ANGLICANS SET TO RENEW LINKS WITH CHINESE CHRISTIANS AS ARCHBISHOPS PAY MISSION EXPLORATORY VISIT

ANGLICANS SET TO RENEW LINKS WITH CHINESE CHRISTIANS AS ARCHBISHOPS PAY MISSION EXPLORATORY VISIT
CONN/0671006
INVITATION
While attending the installation of the Archbishop John Chew as the Anglican Primate of South East Asia in February 2006, Archbishop Akinola met with some Chinese Christian leaders who repeatedly invited him to visit the country. The Nigeria Primate and his South East Asia counterpart the Most Rev. John Chew decided to jointly visit the vast country in July 2006. As usual with Abp. Akinola, he went along with a serving bishop of the Church of Nigeria. This time, he was accompanied by the archbishop of Ibadan ecclesiastical province, the Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa.

OFFICIAL RECEPTION
The three Anglican archbishops began the historic visit in Beijing; the country’s capital where they were received by Bishop Michael Fu Tie Shan in the “Great Hall of the People” Bishop Fu Tie Shan is the vice president of the National Peoples Congress, the highest legislative arm of the Chinese government. They also met with Mr. Ye Xiao Wen the Director General (Minister) of the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). A national ministry in charge of religious affairs.


MEETINGS
The Nigerian archbishops went on to visit the China Catholic Theological Seminary, the China Islam Association and the Nigeria Embassy meeting with the leaders and members of the various institutions. Everywhere, the political and church leaders were all interested in partnering with the Nigerians. The recurring theme was on how we can work together to make this world a better place. Areas of possible collaboration between Nigeria and China were discussed.
Apart from Beijing, Cities and provinces visited included Jinan, Shan Dong province, Yangjing Qing Dao, Jiang Su, Nanjing, Yi Xing and Shanghai, in a very interested 10 day journey. Every where, meetings were held with Church pastors, the provincial Religious Affairs Bureaus (RAB), Christian Councils, and the Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) which is the protestant grouping in China. Experiences were shared and lessons were learnt by both the visitors and the hosts. Other leaders include Hon. Oluwole Coker, the Nigerian Ambassador, Bishop Jin Lu Xian and Rev Dr Cao Sheng-jie, the president of the China Christian Council

Bishop K.H. Ting
The retired nonagenarian Anglican Bishop K. H Ting was especially delighted to see the Anglican bishops and he praised the leadership of Most Rev. Peter Akinola and other Anglican global south primates in keeping and sharing the faith. A hero that survived China’s repression of religion many years ago, he prayed that Nigerian’s evangelical fervor will soon be impacted upon China. As emeritus President of the China Christian council and emeritus Chairman TSPM, he continues to wield enormous influence as a Chinese Christian authority.



EVANGELISM POTENTIAL
The archbishops were impressed with the size, population, and economic development of the great country. They were however challenged that the less than 3% of the population is Christian. As evangelicals, China presents to them, a very fertile ground ready for evangelism.
A visit to nearby Amity printing press in Nanjing shows that China is ready for such a gospel explosion as bibles are being churned out in their millions from this expansive printing concern. Also of interest is the ease at which different translations could be produced. More than three Nigerian languages were noticed being printed there. Nigeria is considering ordering the production of the Fulfulde bible to aid the recent Fulani mission as it reaches out to over 20 million unreached people in West Africa.

China’s Theological Seminaries also betray a readiness for such an evangelistic move. Seminaries visited included the China Catholic Theological Seminary in Beijing, Yanjing Theological Seminary, and Jing-Ling Theological Seminary. Boosting very impressive infrastructures, they stand out as models of environments conducive for the training of Christian ministers.

