SERMON PREACHED BY MOST REVD JUSTICE O. AKROFI
AT THE CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS AS
BISHOP OF ACCRA

September 8th, 2006

KEEP SAFE THAT WHICH HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED
 TO YOU  (I TIM. 6 : 20)

A BISHOP – A GIFT OF GRACE

Today we are celebrating and commemorating the 10th anniversary of my consecration and enthronement as the Bishop of the Diocese of Accra, the mother of all dioceses of the Anglican tradition in this corner of God’s vineyard.  It is a celebration and commemoration I do with a deep sense of God’s grace and my gratitude that God led the people of the Diocese of Accra to choose me, a non-native of Ga-Adangbe and from humble background, to be a shepherd of his flock.

IN SALUTATION OF PREDECESSORS

This occasion is also celebrating thirty years of ordination into the priesthood of the Anglican tradition.  I recall vividly Bishop, later Archbishop I.S.M. LeMaire who was God’s instrument to set me apart as his chosen priest.  That vivid picture reminds me that I have entered into a heritage to build on foundation laid by others.  So let me in humility call to mind in celebration my forbears:

Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Temple Hamlyn (1909 – 1910)
Rt. Rev. Mowbray Stephen O’Rorke (1913 – 1924)
Rt. Rev. John Orfeur Aglionby (1924 – 1951)
Rt. Rev. John Charles Sydney Daly (1951 – 1955)
Rt. Rev. Reginald Richard Roseveare (1956 – 1967)
Rt. Rev. Ishmael Samuel Mills LeMaire (1968 – 1982)
Rt. Rev. Francis William Banahene Thompson (1983 – 1996)

And last, like one born out of due time, Justice Ofei Yaw Akrofi, incumbent Bishop of the Diocese of Accra since 8th September 1996.

Sisters and brothers in God’s household, it is fitting that as I celebrate this occasion, we all should also remember my forbears whose labours have contributed to bringing us where we are today.  Blessed be God for their lives and contribution.   May we also imitate their zeal for the Lord and their labours.  We salute their memories.

MY IMMEDIATE PREDECESSOR

Of my predecessors only Bishop Francis Banahene Thompson still lives.  It is, therefore, right that however we evaluate his stewardship, we should single him and his wife Mother Anna out for special mention and salutation for  such contribution as they made.  I was privileged to be Dean during the episcopates of Archbishop LeMaire and Bishop Thompson and certainly I learnt something which must be part of my preparation and equipment for my episcopate.

CONSECRATION AND ENTHRONEMENT LIKE RESURRECTION
AND ASCENSION : MINISTRY FOR NEW ORDER

Allow me to draw attention to four ponderous words: Celebration, Commemoration, Consecration and Enthronement.  Consecration and Enthronement are two moments of the same thing, two side of the same coin.  Two sides of one event staggered in time.  This reminds me of a similar staggering of the same event in the gospel narrative – resurrection and ascension.  The lesson I draw is that my elevation to the mitre is God’s doing like God raised Jesus from the dead.  I am not the centre of the story; God, the gracious Creator has raised me into the mitre for his purpose and service.  May God enable me to hear and sense his leading in his service.

Further, God raising me into the mitre is a call to join God in creating order of life and renewal.  May my ministry and episcopate be judged by God as a genuine ministry of renewal of Church and Society.  May it enable people to ascend to the throne of Grace.

LEARNING FROM APOSTLE PAUL RE ACHIEVEMENTS

Commemorating and Celebration are as equally striking.  Celebration easily becomes banal, not taking seriously the real significance of the moment as well as movements of time and experience.  I learn from the Blessed Paul (Phil. 3: 3 – 11) not to put any trust in external ceremonies and attainments.  Nevertheless like he did, I have every reason to be proud of some successes chalked:

(a) Building on the work of my predecessor to promulgate the present Constitution of the Diocese of Accra

(b) As at 1996 there were 41 priests, 6 of whom were graduates.  We have ordained 45 priests within the 10 years, bringing the total to 86 with 36 graduates.  There were only 2 priests in the Diocesan Secretariat, but 10 now.

