LUTHERAN CHURCH ORDAINS 16 (p.55) 11-08-08

Story: Kofi Yeboah
SIXTEEN new pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) have been ordained at a special service held at the St Paul’s Lutheran Church at Kanda in Accra.
The pastors graduated last year after undergoing four years of pastoral training at the Lutheran Seminary.
The President of the ELCG, Rt Rev Dr Paul Kofi Fynn, who performed the ordination ceremony, said the new pastors had been called into the ministry, as Jesus Christ commissioned his disciples to go into the world and preach the gospel to all people.
He said the ministry of God was precious and unique and, therefore, reminded the pastors of their enormous responsibility never to neglect this aspect of the ministry.
Rt Rev Dr Fynn cautioned them against using the ministry to pray for people to acquire visas and other material things.
“You are not God. You are only a servant and you cannot command someone to do this and your wish will be done”, he advised, urging them to rather take an interest in the sick, aged, children and poor in society.
Rt Rev Dr Fynn encouraged the pastors to brace themselves up for the challenges ahead, assuring them of divine strength to carry out their responsibilities.
He further advised them to keep studying the word of God, be abreast of current issues and pray constantly in order to enhance their performance.
Preaching the sermon, the Rev Dr George Black of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, USA, charged the new pastors to give a sense of urgency to the message of the gospel just as Jesus Christ presented it when he said that “the Kingdom of God is at hand”.
He urged them to endeavour to share the good news of the gospel in every part of the country.
The new pastors include Alexander K. Avor, Cletus M. Alale, Dr Ebenezer Boafo, Emmanuel K. Senyo, Hubertson A. Donkoh, Isaac Gajah, Isaac Koomson and John Andoh.
The rest are John Krah, John Lipaak, Joseph Bijakim, Lazarus Yajim, Matthew Adjei, Mark Perimaak Yejanaak, Samuel S. Sutika and Tito Mboleb Emmanuel.