Sekondi, Aug. 9, GNA - The Methodist Church is to intensify its provision of educational, health infrastructure as part of its social responsibility towards communities in which it operates, the Right Reverend John Harvey-Ewusi, Methodist Bishop of the Sekondi Diocese has said.

He said the decision of the government to release mission schools to their owners was welcome, since it would enable the Church, to revive its moral and spiritual and academic training of the youth.

Bishop Harvey-Ewusi said these at a press conference at Sekondi on Tuesday to announce activities of the 170th Anniversary of the Methodist Church and the fourth Methodist Festival of History and Archives (Methofest).

The Methofest is on the theme: "170 years of Methodism in Ghana, the Heritage of the Church and the Challenges of the 21st century. The four day celebrations begins from August 11 to 14 in Sekondi and would be attended by 800 delegates of all Methodist Churches in Ghana, while delegations from Cote D'Ivoire, Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, would also attend.

Bishop Harvey-Ewusi said the celebrations were meant to remind all Methodists of the work and sacrifices of the missionaries and early indigenous Christians and to learn from them to intensify the churches evangelism programmes and win more souls for Christ.

He said the Church would use Methofest to update its records, to assist members to become conversant with historical events of the Church and improve on the living conditions of current members.

Bishop Harvey Ewusi said the Church would not abandon its educational, health, agricultural and other related social services to the respective communities and members within the various churches. He said debates, exhibitions and visits to historical sites within the Shama Ahanta East metropolis would also form part of the celebrations.