Accra, Jan. 23, GNA - The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) Ghana o= n Saturday launched its 40th Anniversary celebration with a call on members= to avoid competition with other groups in the church. Mr Bernard Asante, Chairman of the CCR who launched the year-long celebration in Accra said; "Competition among ourselves and with other groups in the church creates division which undermines our witness to God= .. "God has poured his gifts upon us not because we deserve them but because they are needed for the service of others; we are to accept them with humility and use them as He directs," he said.

Mr Asante also stressed the need for a healthy balance between the charismatic and the institutional dimensions of the church to ensure that= no member usurped the duties of others. He said this would ensure that things were done in a good order and thereby give a sense of belonging to all members to enable them to develo= p their God-given talents.

"When we say the CCR is for the whole church, we mean it is for the clergy no more than it is for the laity. Ideally, it must not be dominate= d by the laity, thus preventing the clergy from exercising their proper ministry as spiritual fathers; nor must it be controlled by the clergy so=

that the laity cannot exercise their God-given gifts and charisma in the service of God and each other," he said. Mr Asante said 40 years of the CCR had been a period of challenges a= nd breakthroughs and hoped that members would renew their faith in it for th= e spiritual transformation of all.

Very Reverend Father Francis Adoboli, Vicar General of Catholic Archdiocese of Accra called on Christians to examine their lifestyles in accordance with the principles of the Bible. Father Adoboli said recent reports about the activities of some Christian leaders was despicable and did not portray the individuals as t= rue children of God.

He called on all to remain steadfast in the Lord for Him to answer their prayers. The year-long celebrations, under the theme: "Lift Jesus high," whic= h begun this month, will involve prayer train and campaigns, Joshua Project=

where the youth will be mentored to take after the older generation, yout= h conferences, National Leaders conferences, renewals for the priests and musical shows. 23 Jan. 10