Kumasi, April 6, GNA - The Right Reverend Nuh Ben Abubekr, Methodist Bishop of Kumasi, has said that Ghana @50 should remind Ghanaians to forgive and reconcile with each other to ensure peace, prosperity and development of the country.

He noted, 93Let us forget the past and come together as one people with one common destiny".

Rt Rev Abubekr said this in a sermon to mark the Good Friday at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral at Adum in Kumasi. The theme for his sermon was, 93Forgiveness and Reconciliation".

He said the death of Christ should remind Ghanaians to change their attitudes and contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.

Bishop Abubekr appealed to Christians and Ghanaians as a whole to love one another and always assist the needy in society. He stressed the need for the independence of the Judiciary to enable judges to dispense cases with boldness and courageous without fear to ensure freedom and justice in the country.

Preaching at the King's Church at Suntreso in Kumasi, Reverend Edward Ray Kudjo Odame, the General Overseer, said the death of Jesus Christ had given mankind hope, forgiveness and freedom. He urged Christians to continue to accept Jesus as their personal saviour in order to escape eternal punishment or death. Rev John Kwabena Boachie, Superintendent Minister of the Old Tafo Gospel Centre Assemblies of God church, delivering the sermon, stressed the need for Ghanaians to adopt the spirit of reconciliation to ensure peace in the country.

He said the foundation of Christianity is love and appealed to Christians to always demonstrate love of God in all their activities. Rev Boachie urged Christians to be generous and kind to the needy in society at all times.

Similar services were held at the Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches to mark the Day.

Social Service Friday 11 Datelined Kumasi

In Kumasi, Rev. Dr. Kojo Osei-Wusu, Senior Pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Kumasi has urged Christians to witness to the world through their works and deeds. He urged them to reflect on their lives to see whether the death of their Saviour Jesus Christ had been of any value to them. Rev. Osei-Wusu emphasized that the crucifixion of Jesus, which was the foundation of their faith must keep their lives on check. Rev Osei-Wusu, who is also the immediate past president of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), was preaching the sermon at a joint service on Good Friday of the Kumasi Southeast Baptist Association (KUSEBYA) held at the Grace Baptist Church, Amakom, Kumasi. Also in attendance of the service were, the First Baptist at Akwatialine and Mpraeso and Nkwatia Baptist churches from the Eastern Region. He spoke on the theme: "STOP CRUCIFYING JESUS AGAIN"

Oguaa Christians commemorate crucifixion of Jesus

Cape Coast, April 6, GNA - Churches in the Cape Coast municipality were filled to capacity as Christians attended church services to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary more than 2,000 years ago.

The Orthodox churches sketched events, which led to the crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Most of the worshipers wore black and red clothing to signify the solemnity of the day and prayed for the development and growth of the church, President John Agyekum Kufuor, Ministers and Council of State members, as well as war torn countries.

In a sermon at the St Joseph Catholic Church, the Reverend Father Samuel Asantey, said the death of Jesus was significant and prayed that the day should be used for true reconciliation and forgiveness just as Christ forgave those who persecuted and crucified him. He pointed out that it was not only the boisterous crowd on Calvary, which needed God's forgiveness but everyone and stressed the need for all to take advantage of the death of Jesus to change their attitude and endeavour to grasp the real meanings of to be "forgiven" and "saved".

Fr Asantey described Good Friday as a "perfect day" for the "healing of spiritual wounds".

He urged Christians to use the day to heal their wounds and truly forgive their neighbours from their hearts and transform all their hurts, bitterness and unfaithfulness to God, into prayer. This he stressed would be the only way they would be acting as true followers of Christ.

He urged Christians to be committed to the truth and to profess their faith in Christ by upholding the Gospel and its value. At the Wesley Methodist Cathedral, the Superintendent Minister in-charge, the Very Reverend Theophilus Anderson noted that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on that fateful Friday, reconciled two bitterest enemies, Pilate and Herod and expressed the hope that former President Rawlings and President Kufuor, as Catholics would become friends.

He said apart from reconciliation, Christ's death was also designed to save and set mankind free from all kinds of bondage including sin, hatred, acrimony and discrimination.

Rev. Anderson urged Christians to use the occasion to transform their characters and attitudes as true followers of Christ to show the world that his death could really bring relief to the captive and reconciliation to enemies.