ministers were; Revds. Kofi Antwi Akowuah, Lawrence Kwadwo Annoh, Francis
Asiedu, Emmanuel Nii Narh Doku, Stephen Asuo Gyebi, Seth Owusu Koranteng,
Samuel Obiri Larbi, Francis Ofori Nyarko, Vasty Ogbe, Kennedy Opoku, Samuel Effah
Twumasi, Jonathan Obour-Wiredu and Nixion Tei Mensah-Yemetey.
16 Ordained at Adum Ramseyer
Congregation
A week later, Very Rev. Dr.
Prempeh again deputized for the Moderator, (Rt. Rev. Prof. Martey) at the ordination
of 16 Ministerial Probationers at the Ramseyer Congregation, Adum-Kumasi.
The former Moderator, who
preached the sermon on the theme: “Marriage:
God’s Institution”, said God calls his people to work instead of sitting on
the fence and complaining about every challenge that comes their way.
Very Rev. Dr. Prempeh charged
the newly ordained Ministers to preach repentance because “sin has engulfed our
nation, Church and families.”
The Clerk of General
Assembly, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayete-Nyampong, read out the profiles and presented
the Probationers to Moderator Prempeh and the General Assembly Council members present
to administer the ordination vows.
The Ministers included; Revds.
Ebenezer Abrokwah, Charles Kwadwo Agyei, Stephen Akyeampong, Edmund Kwaa Amankona,
Joshua Mac-Jom Asare, Samuel Asamoa Ayeh-Hanson, Kwadwo Okyere Bediako,
Emmanuel Kwabena Boakye and Martin Boateng.
The rest werw; Revds. Kate
Oye Addo Djan, Gladys Ennim Benson, Isaac Gyamera Konadu, Emmanuel Alexander
Kyei, William Akotuah Opare, Sampson Oten Preko and Emmanuel Maclean Quist.
On their behalf, Rev. Stephen
Akyeampong thanked the leadership of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and their
families and senior colleagues for sponsoring and supporting their training and
mentoring.
