Diaspora News of Sunday, 11 May 2003

Source: NANA SIFA TWUM, LONDON

More Ghanaian SDA Churches In London

A new branch of the Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church has been organised in Streatham in the South West of London. This brings to four the number of Ghanaian SDA Churches in the city of London.

The first one organised some 12 years ago in Tottenham, north of London, with 47 members has now grown in numbers and can boast of 650 members. Out of this, came three more in Lewisham, Slough and of late Streatham. These churches have a numerical strength of nearly 1000.About 20 percent of the total membership were converted to the faith of the church while the rest were members of the church in Ghana.

There are also ten of such churches in other parts of Europe all of which are headed by Ghanaian Ministers.

Preaching the sermon at the organisation ceremony, the President of the South England Conference of the church, Pastor, Don. W. McFarlane noted with satisfaction the zeal and commitment exhibited by the Ghanaian community in London. He said Christians from Ghana and elsewhere who find themselves in the city of London and other big cities in the world have a task to perform. He said there is a task for them to help eradicate the high level of moral decadence which has resulted in serious crime wave in big cities.

Pastor McFarlane observed that the church is being organise at a time morality is at its lowest ebb and called on the members to mount a crusade to help arrest the situation. Speaking on the topic ‘not by chance but by design’, the Conference President said the organisation of the church is not by chance but what he described as the ‘real plan of God to help lead people to the truth of life’.

He reminded the members that the church is not only a social centre but a work station where something positive has to be accomplished in the preparation of people for peaceful existence and also for the Kingdom of God.

He praised the members of the Ghanaian churches for the blending of their rich culture with Bible concepts in the worship of God.

The Head Pastor of the new church, Pastor George Daddy announced that plans are afoot to encourage more people to worship with the members. He said the physical as well as spiritual welfare of the members are the paramount aims of the church.

The church has Mr. Seth Obeng as the first Elder.