[The] Right Reverend Dr Jacob Ayeebo, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Tamale has bemoaned the current situation where faith was becoming insignificant to growing numbers of people in society.

He said “Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life”.

He said most teenagers prioritised education, career development, friendships, and travel, adding “Among adults, the areas of growing importance are lifestyle comfort, success and personal achievements”.

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Almighty God, who didst raise up thy servant Samuel Ferguson and inspire in him a missionary vision of thy Church in education and ministry: Stir up in us through his example a zeal for a Church, alive with thy Holy Word, reaching forth in love and service to all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Government of Ghana has been urged to bring its troops home to help fight the threat posed by Boko Haram.

The call came from the Archbishop of Ghana and Primate of West Africa, the Most Rev Daniel Sarfo, who urged the recall of troops serving in overseas peacekeeping missions.

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..The Rt. Revd Thomas Wilson, Bishop of Freetown, whose diocese covers Hastings, Sierra Leone, and the Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Tucker, Bishop of Bo met the Mayor and members of the Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link in the Mayor’s Parlour at Hastings town hall on Tuesday (February 9th ).

The Bishops were breaking their journey from Canterbury, where they have been on a course, to Chichester by calling in at Hastings. Chichester Diocese is closely linked to the Anglican churches in Sierra Leone and West Africa generally.

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The Anglican Diocese of Freetown with support from the Trinity Church in the United States of America is providing Ebola prevention kits to its Mission Schools in the country…

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[The] Reverend Dr Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, Anglican Bishop of Accra, has called on the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, to take pragmatic steps to deal with filth and unauthorised structures.

He also called for enforcement of the legal and regulatory frameworks of the assemblies to ensure compliance of acceptable behaviours from all sections of the community members.

Rev Torto, who was addressing the 108 newly elected assembly members of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), urged them to revise the assemblies’ bye-laws to enforce penalties to conform to modern day realities.

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Dear Ms. Eleanor Maxine and the Family, Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is with great sadness that we received the news of the passing of the Lay Canon Kodwo E. Ankrah of the Church of the Province of Uganda, a native of Anomabu, Ghana.

I write to express my sincere condolences as well as those of the World Council of Churches. The Canon was respected and beloved among you, the Church of the Province of Uganda and his childhood Methodist Church in Ghana but also within the ecumenical movement, through his leadership in the Christian Council of Ghana, the All Africa Conference of Churches and the World Council of Churches. A true “sojourner” in his own words in transit from Ghana to Uganda from 1970s to the time he was called to the eternal home on Friday 29th May 2015.

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In a sermon at the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Very Reverend Emmanuel Entsi- Williams, the Dean of the Cathedral, urged Ghanaians to eschew pride, to pardon each other’s wrong doing, and learn to speak and accept the truth at all times.

These, he said, would help resolve the current challenges the country was facing and clear the path for its development.

At the Ebenezer Methodist Church, Siwdo, the celebration coincided with the launch of the Church’s annual Harvest.

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The Asante-Mampong Diocese of the Anglican Church has been inaugurated amid outpouring of joy and praises to God.

The diocese is the second to be created in the Ashanti Region after Kumasi and comes over a century after the introduction of the Anglican faith to the region.

The Asantehene, Otumfo Osei Tutu 11, was among traditional rulers, the clergy and other high profile personalities in public service, politics and business who joined in the celebration of the occasion at a special church service held on the theme “Working together to grow the harvest”.

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The Primate and Anglican Metropolitan Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana, the Most Reverend Professor Daniel Yinkah-Sarfo has asked Ghanaians to unite to fly high the flag of the nation.

He said Ghanaians should overcome partisan politics and ethnic divisions and find common ground to promote socio-economic development.

He made the request in a Christmas and New Year goodwill message he issued in Kumasi.

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The Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Anglican Church, Very Reverend Francis Benjamin Quashie, has advised government to use part of the resources used to encourage foreigners to invest in the country, to concentrate on motivating Ghanaian entrepreneurs both home and abroad, to invest in the country.

He said the citizenry have the resources that can be invested in the economy, to help turn things around when given the needed support and encouragement.

Very Rev, Quashie gave the advice at a Confirmation Service at the Anglican Church of Transfiguration at Odumase-Krobo.

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The Anglican Primate of the Church of West Africa, the Most Reverend Professor Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, has said there is the need for churches to preach messages that will convince wayward persons to have a heart for true repentance. He observed that while it was desirable to get armed robbers, prostitutes, corrupt politicians and greedy professionals to decide to go to church, the messages from the pulpit these days were not convincing enough to get them have a change of heart.

