By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), April 03, GNA – The Wa-Bolgatanaga Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana has inducted the Very Reverend Samuel Asare-Antwako as the Superintendent Minister, Wa Circuit of the Church and urged him to dedicate his service to the growth of the circuit and the church in general.
He has been entrusted with the responsibility of exploring opportunities, potential areas of growth and expansion of the Circuit and establishing a road map towards achieving that target.
In his sermon at the induction ceremony in Wa, Rt. Rev. Isaac Justice Arhin-Yorke, the Bishop of the Wa-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Church, encouraged Very Rev. Asare-Antwako to take inspiration from the leadership qualities of Nehemiah in the Holy Bible.
Referencing biblical doctrine of Nehemiah’s leadership in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he said it provided “a powerful model for sustainable development” by exhibiting his ability to inspire, mobilise and lead a community towards a shared goal, fostering resilience and stability.
He urged the new Superintendent Minister to ensure effective communication with the people he led in order to secure their support for his vision for the Church including its expansion.
The bishop also encouraged him to seek wise counsel, set “realistic and attainable goals” and engage his people on those goals for them to take ownership of the goals and support their fruition.
He indicated that the Wa Circuit of the Church, for instance, needed to open branches in areas such as Mangu, Vieri, Kpaglahi, Boro and Konta among others, which Very Rev. Asare-Antwako needed to assess their feasibility.
Considering the herculean task ahead, the Rt. Rev. Arhin-Yorke emphasised the need for Very Rev. Asare-Antwako to identify and develop the talents and skills of the people he led and to delegate responsibilities when necessary to ensure seamless progress of the Circuit.
“A scan through the environment shows that those who availed themselves didn’t commercialise their talents, rather, they placed them at Nehemiah’s disposal for the work to go on.
Today, some of us, don’t easily avail our gifts and talents for God to access. However, there are quite a number of you who excel when it comes to offering your talents for the service of God,” he said.
The Rt. Rev. Arhin-Yorke also encouraged the newly inducted Superintendent Minister to accept criticism in his new role and be prepared to meet opposition in the course of his work.
“Nehemiah demonstrated the importance of determining the obstacles to achieving goals, determining strategies to mitigate them.
It calls for bravery to develop strategies to counter any threats that will come against us, and of course with prayer and reliance on God, you are bound to succeed,” he explained.
GNA
CAE/BM