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- Ho and Accra - Festive divine services in Ghana
Accra. Ho and Accra were the names of the stops on Chief Apostle Richard Fehr's trip through Ghana. This was already his third visit to the West African country. During the festive divine service on 11 July 2004 he ordained 6 new apostles and 7 new bishops.
Ghana is home to more than 500,000 New Apostolic Christians spread out among 3,000 congregations. Apostle Isaac Nantwi Kankam is a pioneer of the first hour of the New Apostolic Church in Ghana. He was already ordained a deacon in 1971 and now looks back on 33 years of ministerial activity. In 1983 he received the apostle ministry—the first in Ghana. Chief Apostle Fehr admitted him into a well-deserved retirement on 11 July 2004.
The work of the New Apostolic Church in Nigeria (West Africa) began in 1973 when Peter Gfeller moved to Lagos for professional reasons. A year later he became the first rector of a small congregation in Lagos. Today there are about 350,000 brethren in faith living in Nigeria. Peter Gfeller served as a minister of the church for 30 years, 16 of them as an apostle. He too was retired by the chief apostle on Sunday, 11 July 2004.
Six apostles and seven bishops received their new ministry:
- For Ghana: Apostles - Kotei Afutu, Andrew Boakye, Benjamin Darko. Bishops - Eric Ampadu, Emmanuel Opoku Amponsah, Robert Asampong, Kwabena Kyere, Edward Nzima, George Sam.
- For Guinea: Apostle Antoine Mallano
- For Madagascar: Apostle Fally Randriakasy
- For Nigeria: Apostle Charles Johannes Ohemeng
- For Ivory Coast: Bishop Faras Beugre
The festive divine service in Accra was based on a passage from Psalm 93:5: "Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever." In reference to this passage the chief apostle said that the holiness of God's house is evident in word and grace, the sacraments, the peace of the Risen One, blessings, divine comfort, the certainty that the divine promises will be fulfilled, and above all, the endless love of God.
The pastoral and administrative work of the New Apostolic Church in Ghana is supported through the District Church of Southern Germany. See www.nak.de/sued/text/p_5.html.
14 July 2004