Accra, Jan. 1, GNA – Worshippers thronged the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Christ Temple East on December 31 for the 2025 Crossover Service, ushering in the new year with thanksgiving, worship, prayer, and spiritual consecration.
Delivering the New Year Message, Pastor Mensa Otabil, Founder and General Overseer of ICGC, declared 2026 as the “Kingdom Year,” urging believers to align their lives with God’s rule, authority, and purpose.
He encouraged congregants to make God’s Kingdom central in every aspect of life—personal decisions, family, work, and relationships—assuring them that prioritizing God’s reign brings His will, provision, and order into manifestation.
The service opened with a call to thanksgiving drawn from Psalm 136:1–9, which Pastor Otabil described as a biblical pattern for expressing gratitude. Leading the congregation through the passage, he emphasized its refrain, “for His mercy endures forever,” and invited worshippers to offer heartfelt thanks for God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Expounding on the theme “God Is With Us,” Pastor Otabil reminded the congregation that God’s presence remains constant through all seasons of life—whether in joy and abundance or in times of difficulty and uncertainty.
He explained that God’s assurance is revealed in two ways: holding His people firmly in protection and leading them with wisdom and direction. Quoting Psalm 46:1, he said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” urging worshippers to enter 2026 with confidence in God’s unfailing care.
Pastor Otabil cautioned against interpreting hardship as abandonment, stressing that God often guides His people through challenges by ordering their steps and providing strategy and timely ideas rather than instant deliverance.
Drawing on the message of Christmas, he reminded worshippers that Jesus Christ, Emmanuel—God with us—is the ultimate expression of God’s nearness, assuring believers of His personal and enduring presence.
The service climaxed with intense worship, Holy Communion, and an Anointing Service, as individuals and families consecrated their lives and aspirations for the year ahead.
The 2025 Crossover Service at ICGC Christ Temple East was more than a transition into a new calendar year; it was a declaration of faith, gratitude, and confidence in God as refuge, guide, and ever-present help throughout 2026 and beyond.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade