£3m church building for Ghanaian SDAs in London

A three million pound church complex for the London-Ghana Seventh-day Adventists Church has been commissioned in London.

The building which has a worshiper-capacity of six hundred has also two youth and multi-purpose halls, conference halls and facilities and a training centre. The project is situated in East London, a part of the 2012 Olympic area and it is estimated that the building would cost nearly eight million pounds during and after the 2012 Olympics to be staged in London.

Funds for the project was raised by contributions from church members with support from other benevolent organisations. The church with a membership of about four hundred and fifty has assisted the Valley View University in Accra to put accommodation for staff of the institution. In addition the SDA Hospital in Kwadaso, Kumasi has also benefited form the church’s development programmes apart from scholarships provided for individual Ghanaians furthering education. Preaching the divine service sermon under the theme “Remember Not to Forget”, Pastor M.A. Bediako, the Executive Secretary of the General Conference of the church, reminded the congregation that, this sanctuary being opened was a testament of how the Lord had been with the Ghanaian congregation. He said, like Israel passing through the red sea, the Lord had led this “immigrant” church through storms of discouragement, lack of finances, lack of commitment etc. Yet, the Lord has brought his people this far.

Pastor Bediako, the first Ghanaian to rise the second highest office of the church, was of the view that the provision pf the edifice for the church will not only enhance growth in membership, but also will propel the spiritual and physical development of the members as well as non-members in the UK and Ghana.

Quoting Joshua 4:5-9, he said “Just like the Lord requested Israel to pick up stones from the river Jordan to place them at where they will rest that night, the Lord had used you to build this church as a testament to His name, so that you will not forget what the Lord has done for you” Remember not to forget what the Lord has done for you.

Pastor Don McFarlane, President of the British Union Conference, who has been instrumental in making the dream of the church a reality, conducted the consecration service to formally open the church. He urged the members to remember that Adventists all over the world have been called for the same mission.

“Our mission is about telling the world about God coming to dwell amongst us, dying for us and rising again to make complete our redemption story”. He observed. This church he said, must affect positively the entire community, the entire city and the entire nation.

Led by Pastor Humphry Walters, the President of the South England Conference, special prayers were said for the congregation.

In a key note address the special guest of honour, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, His Excellency Mr. Annan Cato, spoke of the essential need to recognize the spiritual nature of each person in order to restore vitality and purpose to both individuals and society. “For the Ghanaian community here in the UK, this represents a new beginning. We want you to know who we are, what we believe, and all we stand for,” said Mr. Cato

He praised the Adventist church of the role it has played over the years in the promotion of health, education and assisting the government of Ghana to raise the living standards of the people. “That is practical Christianity” He said. The Church Pastor, Dr. Emmanuel Osei, on behalf of the church acknowledged the contribution of all the former leaders of the church such as Dr E. O. Sackey, Pastors Esson, Kavaloh, Daddey and the late Pastor Bikkai.

Turning his attention to the congregation Pastor Osei said the opening of the church was also beginning a new page in the lives of individual members and the church as a whole. “This occasion, does not only signify the opening of ‘our’ new Church. It also represents the opening of the new Church for you. For this reason, our doors are open, seven days a week.

Some of the members who distinguished themselves in various ways towards the completion of the project, were honoured. They included Elders, Samuel Adjei Owusu, Armstrong Opoku- Kyeremateng, George Addai andYaw Bayim Adomako, all members of the building committee. The rest included the architect of the project, Mr. Paul Henry, who could not help but shed tears of joy, Mrs Estella Obeng and Madam Cecelia Nimo.