PLACES OF INTEREST
A visit to China without seeing the famous Great Wall is incomplete and Archbishops Akinfenwa and Akinola were not allowed to make the trip a strictly business one. The Chinese seem proud to show off their country and the did so in style taking the Nigerians to the ‘Great Wall’, the ‘Forbidden City’, Restored Churches, Museums, Factories, and Agricultural projects. It was an ‘eye- opener’ says Abp. Akinfenwa. “One cannot but appreciate the patriotism, dedication, and hard work of the people of China.” It also afforded them the opportunity to meet with the ordinary citizens, workers, and tourists with whom they freely discussed and took pictures.
While attending Sunday worship in a capacity filled church during the trip, Abp. Akinola was invited to address the congregation. The Nigerians were surprised at the end of the service as people, young and old, male and female, surrounded them after the service, requiring from them, autographs on personal bibles and hymn books.

FUTURE
The People’s Republic of China is opening up in many ways. The government should be commended for the support they give to the churches. Due to pressure of other engagements, Abp. John Chew could only be at the first part of the visit, but is expected to join the Global South delegation which is being expected back in China next year. This visit should strengthen the already established ties and seek to re-integrate the Chinese Church back into the Anglican family.
A strengthening of the now established relationship also opens up a vast field of hundreds of millions of people who can now hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Already, Abp. Akinola has hinted the Church of Nigeria of the urgent need to source for missionaries, evangelists, and funding for the great task ahead. The importance of prayers cannot be over-stressed and for the millions of people, who need to hear of the saving grace of God in Jesus the Christ, all are invited to pray for supply of the necessary resources and that the doors of opportunity will remain opened.
ENDS

New bishops elected for Uyo and Jalingo Dioceses.

New bishops elected for Uyo and Jalingo Dioceses.

CONN/0660906


25 September 2006.

Press Release

ELECTION OF BISHOPS FOR UYO AND JALINGO DIOCESES
The Episcopal Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), which was held in St’ Paul’s Cathedral, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Saturday, September, 16, 2006, elected the Venerable Isaac Orama of St’ Andrew’s Church Rumuobiokani, Port Harcourt to the vacant See of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. Also elected at the same meeting was the Rev. Canon Timothy Yahaya of St’ Luke’s Cathedral, Birnin Kebbi to the vacant See of Jalingo, Taraba State.

The position of the Bishop of Uyo became vacant with the retirement of Most Revd Emmanuel Nglass in June this year while Jalingo became vacant due to the translation of the Rt. Revd Simon Mutum in August 2006 to be bishop of the non geographic nomadic mission.

Ven. Orama 50, is the Diocesan Missioner for the diocese of Niger-Delta North while Canon Yahaya 39 is Canon-in-residence in Diocese of Kebbi’s Cathedral. The date and venue for their consecration will be announced later.

Signed

The Rev. Canon AkinTunde Popoola
Director Communication

Global South Primates’ Meeting The Anglican Communion Kigali, Rwanda September 2006 Communiqué

