Protocol
The Northern Accra Diocesan Bishop, The Right Reverend Andrew Imbeah-Baiden
The Lay Chairman of the Diocese, Bro. Dr. Senyo Adzei
The Synod Secretary, The Very Reverend John Ackom
The Diocesan Chaplain, The Very Rev’d Piesie Shadrack Asiedu-Larbi
All Reverend Ministers present,
Connexional Officers present,
Distinguished invited guests,
Patrons of Christ’s Little Band,
Representatives of the various church organisations,
Members of the media,
Delegates,
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
All protocol duly observed.
Rhetorical Opening
Before I proceed, permit me to begin with a confession of faith.
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…
If the Lord had not sustained us…
If the Lord had not guided us…
If the Lord had not preserved His Church…
We would not be gathered here today.
But by His grace, by His mercy, and by His sustaining hand, we stand here today as one fellowship in Christ.
To God alone be the glory.
Fante Opening
Yɛyɛ Kor a Yegyina!
Nyame N’adom ntsi na yɛaba ebehyia mu wɔ ha ndɛ. Yɛda Nyankopɔn ase pii wɔ no dɔ, n’adom na ne banbɔ a ɔdze akora hɛn do ma yehyia mu bio wɔ Christ’s Little Band Delegates Conference ase.
Dɛ mbrɛ Methodist dwomkyerɛwnyi no kyerɛwee no:
“Nyame dɔ so sen adwen nyina.”
(Love Divine, All Loves Excelling — MHB 431)
Ampa ara Nyame dɔ na n’adom ntsi na Christ’s Little Band etum etsim wɔ Northern Accra Diocese ha.
Yɛda Nyankopɔn ase dɛ ɔama hɛn ahoɔdzen, nyansa na ahofama dɛ yɛbɔsom no na yɛabɔ ne asɔr no ho ban.
Introduction
All glory, honour and praise be to Almighty God for His goodness, His mercy and His faithfulness.
It is by His grace that we have gathered here today for the 3rd Biennial / 4th Delegates Conference of the Northern Accra Diocese Christ’s Little Band.
By the grace of God, I was elected together with my executives on Thursday 25th July 2024 at Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon, and we were inducted into office on Sunday 28th July 2024.
This conference is particularly significant for me personally, because it is both my first and my last Delegates Conference as the Diocesan Chairman of Christ’s Little Band in the Northern Accra Diocese.
And so I stand here today with humility, gratitude and deep appreciation to God for the privilege and honour of serving the Band and the Church in this capacity.
We gather today not merely for a conference.
We gather in fellowship.
We gather in gratitude.
And we gather in renewed commitment to the work of God.
Stewardship Reflection
Before I proceed to acknowledge those who have supported this journey, permit me to reflect briefly on the stewardship entrusted to us.
Serving as Diocesan Chairman of Christ’s Little Band has been both a privilege and a sacred responsibility.
Leadership in the Church of Christ is never merely a title.
It is a calling.
It is a trust.
It is a stewardship before God and His people.
Over the past two years, it has been my honour to work alongside dedicated officers, committed executives, and faithful members across this Diocese.
Together we have sought to strengthen fellowship, nurture unity, and support the mission of the Methodist Church Ghana through the work of Christ’s Little Band.
Yet, as every servant in God’s vineyard knows, meaningful work in the Lord’s service is rarely easy, but it is always worth it.
Leadership sometimes demands sacrifice.
Leadership sometimes requires perseverance.
Leadership often calls for faith when the path ahead is not always clear.
But through every challenge…
through every season…
through every responsibility entrusted to us…
the grace of God has sustained us.
And through it all, I have come to appreciate even more deeply the words expressed in the well-known gospel song by André Crouch:
Through it all… through it all…
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Trust in God remains the anchor of every servant of Christ and the strength of every leader in His Church.
Acknowledgement
Bishop Sir, permit me to express my sincere appreciation to those who have supported this journey.
I thank the Diocesan Bishop for his fatherly leadership and guidance.
The Lay Chairman of the Diocese.
The Synod Secretary.
The Diocesan Chaplain and all ministers within the Diocese.
The Connexional Officers.
The Diocesan Patrons.
The Diocesan Executives.
And all Band leaders and members across the Diocese.
Your prayers, encouragement and support have strengthened the work of Christ’s Little Band in the Northern Accra Diocese.
Conference Theme
The theme for this conference is:
“Walking in the Word: Equipped for Every Good Work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
The Apostle Paul reminds us:
“All Scripture is God-breathed… so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
This theme speaks to the heart of the Wesleyan tradition.
As Methodists, we are people of the Word.
We are not only hearers of the Word.
We are walkers in the Word.
John Wesley reminded the Church:
“The Bible must be the foundation of all our preaching, the sum and substance of all our teaching.”
The Word forms our character.
The Word directs our conduct.
And the Word equips us for every good work.
Spiritual Reflection
As we gather here today, we are reminded of the hymn written by Charles Wesley:
“And are we yet alive,
And see each other’s face?
Glory and thanks to Jesus give
For His almighty grace.”
(Methodist Hymn Book — MHB 709)
Indeed, our gathering here today is itself testimony of God’s grace.
Scripture reminds us in Hebrews 10:24–25:
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Christian fellowship strengthens faith.
And faithful fellowship strengthens the Church.
Stewardship Highlights
During the period under review, the Band has continued to strengthen its presence through fellowship, participation in church life, and service within our societies.
Our stewardship has been reflected in several key areas: numerical strength of the Band; activities organised across societies; inaugurations and strengthening of Band structures; contributions to church projects; acts of donation and support; and commitment to lyric singing and spiritual fellowship.
These efforts reflect the dedication of officers and members across the Diocese.
The Way Forward
As members of Christ’s Little Band we must remain committed to:
strengthening our spiritual lives through prayer and the Word,
promoting unity within the Church,
supporting the mission of the Methodist Church Ghana,
and living lives that reflect the teachings of Christ.
John Wesley reminds us:
“The gospel of Christ knows no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.”
Our faith must therefore be lived out in community, compassion and service.
Let us therefore continue to walk in the Word and serve faithfully wherever God has placed us.
Conclusion
Bishop Sir, distinguished guests, delegates, brothers and sisters in Christ,
On behalf of the Diocesan Executives, I warmly welcome you all to this 3rd Biennial / 4th Delegates Conference of the Northern Accra Diocese Christ’s Little Band.
May our deliberations be wise,
our fellowship be strengthened,
and our commitment to the work of God renewed.
As we continue our journey of faith, we are reminded again of the words of John Wesley:
“Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can.”
And may the words of the great Methodist hymn continue to guide us:
“A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify.”
(Mhb 578)
The Church is strongest when its people walk in the Word, serve in love, and trust God through every season of the journey.
Thank you.
God bless Christ’s Little Band.
God bless the Northern Accra Diocese.
God bless the Methodist Church Ghana and the world at large.
God bless us all.