“They are comfortable being in church and going through all the motions of Christianity, yet their hearts are far away from God. This is because the messages they hear are philosophies on how to be successful in the world,” he said.

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The Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast has held an enthronement service for Right Reverend Dr Victor Reginald Atta-Baffoe as the fourth Diocesan Bishop.

Rt Rev Atta-Baffoe replaces Rt Rev Daniel Sylvanus Adotei Allotey who officially retired as the third diocesan Bishop on May 18, 2014, after being in office for 11 years.

The Dean of the Cathedral, Very Reverend Emmanuel Entsi Williams, performed the rites to enthrone the new Bishop, who was consecrated on November, 2013.

The colourful ceremony was attended by members of the church in the diocese, Archbishops, Bishops and retired Bishops from other dioceses.

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The Anglican Communion is reeling at the sudden death of the the Primate of The Church of the Province of West Africa yesterday (Tuesday).

Archbishop Dr Solomon Tilewa Johnson, 59, was also Metropolitan Archbishop of the Internal province of West Africa, and Bishop of Gambia. A popular figure both home and abroad, he died in Fajara while playing tennis – one of his favourite pastimes.

The Provincial Secretary Canon Anthony Eiwuley said he had received confirmation of the Archbishop’s death from the family. He added that, in time, he planned to open a book of condolence to receive messages on behalf of the Province and the family.

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It was with shock and great sadness that we heard about the sudden death of our brother Primate, Solomon Tilewa Johnson, earlier this week.

In October last year we shared fellowship at GAFCON 2013 here in Nairobi and we thank God for his commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ whom he served with a robust faith and cheerful energy throughout his ministry. He was a man of global vision and his death, so untimely from our human perspective, has deprived not only the Church of the Province of West Africa, but the whole Anglican Communion of a talented leader.

We assure Mama Priscilla, his family and the Church he served of our prayers in their loss, that they may know the presence of the Prince of Peace who has conquered death and from whose love nothing can separate us.

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Per the ACO twitterfeed.

We so often hear of the peace to be found through Jesus. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. This is a wonderful thing in our world where we so often hear of conflict. The peace Jesus offers is of God ”“ it is a peace beyond our understanding. It is a peace of body, mind and spirit. It is a peace that we can hold on to even during troubled times. It is a peace that comes when we become aware of the presence of God in our lives….

Such peace and joy invariably come at a cost. It is not that suffering brings peace and joy; but suffering can lead to a depth of relationship with God, whom we turn to in time of trouble. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples. The gospel according to John tells us, “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with doors locked ”¦.. , Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (John 20: 19 and 20)

Jesus’ greeting of peace is associated with him showing them his wounds. Peace invariably comes at a great cost. Despite the appalling cruelty he had experienced, Jesus was able to forgive his torturers and executioners. Indeed, he was able to plead with God for their forgiveness. Such forgiveness is exceptional. True forgiveness does not come easily, and does not even recall past wrongs ”“ however awful these may be. I firmly believe it comes only as a gift from God. This in turn allows the peace and joy only God can give.

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The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Accra, Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel S. M. Torto, has condemned excessive alcoholism among Christians, especially Anglicans, in public.

According to the Who Health Organisation (WHO), the harmful use of alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths each year, and 320 000 young people, between the age of 15 and 29, die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.

Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden; it is the leading risk factor in the Western Pacific and the Americas, and the second largest in Europe.

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The Anglican Communion on Sunday 4th August 2013 finally completed the processes of “Ordaining and Consecrating a new Episcopal Bishop in the person of His Grace the Rt. Rev. Thomas Arnold Ikunika Wilson as the 3rd Bishop of the Diocese of Freetown, (which also includes the North and interestingly, Bonthe) as successor to His Grace the Rt. Rev. Julius O P Lynch, whose 17 years Episcopacy ended on 24th July sharp, upon his attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

It was all pomp and pageantry complimented by four and half hours of High Mass at the Cathedral of St George in Freetown, second in perfection perhaps just perhaps ”“ to an Episcopal Ordination at the West Minister Abbey, whence the tradition originated. It was a well attended service that saw worshippers overflowing into nearby streets as far as blocks away from the Church premises, thus belying the previously discomforting perception that our Anglican Communion was dying.

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Since the fall of humankind, there had been a distance between man and God that could not be removed. The sacrificial death of Jesus has removed that barrier (of sin) so that we can again relate to God with a closeness that existed at the beginning. The resurrection to life of Jesus Christ means that we now have the opportunity for eternal life. The meaning behind all this is God’s love for each one of us, and for the whole of creation. What had been spoiled at the fall can now be made new, as it was in the beginning, when everything was good.

