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Diasporia News of Friday, 25 April 2014

Source: Karen Ama Owubaa Essiful-Ansah

Ghana methodists celebrate easter in Winder, Georgia

CHRIST the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing ye heavens, and earth, reply; Alleluia!

With this evergreen hymn by the Reverend Charles Wesley, the Christian community of Christ the King Ghana Methodist Church, Bethlehem, Georgia with her sister church, Ghana Ebenezer Methodist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina started their Easter Sunday service that they preferred to call Resurrection Sunday with joy and spirit making it evident that the three sad days of Good Friday were over.
When the Liturgist, Brother Joseph Essiful-Ansah shouted the greeting for the day, CHRIST ASOR (CHRIST IS RISEN), the response was rapturous and electrifying: W’ ASOR AMPA (HE IS RISEN INDEED)

Preaching the Sermon at the new worship place of the host church on the theme: “Living the Resurrection Life”, Evangelist David Smith, in tears was full of praise for the congregation for being alive for the Lord. “My brothers and sisters in Christ, I am happy to be part of this service because this church is a testimony that Jesus is alive and I am returning to my family and people to proclaim the good news.”
Evangelist David Smith referred to Saint John’s Gospel chapter 11 on Lazarus raised by the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and on account of him many Jews following the Lord, and exhorted the congregation to demonstrate ‘we are alive in the Lord to bring many to Christ.’
To end the day’s service the congregation with sacred songs of adoration processed along North Broad Street of Winder to proclaim that ‘Jesus Asor Ampa, Aweomfo Dzi Ho Dase” (Jesus Is Risen indeed, the guards are witnesses). The Easter offering was a competition between the Sunday born Group led by the organist, Bro. Anthony Kwesi Eiwuley-Morkeh and the Wednesday born led by Sister Esther Ewurakua Vaughn-Siame. The Sunday borns were the eventual winners. Sister Rosemond Asidem and Brother Kwame Asamoah were crowned the best dancers for the day.
Sister Doris Gyamfi, the Society Steward for Ghana Ebenezer Methodist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina in an interview for this report appealed to all Ghana Methodists who are finding their way out of the church to stay and help build the church because the Spirit of God is pouring afresh in the church. ‘Just come and see, because something good can come out of Nazareth’, she added.
Karen Essiful-Ansah reporting from Bethlehem, Georgia