Ghana Ebenezer Methodist Church celebrated five years of its existence as a society of The Methodist Church Ghana with a weeklong activities climaxed with a joyous, spirit filled Thanksgiving Service in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The relatively young and small Society of The Methodist Church Ghana’s North American Mission basing faith on the Apostle Paul’s exhortation, ‘Little …fear not’ and twinning with Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church, Bethlehem, Georgia, the Fifth Anniversary was marked in grand style under the theme; “That We May Show Forth the Praise of Our Lord”; from 1Peter 2:9.
A weeklong Prayer meeting on phone and at Church premises in collaboration with Christ The King Ghana Methodist and other friends of the Society in the United States of America set the tone for the celebration. This was followed by half night Prayer Meeting led by the Guest Preacher, Evangelist Nana Abrefa Nuamah of Ghana Wesley Methodist Church, Aurora, Delaware.
The Thanksgiving Service to climax the celebrations began with guests driving in from Bethlehem, Georgia and from Charlotte, North Carolina on a bright Sunday morning. The Choir of The Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church processed to commence the Divine Service after which the Host Minister, Rev. Dr. J. Osei called the congregation to worship and led the prayers to thank God for five years of ministry and also for unity of purpose for the future of the church. A joint team of the host Church and Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church led the congregation in a spirit-filled Praise and Adoration time that could be compared to the time of King David and Israel joyously entering Jerusalem with the Ark of the Lord. Members and guests alike danced with gratitude to God who continues to sustain the young Church through thick and thin.
The Guest Choir charged with grace aptly and led by Choir Master/Organist, Anthony Eiwuley-Morkeh, rendered Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Classic “GLORIOUS IS THY NAME” to the glory of God after which the Supervising Mission Coordinator, Rt. Rev. Benjamin Asare preached the Sermon.
Sister Sophia Acquah, the Society Steward of Christ the King Ghana Methodist, before helping to cut the Anniversary cake praised God for all the blessings bestowed upon the congregation that had sustained them for the past five years. “This is the time our Lord Jesus is calling us to unite so that He will use us to build His church”; Sister Sophia Acquah advised.
Moving the Vote of thanks, an elated and emotional Sister Doris Ama Gyamfi, Co-founder of the church and now serving as the Society Steward, thanked God and all who had helped the young Society to make it to this point saying “Ebenezer thus far the Lord has brought us”, and adding ‘thank you God for not letting the Society die or to be confounded”
The church placed on record the contributions of the following whom God used to sustain the church through its difficult times: Very Rev. John Alex Kobina Bonful, Rev. Kofi Bart-Martin, Rev. Charles Fiifi Acquah, Very Rev. Kofi Amoateng, Rev. Captain Boahene Noah, Opanin Fosu, Evangelist Oppong Boateng, Brothers Baffour Amoateng, Victor Yamson and Albert Ntiamoah Brobbey. She thanked sincerely the leadership and members of Christ The King Ghana Methodist Church for twining with them and encouraging and supporting them. She also thanked God for the founding and current members who have sacrificed to bring the day to pass.
Evangelist Nana Abrefa Nuamah who led the prayer sessions in an anniversary message thanked God for the people God used in the past to build His church and declared that through the love of God and our Savior Jesus Christ it shall be well with this church. Evangelist Abrefa exhorted members of the church not to stand idle whilst the fields are white to be harvested and the laborers are few. “We must bear in mind at all times that it is the One who loved us who has called us to go into the world and win souls for the kingdom of God and of His Christ”, advised Evangelist Abrefa.
The history of the church as captured in the anniversary brochure recorded that the idea of having a society of The Methodist Church Ghana in Charlotte, North Carolina surfaced upon the arrival from New York of the late Brother Akwasi Gyamfi and family in Charlotte, on September 13, 1999. And to translate the desire into reality, on May 12, 2002, the Ghana Community Methodist Fellowship was started in an apartment of the Akwasi Gyamfi and wife Doris. Present at the service on that epic day were Mr.and Mrs. Gyamfi and Children; Mr.and Mrs. Bonsra and Children; Sis Nana Yaa; Mad Comfort Antwi and Bro Thomas Frimpong who served as Teacher and Leader. The group met every Sunday morning from 11: 00am -1:00pm until others joined leading to the Church being named which was steered unto the United Methodist Church by its Leadership. Committed to establishing a Congregation of The Methodist Church, Ghana, as true Ghana Methodists, the Gyamfis started the Ghana Ebenezer Methodist Church.
The Society’s first Service was attended by late Bro. Akwasi, Sis. Doris, Hillary and William Gyamfi. Later on, our members grew to about twelve (12) and on June 7, 2009 we worshipped with the following: Mr.and Mrs. Bonsra and their son Nana Barfi Bonsra, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Nkrumah, Sis. Grace Boakye and her daughters, Rebecca and Abigail. Bro. Joseph and Sis. Karen Essiful-Ansah, encouraged and invited the Gyamfis to attend the epic First Annual General Meeting of The Methodist Church Ghana; North America Mission as Observers in Atlanta Georgia from April 24-26, 2009. At the said Meeting the Gyamfis had the opportunity to present a petition to the Lay Movement Council resulting in the Ghana Ebenezer Society, Charlotte, being approved and placed under the Atlanta Mission Circuit of the North America Mission. The Society is registered with Mecklenburg County in the city of Charlotte and with the Internal Revenue Service.
When Brother Akwasi Gyamfi, the Society’s first Caretaker, was called home to eternity, God blessed the Church with three members namely Bro. Kinsley Anokye, Sister Lena Anokye (a Local Preacher) and Bro. Kwame Asamoah. They and many others who have joined the Society recently have all been a great asset to the society namely financially, physically and spiritually.
Summing up a grateful Church’s commentary to this team, Sis Doreen Boison, a member of the Church stated: “We know whom we have believed; He is God Immanuel, Who is with us and will help us continue to sing “Ebenezer – Ampara Nyankopon N’adom Ara Kwa…”.
AFEHYIAPAOOOOOOOOOOOO GHANA EBENEZER METHODIST CHURCH. MANY MORE VICTORIOUS YEARS IN HIS VINEYARD. AMEN.
Source: Publications/Audio-Visual Committee, CTK METHODIST CHURCH.