We may look at our world and be in danger of losing hope. However, through the events of Good Friday and Easter day we have the promise that all will be well. We are a resurrection people, and know that there is always hope. We believe in the resurrection; but we also know the reality of Good Friday. There could not be the new life, light and hope of the Resurrection without there first being the death, darkness and despair of Good Friday.

As a people of the Resurrection, we are called to live in the light of the resurrection. We are called to bring hope and light into the darkness. This may sound so daunting that it could be impossible to know where to begin. This need not be so. We do not need to feel that we have to take such action that the world will be changed in an instant. However, we do need the faith to take the first step, in the sincere belief that God, will be with us every step of the way. If we act according to the will of God, we can be assured that God will bless our efforts, and much fruit can be borne.

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The Most Reverend Dr Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, Archbishop of the Internal Province of the Anglican Church of Ghana, has urged Christians to pray unceasingly for renewal and social transformation of the country.

He said he was confident that as they went through the Easter festivities, the redemptive work of Jesus would draw them and non-Christians together irrespective of political and religious affiliations, as one people with a common goal of pushing forward the national development agenda.

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(ACNS) West Africa’s new archbishop , the Most Revd Solomon Tilewa Johnson [in an interview this week] explained that one major priority was responding to issues of “abject poverty”, which is perhaps to be expected considering the countries that comprise the Anglican Province of West Africa: Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

More surprising, however, was a priority to retain congregants who might be tempted away to non-Anglican churches by newer forms of praise and worship. “We all have our priorities and the key issues for us in West Africa as far as I can see is the threat posed to us by the new churches for example,” he said.

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The Most Reverend Dr Justice O. Akrofi, Primate and Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa, Anglican Church, has asked the judiciary to uphold justice and truth at all times, especially in their adjudication in the election year.

“The learned society needs justice. Truth is also ever so sacred that it cannot be negotiated-not the same as playing fast and loose with it. The role of justice for instance is very relevant in ensuring peace at this year’s election”, Rev Akrofi said in a sermon to open the 55th Legal Year of the Judicial Service.

The legal year is marked annually in October with a church service after members of the bench and bar return from their two months vacation.

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His functions, include but are not limited to:

i) Issuing of Pastoral Letters in his own person as well as with members of the Episcopal Synod

ii) Speaking God’s word to the Church and to the world as a representative of the CPWA in its corporate capacity

iii) Exercising the spiritual and temporal leadership of the CPWA

iv) Visiting officially the dioceses within the CPWA whether at the invitation of the local Bishop, or of his own initiative

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The Anglican Church of the Province of West Africa yesterday elected the Rt Revd Dr Solomon Johnson as its ninth Archbishop and Primate.

Dr Johnson, who is currently the Bishop of Gambia, was elected to be the next Primate for the province at a special synod held at Cuttington University, Suacoco, Bong Country, Liberia, between 25 to 28 September.

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The Cape Coast Diocese of the Anglican Church on Tuesday launched its 30th anniversary celebration at Cape Coast in the Central region.

Activities marking the celebration include donations to the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, the Heart Foundation, clean-up exercise, a youth forum, love feast, quizzes as well as a route march.

The celebration which is on the theme “Serving Our Present Age, Our Calling to Fulfill” will be dedicated to youth development and human welfare in general.

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The Anglican Bishop of Cape Coast, the Right Reverend Daniel Sylvanus Adotei Allotey has predicted that the nation would come out of the December general elections, stronger and a better nation than before….

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The Church of the Province of West Africa has revealed that it is holding a special synod at the end of the month to adopt a constitutional change that will see the creation of two provinces with two archbishops.

The Provincial Secretary, The Revd Canon Fr Anthony Eiwuley, said today that the Church will be meeting at Cuttington University in Liberia September 27-29 for a special synod.

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The Koforidua Diocese of the Anglican Church has called on the government to partner the private sector to solve the housing shortage facing the country….

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The Venerable Dr Daniel Silvanus Mensah Torto was ordained the ninth Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Accra this weekend, but the Church of the Province of West Africa is yet to elect a new Primate.

Commenting on erroneous media reports that Bishop Torto would automatically become Primate on the current Archbishop’s retirement, the Provincial Secretary the Revd Canon Fr Anthony Eiwuley told ACNS that the election of a new Archbishop would take place in September.

“The reports were incorrect. The journalists just assumed that whoever is Bishop of Accra also becomes the new Primate. We are yet to elect an Archbishop,” he said. “We will meet in September to do this and the Primate steps down in October.”

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