(c) Emphatic zeal on evangelism has led to the establishment of several new congregations.  We had 23 parishes and 18 congregations in 1996.  by the Grace of God to date we have 28 parishes, 16 out of the 18 congregations have grown to be made parishes with resident priests/priest-in-charge and we have within the period under consideration established 22 new congregations.  Only Monday, the 4th September we did the Foundation Stone laying at Akramaman.

(d) The establishment of the Lay Ministerial Training School which has turned out 721 products including Lay Pastors,  Lay Readers, Sunday School Teachers, Chalice Assistants and others for mission and ministry.

(e) The well patronized Diocesan Anointing and Healing Services held twice a year.

(f) The delineation of a Diocesan Corporate Plan which is, so to speak, the blue print and master plan guiding our work together as a Diocese.  The core areas of the Diocesan Corporate Plan have been Proclamation, Evangelism and SEP.  Under SEP, the Diocesan Health Guild in collaboration with the HALTON INTERNATIONAL EYE TEAM were able to screen about 4000 patients, provided 2,416 eye glasses, and undertook 796 surgeries, all free of charge.

(g) The establishment of the Anglican Development Company to help the Diocese finance its activities from sources other than its traditional source.  Currently the Company has undertaken 100 acre cassava farm project in collaboration with Ayensu Starch Factory under the President Special Initiative.  We hope to start harvesting in November.  The Company is also exploring a Sunflower project.

(h) The Diocesan Endowment Fund, designed to be financial backbone of the Diocese is still staking shape, even if too slowly.

(i) The Retreat and Conference Centre at Ashaley Botwe.

(j) Schools

(k) The Diocesan Music School.  Appeal from the Bishop to his friend Prof. Ellis Brobbery of U.S.A. led to the receipt of $20,000, half of which was given to the Cathedral to rehabilitate the aging Pipe Organ, helped establish the Diocesan Music School and provided table top organs for 5 small congregations.

So like Paul, though having reason to be proud of some of the  successes chalked in the Diocese under my leadership, I do not wish to stay there but am determined to move on, “for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, so that I may gain Christ and be completely united with him” (Phil. 3: 8)

COMMEMORATION MORE THAN NOSTALGIA

The other word, Commemoration is a challenge to go beyond the ceremony to reflect on the real significance of the plot and story.  The classical writer, Plutarch (AD 100) wrote: “forgetfulness transforms every occurrence into a non-occurrence”.  On the other hand, Georg Santayana also states, “a people without memory are condemned to repeat it”.  Commemoration is not nostalgia; it is more-trying to learn from experiences made. 

For that reason I propose that the celebration shall spread over the whole year to take lessons through lectures, symposia, functions that take stock of the past and explore the future.  I invite all to join in this year of reflections, especially because there is nothing like a bishop without a community of faith.

EPISCOPACY IN SERVICE OF GUARDING TRUTH OF GOSPEL

Convinced that important as the past is, we must move on I was led to the lesson taught by the author of the Pastoral Epistles.  It seems to sum up my sense of my ministry and mission, especially as a bishop : “Keep safe that which has been entrusted to you” (I Tim. 6: 20).

“What has been entrusted to you”.  Greek paratheke is a legal language/term connoting something placed in trust in another person’s keeping.  The bishopric is not mine; it is a trust.  I hold the office on trust to guard – the Christian message, the faith, the truth – a divine revelation committed to the care of the faithful with their bishop and we are bound to pass it on to others unimpaired.

THE RAGING DEBATE REGARDING GAY CONFERENCE: A MATTER OF TRUTH

It is because of this that I am obliged to say a word on the current statements regarding the Government’s decision to disallow the conference of people with different sex orientation.  The issue and the truth is not the right of freedom of association and of speech.  That we affirm.  But such freedom must be consistent with the truth of the Gospel.  Scripture which is our non-negotiable mandate and plumb-line states: “People have been given over to do filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other.  They exchange the truth about God for a lie.  Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions.  Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts.  In the same way the men give up natural sex relations with women and burn with passion with each other.  Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result they bring upon themselves like punishment they deserve for their wrong doing (Roman 1: 24, 25, 26 – 27).  This text is so clear that I need not comment on it except to say read, mark and inwardly digest it.

