Leadership of Christendom has expressed a great sense of optimism of God’s intervention in the socio-economic development of the country this year.
At various Church services on Sunday to usher in the New Year, they evoked divine blessings onto the country, and urged Christians to continue to seek the face of God.
They were upbeat that this year would be a good year despite predictions of major economic recession across the world.
At the True Vine Charismatic Church International (TVCCI) in Accra, the Senior Pastor, Reverend Tetteh Djangmah, reminded Christians that irrespective of the difficult period experienced last year, they were bound to repossess what God had destined for them.
He said with trust in God and as descendants of Abraham, we need to be strengthened in God so that we deal with obstacles that the enemy had set before us to be able to overcome them with victory.
Reverend Djangmah admonished Ghanaians that they were the anointing of God by his grace, adding that the year 2023 will be the year of increase and possession of the territories that had been lost through the many challenges confronting us Christians and as a nation and children of God.
The National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) Ghana, Very Rev. Fr Isaac Ebo Blay, advised Christians to extend helping hand to the needy and marginalised in society during and after the yuletide.
“Christ whose birth we celebrate as Christians, gave us what we have in order to share with those who don’t have. What we do not know is that the more we share, the more we get blessed,” Rev. Fr Blay said at a Christmas concert held at the St Monica Catholic Church, Fan Milk Ablekuma in Accra on Sunday.
The Christmas Concert, which is a yearly event on the church’s calendar was under the theme “And He will be called Wonderful Counselor – Isaiah 9:6.”
The rector of the St Monica Catholic Church, Very Rev. Fr Bonaventure K. K. Quaidoo, was also not left out as he gave some classical tunes from his guitar he referred to as his “wife”.
He said anytime he feels lonely, it is his guitar that gives him company such that such loneliness vanishes with a strike of the strings on the guitar.
JONATHAN DONKOR reports that after months of midnight online prayers dubbed “Alpha Hour”, members of the Grace Mountain Ministry and “Alpharians” gathered at the El- Wak Sports Stadium, Accra to seek God’s blessings for the New Year.
It was more than six hours of prayers, praises and prophetic proclamations at the service which brought together thousands of Christians from Accra and other parts of the country.
The founder of the church, Pastor Elvis Agyeman, admonished Christians to rely on God for grace to enjoy the blessings of the year irrespective of the economic challenges that would befall the world.
While thousands of worshippers prayed in churches awaiting the New Year in the Tamale metropolis in the Northern Region, others were seen on principal streets with laser lights and fireworks to celebrate the same occasion.
Most Rev. Philip Naameh, the president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Archbishop of Tamale, delivering his sermon at the OLA Cathedral Parish in Tamale, urged members to ignore everything that would deprive them of joy, but rather focus on their spiritual and physical being.
At the Glorious House of Prayers Ministry at Mamprobi in Accra, the Presiding Bishop, Rev. Dr Eric Afla Sackey, urged citizens to be forgiving and tolerant of one another to engender peace.
He said we should put away every grudge and petty squabbles and be quick to forgive our friends, families in whatever way they may have wronged us.
In his New Year Message on Sunday, Rev. Dr Afla Sackey urged Christians to turn away from their sinful ways in order to see the face of God, adding that God was ever ready to forgive regardless of the gravity of the sin committed.
