Akim Asene (E/R), May 03 GNA - The Akim Oda Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana has held a 23rd annual Synod on the theme: "the transforming power of the Bible in the life of a Christian", at Akim Asene in the Eastern Region.

Speaking at the Asene Calvary Methodist Church in the Birim Central Municipality, the Most Reverend Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church, Ghana recounted some of the achievements of the Church during his six years tenure of office which ends in September 2009, to include the completion of a modern Presiding Bishop's Manse located at East Legon in Accra. He mentioned that the residence of the President of the Conference located at No.5 Farra Avenue at Adabraka was converted into an income generating facility, because where the property was located had become fast developing commercial interest area and that from March one 2007 though March 30, 2009 the Church administration has recovered rent advance of 129,600 dollars.

The Presiding Bishop also the Vice President of All African Conference of Churches, explained; "part of the money has been invested into the old building to bring it to its present form", adding "from April one 2009 to March 30 2011 were expecting an amount of 180,000 dollars out of which an amount of 50,000 dollars has already been paid to the Methodist Church, Ghana".

The Most Rev. Dr. Aboagye-Mensah explained further that before the end of September 2009 the Church hoped to reinvest part of this money into the refurbishment of the old building (boy quarters) which will help raised the rent to about 120,000 dollars per year. He stated that the two-year Kumasi roundabout Shopping Mall project would begin sometime in September 2009, adding; "we entreat all of you to pray seasonally for these projects to be completed in good time to enable our Church to fulfill its financial obligations in the near future to help reduce the tendency of levying Members for other social amenities".

The Presiding Bishop used the occasion to express gratitude to all members and friends of the Methodist Church, Ghana for giving him the opportunity to serve the Church for the past six years, and therefore looking forwards to going back into circuit work as a Methodist minister in full Connexion".

The Right Reverend Col. Paul A. Brewu (Rtd), in-charge of the Akim Oda Diocese stressed that he will seek the guidance and direction of the Holy spirit to help rekindled the Wesleyan zeal for evangelism and mission towards significant Church growth, with the involvement of the Clergy and Laity. "Another important vision that I have for the Diocese is to strengthen the teaching ministry of the Church through the Bible classes system and also seek to expand the resource and financial base at all levels of the Church", he said.

The Diocesan Bishop pointed out that the Akim Oda diocese was endowed with evergreen forest and abundant rainfall throughout the year and as such a 13-acre land had been purchased at Aduasa for the promotion of agriculture (animal, fish and crop farming) to assist the youth in the quest for decent livelihood. He called on all societies to endeavour to improve upon the outmoded methods of raising funds to support the ministry and also to improve the financial base as to sustain the ministerial activities.

In a goodwill message to the Synod, Mr Boampong Okoffo-Boadi, Acting Municipal Chief Executive urged the Church to use the pulpit to address most of the challenges facing the youth, like armed robbery, drug peddling and its abuse, the HIV/AIDS menace, general indiscipline and other unacceptable practices. Similar messages to grace the occasion were from Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo former MP for Oda and a Minister of State, chief and queenmother of Asene, the Clergy and Laity, delegates and members of the Synod. The Akim Oda Diocese was carved from the Winneba District in 1986 with six circuits and has 10 circuits. It is the 10th among the existing Connexional 15 Dioceses.