Christians pray for prosperity in 2014

Churches within the Accra Metropolis were filled to capacity as early as 7 p.m. with members trooping in early in order to be assured of their seats.

The various churches, especially the charistmatic ones, dubbed their watch-night services with catchy slogans, such as “Crossover”, “Passover”, “Switchover”, “Walkover”, and “Jumpover” in order to attract floating Christians who only attend church service on December 31.

At a joint service by the St Thomas More Catholic Church, Achimota, and the St John Fisher Catholic Church, New Achimota, the officiating minister, Rev. Father Blaise Bobi-Attachie, charged Christians to lead the crusade for a change in attitude in the society, reports Ransford Tetteh.

He said Ghanaians had described 2013 as a very difficult year and wished the New Year would offer hope for a better future.

Preaching to many worshippers at the auditorium of the St John Fisher Catholic Church, Father Bobie-Attachie said unless the people turned over a new leaf, the challenges of nation building would not go away.

He charged Christians to lead the way to a life of perfection, good health and prosperity.

At the Kaneshie Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, members of the Armed Forces Central Band ignited the atmosphere with their soothing popular Ghanaian highlife tunes and crowned their performance by playing the Halleluyah Chorus to the admiration of all, reports Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah.

Members of the church danced their hearts out after the Second Minister, Reverend Roy Asiamah, announced the entry into the New Year at exactly 12.00 midnight amid the sounding of the last post by the Armed Forced Band.

Preaching the sermon earlier on the theme “If God Be for Us, Who will Be Against Us”, Rev Asiamah urged Ghanaians to let the year 2014 be a turning point in their crooked spiritual lives.

He asked Ghanaian leaders to entrust their lives and governance into the hands of God since regardless of their expertise, they were not certain about exactly what would happen in 2014.

“We should depend on God who knows what is before us. Woe unto us if we place our trust in the hands of human beings”, he stated.

Mary Mensah reports from the headquarters of the Royalhouse Chapel International in Accra, that preaching the sermon, the Apostle General of the church, Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah called on Christians to be steadfast and pray for the country, adding that 2014 was a year of divine advantage and liberation.

Rev Korankye Ankrah asked the security agencies to be vigilant and strengthen the country’s borders as some evil doers would try to destabilise the country probably around the month of June using the borders.

At the Santa Maria Central branch of the Church of Pentecost, the district pastor, Mr David Addo, in a sermon titled “You would not go empty handed,” that God would provide all their needs, said even though some challenges might have been encountered in 2013, “there will be no sorrow in 2014,” Emelia Ennin Abbey writes.

Accra Metro Park

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly park, where the Global Revival Ministries held its watch-night service, was filled to capacity, writes Salomey Appiah.

The General Overseer of the church, Reverend Dr Robert Ampiah-Kwofi, urged the congregation to ask for grace and peace from God in the New Year for success in their endeavours.

Severious Kale-Dery reports that the Parish Priest of the St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Adentan, Very Rev Fr Anthony Richard Opong, who led the congregation in the intercessory prayers to enter the New Year, declared 2014 as a year of many blessings, “if we believe in the saving powers of God”.

Very Rev Fr Opong urged Ghanaians to leave behind them all the challenges they faced last year and to enter the New Year determined to work hard to realise their resolutions.

Action Chapel International

The General Overseer of Action Chapel International (ACI), Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, noted with concern that the “God factor” had always not been incorporated into governance and urged Ghanaian leaders to let 2014 serve as a fine opportunity to allow God to “rule in our lives”, reports Sebastian Syme.

Preaching the sermon at the church’s Impartation Night on December 31 to usher in the New Year, Archbishop Duncan-Williams said failure to recognise the “God factor” accounted for the bad state of affairs currently confronting most nations of the world.

Accra Sports Stadium

Charles Benoni Okine reports that  thousands of worshippers from all walks of life welcomed the New Year in style at a mammoth watchnight service at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Dubbed the Crossover, the service organised by the International Central Gospel Church, was led by Pastor Mensa Otabil who preached and declared the new year “A year of Order”.

Pastor Otabil asked Ghanaians to order their lives and project into the future, using a target of 20 years, adding that “once we order our lives in all we do, irrespective of our age, we shall get there by God’s grace”.

Albert Sam reports that the churches in the country were admonished not to limit their teachings and other humanitarian activities to landmark festivities such as  the Yuletide and Easter.

The Very Reverend Rosebud M. Adjaottor of the Calvary Methodist Church, Community 5, Tema, who gave the advice, said the preponderance of churches making Easter and Christmas the only periods of Christian activities must give way to a comprehensive all-year-round Christian teachings in the country. 

Perez Chapel 

Bishop Charles Agyin Asare, the Head Pastor of Perez Chapel International , said 2014 would be a year of empowerment and glory, reports  Daniel Agbenyega.

Hundreds of people received their healing at the watchnight service, held on the theme: “The Night of Prophetic Miracles: Signs and Wonders” while others surrendered their lives to Christ as the counsellors of the Church laid hands on them. 

At the Qodesh

Samuel Doe Ablordeppey reports that the Presiding Bishop of the Lighthouse Chapel International, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, declared 2014 “A year of prayer” and urged Christians to pray throughout the year.

Preaching the sermon at The Qodesh, the international headquarters of the church, he said prayer was important in entrusting one’s destiny, life and solutions into God’s hands because the world was governed by wicked men who made decisions, not necessarily based on merit, but primarily for monetary considerations.

Preaching the sermon at the Anointed One Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Sakumono, near Tema, on the theme “Keep on Moving”, the Minister in charge, Rev Emmanuel Adu Tetteh, urged members of the congregation to stay focused, writes Salome Donkor.

Basing his text on Exodus 14:15, he recalled the story of the Israelites who panicked when they had to cross the Red Sea to get to the promised land and said with God’s protection and direction, the people of God would always surmount their problems and climb higher on the social ladder.

 At the Christ Chapel branch of the Full Gospel Church International (FGCI), Anyaa in Accra, the watchnight service was held on the theme, “Building relationships to impact our world”, writes Edmund Smith-Asante.

Members prayed for a fruitful new year and danced their hearts out in praise of God for taking care of them through another year.

Basing his sermon on Matthew 6: 14, 15 and Colossians 3:10,  Pastor Dr Fred Arhin said; “Forgiveness is what God expects everyone to exhibit towards one another. Because we are one body we ought to forgive each other when we are wronged.”

Independence Square

At the Independence Square in Accra, thousands of members of the Christ Embassy gathered to receive the New Year message, reports Charles Andoh.

The service was transmitted live on various media platforms to viewers and listeners all over the world from Lagos, Nigeria, where the church is headquartered.

When finally the President of the Believers Loveworld Incorporated (also known as Christ Embassy), Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, appeared on the stage at the Loveworld Convocation Arena in Nigeria, the whole congregation rose to their feet and praised God.

Basing his message on Isaiah 60:1 and Joshuah 3 1 - 7, Rev. Oyakhilome declared 2014 as a year of greatness for members and the entire Christendom.