PRESBY CHURCH CHOIRS UNION HOLDS 52ND CONFAB (PAGE 42, SEPT 8, 2010)

THE Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, has entreated Christians not only to be concerned with spiritual things, but also take advantage of all the opportunities created by the government to develop themselves.
She gave the advice when she addressed the 52nd annual national delegates conference of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Choirs Union at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
The five-day conference, which was on the theme: “Empowered by the Holy Spirit—The gift of singing,” was attended by 1,276 delegates and observers drawn from all the 10 regions of Ghana.
Mrs Awuni encouraged members of the choirs union of the church to take advantage of government policies such as the Youth in Agriculture programme, which could help transform their lives and those of their various branches so that they do not depend on monetary contributions of members in order to carry out their activities.
She also expressed concern about indiscipline in the country, especially among the youth, and charged the leadership of the union to lead the fight to arrest the situation.
“Let us all go back to the time-tested and much acclaimed and revered “Presbyterian discipline”, which has been abandoned for some time now,” Mrs Awuni stressed.
She commended the Presbyterian Church for its contribution towards national development.
The Deputy Regional Minister mentioned some of the projects undertaken by the church in the region as the Presbyterian Hospital and the Nurses Training College in Bawku, the Eye Clinic in Bolgatanga, the Agricultural Stations in Garu and Sandema, the community-based rehabilitation centre at Garu and the three health centres at Tongo, Garu and Woriyanga.
She said those facilities had contributed tremendously to the socio-economic development of the people in the region.
Mrs Awuni reminded the delegates of the up-coming National Population and Housing Census and the District Assembly elections and urged them to show active interest in those two events.
Mrs Awuni encouraged women in the church to take up the challenge and compete in the District Assembly elections to help change the face of politics in the country.
The Chairperson of the Northern Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev Dr Martin Bugri Nabor, who opened the conference, charged the delegates to let their songs bring transformation and help bring more people to God.
The President of the union, Dr Daniel Okae-Anti, said such gatherings provided avenue for evaluating the activities of the union and adopt strategies that would enhance the work of the church.
Outlining his vision for the union, Dr Okae-Anti challenged the leadership of the choirs at the various branches to develop novel business ideas that would generate the requisite revenue for the efficient running of the union.
He also looked forward to a situation where the union would build the capacity and the potential of individual choristers by way of unearthing their musical talents to enhance worship in the church.
Dr Okae-Anti urged members of the union to eschew apathy towards the church and choir activities and rather strive to develop their spirituality.