Tema, Jan. 31, GNA - Christians have been called upon to emulate the Muslim way of mourning the dead in order to reduce cost and rather channel such monies into productive ventures.

The Senior Pastor of Action Chapel in Tema, Reverend Samuel Boadi-Darwah offered the advice and wondered why some people, especially those in the low income group find it very difficult to make ends meet but manage to make financial contributions to hold expensive funerals. He said the time has come for Christians to emulate Muslims who use common coffin to convey dead bodies to the cemetery, simple calico to cover the dead and also perform the funeral rites modestly to prevent incurring debt.

Rev. Boadi-Darkwah was delivering the sermon during which the church presented 14 street lights worth GH¢2,000 which have already been installed at vantage points at Tema Community 9 where the church is located. The donation followed an appeal by the community leaders to the church for assistance to reduce the increasing armed robbery in the area. The Senior Pastor entreated Christians to endeavour to offer material and financial support to the underprivileged in their families and the community rather than to wait for them to die before displaying their wealth at funerals. Supporting the poor however, requires faith in God to be able to give generously and in doing so there is the need to always remember Sapphira and his wife Ananias in the Bible who kept part of their proceeds and were punished as a result.

Rev. Boadi-Darkwah called for steadfastness in the face of temptation either by the devil, neighbours or through any means, "since the Lord answers our prayers if we fall on Him unceasingly." The Church has adopted "My Year of Unusually Good Events", as the theme for 2009.