Photos: Bethel Presbyterian Reformed Church Incorporated Photo 5
Roberta being baptized by;The Rev. Arabella Meadows – Rogers (PCUSA)
Brooklyn, NY -- As Ghanaians, names matter. Naming ceremonies are memorable occasions that
come as the first rite of passage in our cultural experience. Meanings of
names are held to have great significance on the destiny and functioning of
individuals, objects, creatures and even commercial companies.
Bethel is a Church. It draws its foundation from what started in 1991 as
"Ghanaian Presbyterian Church" by people who desired to worship in America
with full Ghanaian cultural expression. It did not matter if in Ghana they
were Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Methodists or Presbyterians. In America
they wanted to worship the Lord in their own cultural identity. That did
not mean they wanted to produce a ghetto that closed doors to everyone in
America's diversity of peoples. So over the years, people of other cultural
backgrounds have come to participate in worship. One or two have stayed as
members. As Bethel, we hope that all may know that "God's House"( Bethel in
Hebrew) is a house of prayer for all people/nations/cultures. It is open to
all for worship even though we are aware that now we are predominantly
Ghanaian. Ghanaian spirituality is worth its salt on the world scene.
Indeed, if the Christian scene is pictured as a collage of ethnic responses
to God's grace that has reached humankind in Jesus Christ, Ghana can boldly
throw in her lot. As a Church that is incorporated in the State of New York
we are glad that in the midst of New York's diversity of immigrants from all
over the world we can be counted as a center for Ghanaian spirituality.
Our ancestral DNA includes elements of European Calvinism which came to the
Gold Coast in the 19th Century through the Basel Mission (from Switzerland
and South Western Germany). It also includes elements of Carribbean ?
Moravian spirituality that also came to the Gold Coast at the request of
the Basel Mission when the Mission invited five couples and five single men
from Jamaica and Antigua to help them evangelize our people. Here in America
, we have bonded with the Reformed prostestant traditions which came with
the Dutch settlement on this Coast and later became the Reformed Church in
America. Being so grateful for such rich background of world Christianity
we are open to all people to make our Church a house of prayer. Our hope is
that as our Children grow in America and marry internationally, all their
offspring will love to come to find that Bethel Presbyterian Reformed Church
is a happy home for all of them.
We have celebrated Bethel incorporation in four very distinct ways that we
believe will glorify our God and emphasizing Mission of the Church of Christ
and the sacraments.
DAY 1: SEPTEMBER 29, 2007
BETHEL WELCOMES THE PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK CITY TO890 FLATBUSH AVENUE
,BROOKLYN, NEW Y ORK 11226
There are 98 chartered Churches in the Presbytery of New York City. We have
been in this number since September 29, 2001 when the Presbytery voted
unanimously to constitute us as a Church. We got our charter after a growth
process that was monitored by both PCUSA and RCA through a Task Force. We
celebrated that achievement in a chartering service on October 21, 2001.
Every Church is represented at Presbytery by its Pastor and an Elder
representative. In effect inviting the entire Presbytery to meet in
Flatbush compares with hosting a meeting of 200 members of an extended
family to breakfast and lunch with a meeting between the two meals. Thinking
of the number of invitations that could be received for Presbytery to hold
in different Churches, we were blessed to have the Presbytery come to us at
this specific time to help us start the Celebration.
Two major coincidences made our bid to have our Presbytery come to
Flatbush successful. One was the fact that on September 29 2001, the same
body had welcomed us as a New Church Development that had achieved maturity.
Also on September 30, 2006, they had unanimously concurred with our
incorporation and our name change from Ghanaian Presbyterian Reformed Church
to Bethel Presby Reformed Church Inc. So they were there on September 29,
2007 to add their blessing to our joy at the celebration. Fascinated by the
warm hospitality provided by the Women's Fellowship and the Entertainment
Committee, Executive Presbyter Arabella Meadows ? Rogers wrote "it was a
special gift to be there" ( letter of gratitude dated October 10, 2007).
On that Presbytery day our Elders (Eileen Vanderpuije, Michael Amo ? Adu)
and Pastor led the entire Presbytery in worship. Dressed up in various
styles of African outfit made from our Church fabric "Walking with Christ in
Mission" they led a joyful Presbytery at worship. This fabric made in Ghana
by Akosombo Textile Limited depicts an exuberant Christian walking along
with hands raised in praises to Jesus and the cross of Christ besides
him/her.
We took the opportunity to honor some of the people in the Presbytery. One
piece of 12 yards Cloth ( "Pentecost Fire") was give to Elder Boomgardener,
the Moderator of the Presbytery of New York City. Another piece ("Walking
with Christ in Mission") was give to the Rev. Margaret Orr Thomas ( Peggy
Thomas), the Moderator ? elect of the same Presbytery to thank her for her
role on the Presbytery committee which highly recommended our status change
from NCD to fully chartered Church.
Two other key Presbytery people were honorably mentioned in their absence.
The first was Rev. C. Herbert Oliver who was the Presbytery's representative
on the on the Task Force that monitored our growth from the time the Church
was only a Fellowship till the chartering Commission took over in 2001. The
other was Elder Margaret Shaffer who as the Chair of the Church Development
Committee of the Presbytery very helpfully nurtured us to chartering in
2001. These special persons and some others that appear in the pictures will
never be forgotten.
DAY 2: SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 - BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION
PREACHER: The Rev. Andrew Aboagye of, Ramseyer Presby. Church, Columbus, OH.
OTHER MINISTERS: The Rev. Arabella Meadows ? Rogers (PCUSA), the Rev. John
Norton (RCA), the Rev. Dr. Margaret Asabea Aboagye, Columbus ,OH
CLOTH OF THE DAY: "PENTECOST FIRE"
When Roberta Antwi (24yr old) expressed her desire to be baptized and
confirmed, she gave the Church a perfect opportunity to celebrate God in the
power of the sacrament of baptism and its complimentary rite of
confirmation. She had already found her feet alongside our youth in service
at the Church. Regularly she helped the boys with technological gifts,
talents and training to set instruments up for worship. After Church they
kept busy putting them down and packing them for safe keeping. Roberta
walked up to Arabella for her baptism. May God richly bless Roberta's
parents Mr. Roberet Antwi and Ms Elizabeth Agbesi.
Baptized also that day were:- Krystin Nana Biama Kumi ( DOB 06/30/99), the
daughter of the Late Mr. Felix Kumi and Emma Kumi who live in Freeport (
Long Island) and Shadrack Kojo Osei ( DOB 11/11/04), the son of Mr. Peter
Osei Adutwum and Mrs Mary Agyeiwaa Adutwum who reside in Brooklyn.
Following the baptism the following youth stood besides Roberta and they
were all confirmed wearing various dresses made out of our Church fabric "
Pentecost Fire". They were Daniel Ansong, Derek Amo ? Adu, Kwadwo Asiedu,
Jonathan Nuamah,and Jacqueline Berko. Through the rite of confirmation,
the Church called on our merciful God to empower these young people for
service by the Holy Spirit. At this time we all sang the Rev. Otto Boateng's
classic hymn" Awurade, Awurade
Dom sese' w'asafo foforo
Fa wo Honhom Kronkron
hyem
Fi ase wo me mu bi
Fi ase, fi ase,
Dom fi ase wo me mu.
Indeed, our prayer is that God's Holy Spirit will renew Bethel for
commitment to serve.
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