Kukurantumi (E/R), May 6, GNA -The Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Methodist Church, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Twum-Baah, has noted with concern that selfishness and greediness for material possessions was overtaking Christianity in the country.

He cited the different doctrines and interpretation of the Gospel as an arena being used by most Christian leaders to create religious divisions in the proclamation of the same Gospel. Addressing the 27th Synod of the Koforidua Diocese of the Methodist Church at Kukurantumi on Friday, Bishop Twum-Baah emphasized the need for the Church to live up to expectation in setting standards for the society to follow other than "the current trend where the church is being dragged along by the dictates of the world."

The Bishop mentioned elections for church leaders as one of the avenues that was fast breeding "politricks" in the Church to the detriment of truth and questioned the direction of the church if all worldly vices existed also in the church. Speaking on the theme: "Worship that pleases God", Bishop Twum-Baah stressed that Sunday church services alone was not the true reflection of what God wanted from humanity but rather service to humanity and society.

He said church services of prayers, offerings, Communion services, baptism, listening to sermon were all traditions that kept humans focused unto God, "but there is the need to go beyond those traditions to create impact in the society."

Bishop Twum-Baah expressed concern about the low remuneration being paid to people who worked in church institutions and charged the Church to give realistic wages to ensure that people worked to the best of their abilities "for Christianity required that people are resourced for the work entrusted into their care".

He thanked the Diocesan Council, the pastors and the congregation for their enabling support for his six-year term of office as the bishop of the diocese that had seen tremendous growth and advancement of the church in the area.

The chief of Kukurantumi and Adontenhene of Akim Abuakwa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kena Ampaw, II, noted that the meaning of Christian worship had been misconstrued for merely going to church and participating in other church activities, adding, "Christians are not affecting the lives of the society."

He said people in leadership positions at workplaces were the same people who filled the numerous churches each Sunday, "yet the acts of bribery and corruption, social vices are on the ascendancy." He charged Christians to live more upright lives than they were doing. Osabarima Kena Ampaw suggested that the Methodist Church establish a Senior Secondary School in the area to augment the numerous developmental objectives that the Church had embarked on in the area. In an address read on his behalf, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah, appealed to churches to continue to use their pulpits to explain government policies that were relevant to the development of the society to the people.

He mentioned the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Capitation Grant and matters on sanitation as important policies that needed to be explained further at any gathering to ensure the total understanding and participation of the entire citizenry. The five-day Synod is being attended by delegates from all 20 circuits within the diocese and among the agenda was the election of a new bishop for the diocese, following the end of the term of Bishop Twum-Baah.