“I am humbled to assume this high servant position…” Rt. Rev. Dr. A. N. Opare Kwakye
MODERIATIAL HANDING-OVER CEREMONY
“My door will always be open for prayer, counsel, and discuss… I declare that I accept to become the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana because I am firmly assured that the Lord is with me.” Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, made this declaration during the moderatorial handing-over ceremony of the PCG.
Background
The Rev. Dr. Godwin Nii Noi Odonkor welcomed the congregants by quoting from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s classic poem, “The old order changeth yielding place to new,” and indicated that the meeting is to fulfill a constitutional duty of the Church, PCG. Quoting from the PCG constitution, Article 27 (a), he indicated that the ceremony is for the official change of the baton from the 18th Moderator, the Very Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, to the 19th Moderator, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye. He declared his sure hope of prayer and support for a successful tenure.
Handover
The Very Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante indicated that he handed over some documents including; Handing-Over Notes, the Statute of Presbyterian University, Ghana which makes the Moderator the Chancellor of the University, the Constitution of the Christian Council of Ghana which Makes the Moderator an Executive Member of the Christian Council of Ghana, and a Chronicle of his work as a Moderator for the 5-year term.
Symbolically, the immediate past Moderator and the Moderator took turns signing the official handover documents.
Moderator Address
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, addressed the Church and the entire nation on his assumption of the Moderatorship.
It is the Lord’s doing, and it is right in our sight. He explained that it is very humbling to take over from a strong leader Rev. Prof. J. O. Y. Mante who was his lecturer at the Seminary and appreciated him.
He indicated that the Clerk of GA has been his senior brother in and around Osu. He promised to work with him and allow him to be the Clerk within the confines of the PCG constitution. To the entire head office staff, he indicated his willingness to work closely with everyone. He called on all to work hard to make the Church House what it has to be.
Reading from 1 Cor. 15:10, the Moderator indicated his strong willingness to work hard for the church. He believes that his all-round stations and experiences have prepared him for this all-important ministry.
Recalling the tall list of Moderators of the GA of the PCG, he indicated his humility for the work. The Moderator invites all manner of persons to come on board as he leads the Church. He declared his willingness to serve the Church by quoting from Charles Dicken’s book, David Copafield, “Barkis is willin.”
Seating
The Past Principal Officers of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana accompanied the Moderator to his office to symbolically entool him. This holds a deep meaning for the office, giving him the full authority and assurance of the Church’s support to make his term a glorious one unto the Lord.
Rev. E. Ahenkan Owusu
(Head, Public Relations Unit)
