Church leaders urged to lead exemplary lives

Accra, March 11, GNA - The Most Rev Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, on Sunday inducted two persons into office to help in the service of the Church. The two, Rev. Stephen Asher and Mr Willing Vanderpuije would occupy the positions of Director of Education and Youth and the Board of Administration respectively.

Rev Asher until his appointment as Director of Education and Youth in the Church was the first District Director of Education in Tain-Nsawkiaw in the Brong Ahafo Region.

He is also a member of the Bible Society of Ghana and a founding member of the Full Gospel Men's Fellowship, Fosu Chapter. Mr Willing Vanderpuije, who has been appointed Director of Administration in the Church had served on many societies, diocesan administrative and finance committees of the Church and until his retirement in 2002 was the Area Head of Corporate Affairs, Ghana and West Africa of the Standard Charted Bank.

Rev Dr Aboagye-Mensah at the induction service noted that Christian leaders' authority laid in their holiness and asked the newly appointed leaders to lead holy lives and be examples to the people they would serve.

Speaking on the topic: "Turning Tragedies into Opportunities of Fruitfulness" Rev Dr Aboagye-Mensah said tragedy was not the result of sinfulness but it rather created the opportunity for people to examine and learn lessons for the future.

He said: "Though we are all witnessing the induction ceremony of these general directors, it is important to note that they have been faced with one tragedy or the other in their lives but as we can see they have learnt lessons hence their joy today."

He urged Christians to deepen their faith in God in times of tragedy and wait for God's own appointed time. Rev Aboagye-Mensah urged members to honour and obey the positions of Rev Asher and Mr Vanderpuije in accordance with the word of God, which depicted discipline and order.

On the Ghana @ 50 celebrations, Rev Dr Aboagye-Mensah said the year of jubilee was the year of liberation, which needed the unity of all Ghanaians, adding that the nation had to address the line of ethnicity and politics that was dividing us for better years to come. He commended all Ghanaians on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.

Mr Vanderpuije and Rev Asher in response expressed their gratitude to all who had supported and contributed towards their achievements in life.