Bishop calls on church members to support educational programmes

Kumasi, Sept.13, GNA - The Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, Presiding Bishop-Elect of the Methodist Church, has called on members to support the church's educational programmes and activities. He said if many children became educated, they would grow to understand issues and find suitable work to do, which would reduce the increasing armed robbery and other forms of crimes in the country. Rev. Prof. Asante, also the Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Church, was speaking at a scholarship award service for 34 second cycle students across the country at the Emmanuel Methodist Church at Suame in the Kumasi Diocese on Sunday.

The scholarship scheme, introduced in January 2000, was meant for children of the church who were committed to its growth and were academically good but faced financial challenges. He said the Methodist Church was a church that upheld accountability and so when it came to financial issues, members should embrace it whole heartedly and contribute to ensure its success. "The Church is committed to the development of the country and this could be seen from the fact that almost half of its budget goes into its educational programmes," he said.

Presenting the awards to the students, the Very Reverend Samuel Mensah, Director, Christian Education Division of the Church, said since the inception of the scheme, 419 students had already benefited. He said the Church spent about GH¢17,000 on the scheme last year and that it would need about GH¢20,000 for this academic year. He said; "As at now a day student is given GH¢40.00 per term and GH¢60.00 for a boarder."

Rev. Mensah said the scheme would be ten years next year and the Division intended to celebrate and re-launch it to increase sponsorship and beneficiaries.

The Right Reverend Samuel Agyeman Kwakye, Bishop of Effiduase Diocese in the Sekyere East District, stressed the need for Christians to examine their lives and lead lives worthy of emulation. He urged the members to avoid double standards and rely on God for their needs.

Mr. Daniel Owusu-Appiah, Church Leader, who presided, called on the students to remember where they were coming from and study hard to become useful members of the Church and the nation at large. 13 Sept. 09