The Church of Pentecost on Sunday 1st August 2010 held a retirement service (joint service of Mckeown & PIWC) in honour of Rev. Christian Popo Ola and family. The venue was Mckeown Worship Center and the officiating Minister was Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Bediako, (National Head). Apostle Bediako in giving the purpose of the gathering quoted from the Bible, Numbers 8, 23-26 to support the retirement service. He said that ‘’even though Pastor Popo-Ola is being retired, he will still be used in the church, only that he will not be given officiating assignments.
The word of God was given by Apostle (Rtd.) Moses Ladejo who came all the way from Ghana. It was Apostles Ladejo who ordained Pastor Popo-Ola as a pastor in 2005 here in Toronto. His topic was “ Retirement is a blessing not a curse”. He said that God rested after 6 days of creation on the 7th day. It means God was resting but He was watching over the things that he created. He also admonished Rev. Popo-Ola that even though he is out of active administrative duties, he should support the church, cells, and members with his prayers or in other words he should support the good things he did when he was in active service. Apostle Ladejo then urged the National Head Apostle Dr. Bediako to institute a pension scheme for retired pastors here in Canada. He continued that if retired pastors will find happiness as we say we love them it will depend on all of us. He again buttressed the fact it is in the Bible that there is a time when a pastor has to retire, and added that pastorship is only grace and is a perpetual work.
Cocluding that every good worker deserves his wages, Rev. Popo-Ola then responded to all the testimonies by thanking Almighty God and all who have helped him during his tenure of office. All the pastors then prayed for Rev. Popo-Ola and family. It was Rev. Popo-Ola who gave the benediction for the end of the service, and the conductors were Pastors Alex Gyamera and Joseph Fynn- Sackey.

Retirement Party

Friends of Rev. Popo-Ola then organized a special retirement party for him at the World Vision, Mississauga on Saturday 7th August, 2010. Rev. Christian Atenka Popo-Ola converted from Islam to the Christian faith in 1987 and never faltered. Actually he grew stronger in his new found faith. He established a new COP assembly in Oyo town (Nigeria) and presided as a member. He was ordained a deacon in August and elder in December 1990. Because of his evangelistic zeal, it was no wonder that he held many offices in the church and was finally ordained as a pastor in 2005 and retired as the District Pastor of PIWC, Toronto. Rev Christian Atenka Popo-Ola and his wife Mama Georgina are blessed with 4 boys Michael, Solomon, Emmanuel, and Paul.
The Ghanaian News wishes Pastor |Pope” all the best.