Kigali Communiqué, September 2006
Global South Primates’ Meeting The Anglican Communion Kigali, Rwanda September 2006 Communiqué ________________________________________
1. As Primates and Leaders of the Global South Provinces of the Anglican Communion we gathered at the Hotel des Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda, between 19th and 22nd September 2006. We were called together by the Global South Steering Committee and its chairman, Archbishop Peter J. Akinola. Twenty provinces were represented at the meeting*. We are extremely grateful for the warm welcome shown to us by the Right Honorable Bernard Makuza, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, and the hospitality provided by Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini, members of the House of Bishops of the Church of Rwanda and all of the members of the local organizing committee.
2. We have gathered in Rwanda twelve years after the genocide that tragically engulfed this nation and even its churches. During this time Rwanda was abandoned to its fate by the world. Our first action was to visit the Kigali Genocide Museum at Gisozi for a time of prayer and reflection. We were chastened by this experience and commit ourselves not to abandon the poor or the persecuted wherever they may be and in whatever circumstances. We add our voices to theirs and we say, “Never Again!”
3. As we prayed and wept at the mass grave of 250,000 helpless victims we confronted the utter depravity and inhumanity to which we are all subject outside of the transforming grace of God. We were reminded again that faith in Jesus Christ must be an active, whole-hearted faith if we are to stand against the evil and violence that threaten to consume our world. We were sobered by the reality that several of our Provinces are presently in the middle of dangerous conflicts. We commit ourselves to intercession for them.
4. We are very aware of the agonizing situation in the Sudan. We appreciate and commend the terms of the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and the South. We dare not, however, close our eyes to the devastating situation in Darfur. We are conscious of the complexities but there must be no continuation of the slaughter. We invite people from all of the Provinces of the Anglican Communion and the entire international community to stand in solidarity with the men, women and children in Darfur, Sudan.
5. We are here as a people of hope and we have been greatly encouraged as we have witnessed the reconciling power of God’s love at work as this nation of Rwanda seeks to rebuild itself. We have been pleased to hear of positive developments in the neighboring country of Burundi as they have recently completed a cease-fire agreement between their government and the Palipehutu-FNL. We are also beginning to see an end to the conflict in Northern Uganda and we note that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is approaching a historic election that offers promise for a peaceful future. All of these developments are occasions for hope for the future.
6. We have met here as a growing fellowship of Primates and leaders of churches in the Global South representing more than 70 percent of the active membership of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We build on and reaffirm the work of our previous meetings, especially our most recent gathering in Egypt in October 2005. We are mindful of the challenges that face our Communion and recommit ourselves to the abiding truth of the Holy Scriptures and the faithful proclamation of the whole Gospel for the whole world. We recommit ourselves to the vision of our beloved Communion as part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
7. We recognize that because of the ongoing conflict in the Communion many people have lost hope that we will come to any resolution in the foreseeable future. We are grateful therefore, that one sign of promise is the widespread support for the development of an Anglican Covenant. We are delighted to affirm the extraordinary progress made by the Global South task group on developing an Anglican Covenant. For the past year they have labored on this important task and we look forward to submitting the result of their labor to the rest of the Communion. We are pleased that the Archbishop of Canterbury has recognized the exemplary scholarship and leadership of Archbishop Drexel Gomez in asking him to chair the Covenant Design Group and look forward with anticipation to the crucial next steps of this historic venture. We believe that an Anglican Covenant will demonstrate to the world that it is possible to be a truly global communion where differences are not affirmed at the expense of faith and truth but within the framework of a common confession of faith and mutual accountability.
8. We have come together as Anglicans and we celebrate the gift of Anglican identity that is ours today because of the sacrifice made by those who have gone before us. We grieve that, because of the doctrinal conflict in parts of our Communion, there is now a growing number of congregations and dioceses in the USA and Canada who believe that their Anglican identity is at risk and are appealing to us so that they might remain faithful members of the Communion. As leaders of that Communion we will work together to recognize the Anglican identity of all who receive, hold and maintain the Scriptures as the Word of God written and who seek to live in godly fellowship within our historic ordering.
9. We deeply regret that, at its most recent General Convention, The Episcopal Church gave no clear embrace of the minimal recommendations of the Windsor Report. We observe that a number of the resolutions adopted by the Convention were actually contrary to the Windsor Report. We are further dismayed to note that their newly elected Presiding Bishop also holds to a position on human sexuality – not to mention other controversial views – in direct contradiction of Lambeth 1.10 and the historic teaching of the Church. The actions and decisions of the General Convention raise profound questions on the nature of Anglican identity across the entire Communion.
