The Anglican Diocese of Accra, Church of the Province of West Africa, on Sunday consecrated Venerable Dr Daniel Silvanus Mensah Torto as the Ninth Anglican Bishop of Accra.

As a Co-Adjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Accra, an assistant, Mensah Torto will succeed the Most Reverend Justice Ofei Akrofi, as Archbishop and Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa, when he retires on October 29, after attaining 70 years. He would have served for 16 years.

The consecration was performed by the Most Rev. Ofei Akrofi.

The Most Rev. Dr Peter Akinola, a retired Archbishop and Primate of all Nigeria, delivered the sermon for the occasion and advised priests to uphold the core principles of Christianity.

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Bishop Asuamah emphasized that no political party was bigger than Ghana and that all parties must put a high premium on the relative peace Ghanaians were currently enjoying and do everything possible to sustain it before, during and after the general election.

He reiterated that the youth also had a part to play to make the election violent free by being circumspect and not allowing the political parties to use them to foment trouble or carry out any diabolical agenda, which would disrupt the elections, maim people and disturb public peace.

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In an Easter message copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra, he said death by crucifixion alone might suggest disgrace, disaster and defeat by the forces of evil “but with Easter it is a loud and clear message that by the power of God, death could not hold him. Beyond death there is life; beyond defeat and humiliation there can be victory and exaltation and joy, if we walk with God”.

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Almighty God, who didst rescue Samuel Ajayi Crowther from slavery, sent him to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to his people in Nigeria, and made him the first bishop from the people of West Africa: Grant that those who follow in his steps may reap what he has sown and find abundant help for the harvest; through him who took upon himself the form of a slave that we might be free, the same Jesus Christ; who livest and reignest with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Anglican Church, Right Reverend Francis Benjamin Quashie, appealed to the GMA and the Fair Wages and Salary Commission to be flexible in their positions, and rather meet to enable them to reach amicable settlement of their differences.

Rt. Rev. Quashie made the appeal when he celebrated mass at the Out Patients Department of the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Tuesday, to mark St. Luke’s Day.

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he Church of the Province of West Africa will on Saturday May 7, invest the Order of Knighthood on 11 eminent personalities at the Anglican Diocese of Wiawso, in the Western Region.

The Knights-elect have distinguished themselves in the service of God and Society.

The Most Reverend Ignatius C.O. Kattey, Archbishop of Niger Delta Province and Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta and a contingent of Knights and Dammes will be at Wiawso for the investiture of Knighthood for seven Knights (Men) and four Dammes (Women).

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The Synod of the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA), meeting in Conakry, Guinea from Monday, March 21 to Friday, March 25, 2011 under the overarching theme “TURN BACK, RECOVER YOUR DEAR LOVE (Revelation 2:5), among other things engaged the socio-economic-political context in which the Province fulfills her God-given Mission, without which the Church has no definition and clear identity.

While giving thanks to God for the abundant grace of natural and mineral resources such as gold, manganese, bauxite, diamonds, oil and vast expanses of rich soil, we also had reason to be pained by and to be penitent for the numerous and seemingly incessant hardships and misfortunes made manifest in political instability, wanton destruction of human life and property, displaced and in-between peoples. We are struck by the irony that the region so well endured by God has become almost synonymous with disease, especially HIV/AIDS and other preventable diseases and poverty, a code for exclusion and marginalization of people from the bounty of God.

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The Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, Right Reverend Dr Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, has asked Ghanaians to put their trust in God and depend on Him for their needs.

“God knows the beginning and the end of life and we can face tomorrow if we live in Christ Jesus,” he said. He was delivering a New Year message at a watch night service held at the Saint Cyprian’s Anglican Cathedral in Kumasi on Friday….

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The Archbishop and Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Accra, on Wednesday urged the public to be disciplined during the Christmas festivities.

In a Christmas message released in Accra, The Most Reverend Dr Justice O. Akrofi said indiscipline in whatever form was inconsistent with the message of Christmas.

“This Christmas let us focus on how the values of the Kingdom of God can be realised in our Christian context,” he said.

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Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, immediate past Rector of Sunyani Polytechnic, on Saturday said sacrifice, financial and material resources and total devotion were necessary to improve on the dwindling membership of the Sunyani diocese of the Anglican Church. He said structural reform, unity, patriotism and commitment constituted the requisite essentials of the Anglican Church “to propagate the gospel, rescue the perishing and win souls for Christ”. Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah was speaking on the theme: “Let Us Rise and Build,” to climax a five-day programme and fund-raising to mark the first anniversary of Rt. Rev. Dr. Festus Yeboah Asuamah, third Bishop of the Anglican diocese of Sunyani.

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The Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, the Right Reverend Dr Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, has asked Ghanaians to grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically as they progress in life.

Delivering a New Year Message he said Christians should express hope and make right choices and decisions, confess their wrong doings to God for forgiveness and pray hard towards the goal of salvation. Rev. Sarfo prayed that God would lead the nation into a prosperous and peaceful year full of progress, unity and growth.

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The increasing number of One-man-churches, run by persons motivated by financial gains and materialism in the country is a great source of worry to the mainstream Christian Churches in Ghana, the Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, Rt. Rev. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo has observed.

According to the Anglican Bishop, one of the major challenges currently facing Christianity in the country is the daily increase in the number of the so-called men of God, who rather engage in exploiting people, under the guise of preaching the gospel.

Rev. Yinkah Sarfo, who expressed these concerns during the official inauguration of the Satellite Extension Programme of the Academy of Mission and Theology of the North Carolina College of Theology at the Christian Hope Ministry, located at Ohwim, in Kumasi, said the situation had cast a serious slur on the image of the religion in the country.

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The Arch-Bishop of the Province of West Africa and Accra Diocese of the Anglican Church Most Rev. Dr. Justice Offei Akrofi has declared that the Diocese of Accra has finally agreed to the ordination of women as Priests of the Church. He said the issue which has been on board for almost 10 years is a breakthrough for the Accra Diocese. He made this known at the closing ceremony of the 20th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Accra.

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Hat tip: Ruth Gledhill who notes that this video was made for Times Online by Joanna Clegg.

ii. In this regard, we reiterate the resolution of Anglican Consultative Council, Hong Kong, August 2002 in response to Archbishop George Carey’s urging that dioceses “that are considering matters of faith and doctrine that could affect the unity of the Communion to consult widely in their provinces, and beyond before final decisions are made or action is taken.”

iii. We affirm the importance of showing concern and regard to the rest of the Communion.

2. We, however, out rightly condemn and reject the unacceptable action of some of the members of the Communion in the blessing and formal acceptance of same-sex marriages and relationships, the appointment, election and ordination to ecclesiastical offices of those persons who openly admit and declare that they are homosexuals and lesbians (cf Romans 1:26-27). That such practices of some of the members of our Communion do exist and that they are to be treated pastorally, we deny not. However, that they be given official recognition and acceptance by the Church of God as a standard form of life is quite another stand which we cannot and dare not accept.

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