So while I affirm their right to free association, it has to be subjected to the higher moral law.  I charge our flock to support the step of the Government in disallowing the proposed conference and further charge Christians to desist from such practice.  Be forthcoming and vocal in your support of truth.

While on this subject I return to the point of memory and sense of history mentioned earlier.  Our African tradition frowns on this practice.  Let us keep that memory lest we fall.  Let us be faithful to the faith of our fathers and mothers.

I make this statement fully aware that mischievous people will dare to distort my words.  But necessity is laid on me as shepherd to keep the flock from harm’s way.

“To keep Safe” is not just observing specific instructions given as regards the performance of his charge.  In this context it is about the pure faith of the gospel.  Whatever else I may do as a bishop, beyond the achievements outlined earlier, my fundamental task is to keep or help others also to keep the pure faith of the gospel.  That is our mission and the mission of the Church.

My ministry is that of an apostolic delegate entrusted with the guardianship of the pure faith of the gospel.  When the occasion arises for pulling up clergy or church persons for what is unbecoming of a Christian it is because necessity is laid upon me to guard the pure faith.  On this there is no compromise.

EPISCOPACY IN SERVICE OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION

Another topical issue is peace and reconciliation.  This is part of the values of the Kingdom of God.  In this we share the task entrusted to the politicians.  I pledge myself to be in creative engagement with politicians and other religionists or other Christians to work together for the peace and reconciliation of Church and society.  Already there are divisive factors in society – ethnicity, sexism, poverty, etc.  My charge to “keep safe the trust committed to me by God” includes doing what it takes to secure the peace and reconciliation of society.  For that reason the gospel must not only be mouthed and preached, but also engage the socio-politico-economic realities of our Ghanaian context.

In this regard, I plead passionately with the press to be mindful of their power to undermine peace and reconciliation by careless and irresponsible sensational reportage.  Ghana has been through fire before and we cannot afford another such experience.

For the same reason, I urge the Government to double its steps to secure economic and financial security of each and all.  Without that there can be no peace and security.

I pledge myself so to lead my Church as to contribute our quota to securing that peace and reconciliation of society.

THE YOUTH – THE ENERGY OF CHURCH TODAY AS OF FUTURE

LET me end this address with a word about our youth and what the Lord has laid on my heart to do with them in the years ahead of me.  Even though I may not have had much interaction with them, I must let them know that I have had them on my heart, Maria and I nurturing two young boys ourselves.  The youth are the link between the adult generation and the children, a very important and crucial link.

Young people, let me tell you that the Lord needs you, the nation needs you, the Church needs you, I need you, the clergy and the laity need you. 

Therefore, I want to use the occasion of my 10th anniversary celebration to acknowledge the presence of the youth, thank them for their energy and contribution and at the same time inaugurate the Youth Mission.  The month of September is going to be used to train Leaders of Leaders, about 100 youth leaders drawn from Diocesan groups.

During the second part of my 10th anniversary celebration, that is in December there will be training of 1000 youth leaders and potential leaders leading to a mammoth youth rally on the grounds of the Cathedral on Saturday, 16th December.  We will then launch in June 2007 the ALPHA YOUTH PROGRAMME for all the youth in the Diocese.  This will be led by officials from Holy Trinity, Brompton, U.K., the source of the ALPHA Programme.

I expect these programmes to help develop the youth for their own development and so to impact on their communities.  We have by God’s grace overseas partners who have kindly accepted to work with us.  We have SOMA, USA, initiating the programme with partners from Jos, Nigeria, Uganda and next year Holy Trinity, Brompton, U.K.  May I ask the team to stand up with the local faculty.

May I ask the 100 Youth leaders, the leaders of leaders who are here to stand and to be recognized.

On this note I do inaugurate the new Vision for Youth – the Youth.