Members of the Methodist Brigade Band have been urged to be icons of discipline in the Methodist Church and the country as a whole.

The Very Reverend Dr Isaac Nana Abekah, Director, Youth Ministries Directorate, Methodist Church, Ghana, said as the military wing of the church, discipline must be the hallmark of the brigade.

Rev. Abekah stated that brigades must always standout at any given time and must neither be seen as people with blemish nor tainted character.

He gave the advice at the opening ceremony of the Association of Methodist Brigades Ghana’s fifth Biennial J. Stanley-Owusu Connexional Band Festival at Tema.

The five days festival is on the theme: "Upholding the Spirit of Self-giving: a decade of qualitative and quantitative growth of the Brigade Band Units."

He said that the Church expected that members of the brigade would help raise Ghana’s image and performance so that the country would be a better place for every resident.

Rev. Abakah urged them to live up to the task and “affect others both in and outside of the church positively."

Rt. Rev. Thomas B. Forson, Tema Methodist Diocesan Bishop, called on the Brigade Bands to analyse their strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

He called on the leadership of the Brigade to always remind their members about the aims of the Organization to enable them to become the right people to facilitate growth.

He also reminded members to be committed to the activities of the band through perseverance, sacrifice and prayer.

Mr J. Stanley-Owusu, Managing Director, J. Stanley-Owusu Group of Companies, sponsors of the festival, advised the youth to take their studies seriously as education was the most important value they could offer themselves.