Accra, April 30, GNA - The Presbyterian Church of Ghana on Monday opened its maiden May School of Church Management for its reverend ministers to teach them managerial skills in the performance of their church duties. The school to be organized every year for reverend ministers and lay agents of the church would also offer them the opportunity to learn the arts and science of management in order to improve their managerial and administrative capacities.

About 120 reverend ministers across the country are expected to attend the three-week school.

The Reverend Herbert Anim Opong, Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church, said the competition and dynamics of today's environment called on the ministers to equip themselves with relevant skills that would enhance their ministry.

"If you do not upgrade your skills, you become irrelevant," he said.

Rev. Opong thanked the planners of the School and urged the participants to take the courses seriously by applying what they learn to their daily activities.

The Reverend Erasmus Odonkor, Coordinator of the School, said Management of God's business with skills and prudence required that such Ministers were supported through a systematic arrangement to develop in them necessary skills and knowledge for the task of managing their constituencies.

He said the school, which would be opened to other ministers later, was being organized on three different modules and each minister was expected to undergo all the three modules for a certificate. Rev. Odonkor said prospective participants would be required to fill forms to reach the school by 31st March every year where selected candidates would be invited to participate in the course. He said a Minister applying for the school should not be more than sixty years and should be an ordained Minister of the church. Rev Odonkor said funds would be sourced through the General Assembly of the church, contributions by participants and other donor agencies.

Mr Daniel Obeng, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said the idea of the School of Church Management was conceived by the Administrative arm of the Church between 2003 and 2005 as a way of equipping Ministers of the gospel with adequate skill and knowledge. He said the Church intended to institutionalize the programme as an in-house mechanism of enhancing the skills of Ministers and asked the Ministers to take advantage of the school to be effective managers of God's Kingdom.