AKROPONG PRESBY CELEBRATES 175TH ANNIVERSARY (PAGE 57, NOV 15, 2010)

THE AKROPONG-Akuapem Christ Church congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has celebrated its 175th anniversary.
The ceremony, which was attended by a large number of worshippers, including the Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, and some sub-chiefs and queens of Akropong-Akuapem, was addressed by the outgoing Moderator of the PCG, Rt Revd Dr Yaw Frempong Manso.
The Rt Revd Frempong Manso expressed regret that although Christianity had permeated every community in the country, indiscipline had been the order of the day.
Quoting various biblical texts, he said hardly would a day pass without malpractices such as corruption and other negative acts like armed robbery, prostitution and disrespect for the elderly being encountered in the country.
“Ghana has lost its past glory because of indiscipline, so hardly will a day pass without hearing of armed robbery, corruption and girls soliciting for sex and it is the duty of Christians to live decent life worthy of emulation to change the trend,” Rt Revd Dr Frempong Manso stated.
Rt Revd Dr Frempong Manso said what was also worrying was the exodus of Ghanaians to foreign lands, especially the United States, Germany and France, to do all sorts of menial jobs, adding that Ghana seemed to have lost its glory and called on Christians to lead lives worthy of emulation.
The Chairperson of the Akuapem Presbytery of the PCG, Rev. Dr Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mantey, traced the history of the church in the presbytery as one associated with numerous challenges.
He said although almost all the early Basel missionaries from Europe who brought Christianity, especially Presbyterianism, to the area died from malaria, they were able to establish the church at Akropong, as well as educational institutions.
That, he said, did not only bring the people closer to God, but also contributed to the physical development of the area and asked members of the church to continue from where the early missionaries and indigenous converts left off.