10. We are, however, greatly encouraged by the continued faithfulness of the Network Dioceses and all of the other congregations and communities of faithful Anglicans in North America. In addition, we commend the members of the Anglican Network in Canada for their commitment to historic, biblical faith and practice. We value their courage and consistent witness. We are also pleased by the emergence of a wider circle of ‘Windsor Dioceses’ and urge all of them to walk more closely together and deliberately work towards the unity that Christ enjoins. We are aware that a growing number of congregations are receiving oversight from dioceses in the Global South and in recent days we have received requests to provide Alternative Primatial Oversight for a number of dioceses. This is an unprecedented situation in our Communion that has not been helped by the slow response from the Panel of Reference. After a great deal of prayer and deliberation, and in order to support these faithful Anglican dioceses and parishes, we have come to agreement on the following actions:
a. We have asked the Global South Steering Committee to meet with the leadership of the dioceses requesting Alternative Primatial Oversight, in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Network and the ‘Windsor Dioceses’, to investigate their appeal in greater detail and to develop a proposal identifying the ways by which the requested Primatial oversight can be adequately provided.
b. At the next meeting of the Primates in February 2007 some of us will not be able to recognize Katharine Jefferts Schori as a Primate at the table with us. Others will be in impaired communion with her as a representative of The Episcopal Church. Since she cannot represent those dioceses and congregations who are abiding by the teaching of the Communion we propose that another bishop, chosen by these dioceses, be present at the meeting so that we might listen to their voices during our deliberations.
c. We are convinced that the time has now come to take initial steps towards the formation of what will be recognized as a separate ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion in the USA. We have asked the Global South Steering Committee to develop such a proposal in consultation with the appropriate instruments of unity of the Communion. We understand the serious implications of this determination. We believe that we would be failing in our apostolic witness if we do not make this provision for those who hold firmly to a commitment to historic Anglican faith.
11. While we are concerned about the challenges facing our Anglican structures we are also very much aware that these issues can be a distraction from the work of the Gospel. At our meeting in Kigali we invested a great deal of our time on the day-to-day challenges that confront our various Churches including poverty eradication, HIV/AIDS, peace building and church planting. We were enormously encouraged by the reports of growth and vitality in the many different settings where we live and serve. 12. We received a preliminary report from the Theological Formation and Education (TFE) Task Force. We were pleased to hear of their plans to provide opportunities for theological formation from the most basic catechism to graduate level training for new and existing Anglican leaders. We request that all Global South provinces share their existing Catechisms and other educational resources with the TFE Task Force for mutual enrichment. We were pleased by their determination to network with other theological institutions and theologians in the Global South as well as with scholars and seminaries who share a similar vision for theological education that is faithful to Scripture and tradition.
13. We were blessed by the presence of a number of Economic Officers (Advisors) from around the Communion. Their determination to find creative ways to offer means of Economic Empowerment< at various levels throughout the provinces of the Global South was an inspiration to all of us and resulted in the issuing of a separate summary statement. We note especially their proposed Ethical Economic and Financial Covenant that we adopted as Primates and commended for adoption at all levels of our Provinces. We were impressed by their vision and fully support their proposal to convene an Economic Empowerment consultation in 2007 with participation invited from every Global South Province.
14. We received ‘The Road to Lambeth,’ a draft report commissioned by the Primates of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) which they have commended to their churches for study and response. It highlights the crisis that now confronts us as we consider the future of the Lambeth Conference. We commend this report for wider reflection.
15. We were challenged by a presentation on the interface between Christianity and Islam and the complex issues that we must now confront at every level of our societies throughout the Global South. We recognized the need for a more thorough education and explored a number of ways that allow us to be faithful disciples to Jesus Christ while respecting the beliefs of others. We condemn all acts of violence in the name of any religion.
16. Throughout our time together in Kigali we have not only shared in discussions such as these we have also spent time together in table fellowship, prayer and worship. We are grateful that because of the time that we have shared our lives have been strengthened and our love for Christ, His Church and His world confirmed. Accordingly, we pray for God’s continued blessing on all members of our beloved Communion that we might all be empowered to continue in our mission to a needy and troubled world.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
* Provinces Represented:
Bangladesh**, Burundi, Central Africa, Church of South India, Congo, Indian Ocean, Jerusalem and Middle East, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines**, Rwanda, Southern Africa, South East Asia, Southern Cone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies (** Not present but represented)

THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD BETWEEN THURSDAY, 14TH AND FRIDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2006 AT ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL , DIOBU – PORT H

THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD BETWEEN THURSDAY, 14TH AND FRIDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 2006 AT ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL , DIOBU – PORT HARCOURT.


PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CHURCH


My dear People of God,

The peace of the Lord be always with you as you worship Him in the beauty of holiness and in the joy of the Holy Spirit.

In the past few days, the Standing Committee of our Church has been meeting at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu, Port Harcourt in the Diocese of Niger Delta North to consider under God, the theme WE ARE ON THE LORD’S SIDE (Exodus 32:26). This is in acknowledgement of the fact that our Church has come to that point in time when our identity can no longer be predicated on vague assumptions but rather on solid biblical convictions, and unequivocal confessions. Our Church must step out of the cobweb of twisted opinions that seek to capture both church and state as we face the challenges of greatness, fidelity and credibility on both fronts.

Our fathers, the Bishops spent a day interacting with the chief operatives in INEC (Prof. Maurice Iwu), the Police (The IG, Mr. Sunday Ehindero), NOA (Alhaji Idi Farouk) and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (Hon. Austin Opara). The purpose was to be better informed about the electoral process and the welfare of our dear nation.

We also took considerable time to reflect on the context and application of the theme. We came under the conviction that whatever we do to replace the supremacy of God, He would destroy. We also discerned afresh that the voice of the people is not always the voice of God since, as in the case of the Israelites and the golden calf, the voice of the people can actually be rebellion. The serious implication for us is that when our culture, tradition and disposition go against the Word of God, we must choose to be on the Lord’s side. The time-tested and inerrant rule of life must remain the written Word of God. To toy with these in the name of cultural accommodation or contextualization can only lead to worship of pseudo gods and the inevitable attendant confusion and disharmony, as in the case in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

There are lessons for today’s Church: As we face the real danger of sliding into syncretism, apostasy, and the inevitable divine judgment, what is needed is nothing short of the call by Moses: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” And those on the Lord’s side must not hesitate, whatever the cost, to make their position clearly known. We must resist every attempt from any quarters to be muddled or messed up with those of contrary disposition in any unholy alliance, lest like Israel we get our fingers burnt.

In all these, we as a church must press on with the mission committed to us – to make disciples of all nations. That is why we have taken steps to elect bishops for the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Nomadic Mission, and the outreach to the scattered flock of God in North America. We are still opening up more areas to direct access to the gospel message by creating more missionary dioceses. This is capital-intensive and Dioceses should therefore demonstrate greater commitment to the endowment fund project. We also encourage individuals who are endowed to support the Church in her missionary emphasis.

As part of our growing mission emphasis, we have also sought to understand better ways of understanding and evangelizing our neighbors in other faiths, particularly the Islam in the context of growing worldwide concerns. It is apparent that there is a worldwide Islamic agenda which has the political domination of every nation in view. Considering the negative consequences of this development, it is therefore imperative for Christians to be properly informed about what Islam stands for and dialogue with Muslims only when it is done on equal terms.

We remind our churches to maintain the emphasis on the war against indecent dressing, as well as indecent conduct and the attendant problems of HIV/AIDS which requires our unceasing commitment.

As we all resolve to be on the Lord’s side, may the Lord be with you.


+Peter Akinola
(Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria).
September 16, 2006

PRIMATE’S OPENING REMARKS AT THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, DIOBU, PORT HARCOURT NIGER DELTA NORTH DIOCESE

PRIMATE’S OPENING REMARKS AT THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, DIOBU, PORT HARCOURT NIGER DELTA NORTH DIOCESE, SEPTEMBER 12 – 16, 2006

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus:
We are delighted to be able to welcome you most warmly to the Garden City, Port Harcourt. We pray that our gathering together will bear much fruit leading to greater commitment to the LORD and a renewed resolve to the pursuit of the task at hand.
Appreciation
Let me quickly on your behalf offer our sincere thanks to our host, the Rt. Revd. Ignatius Kattey and the entire diocese of Niger Delta North for willingly accepting to host this meeting and for the elaborate plans they have made to make us comfortable and welcome. The Lord will reward you bountifully for this demonstration of brotherly love. We are indeed grateful.
As you all well know, I am not in the habit of eulogising people. But, please allow me to single out for special mention, recognition and appreciation our brother, friend and benefactor, the Governor of this State, Dr Peter Odili without whose pragmatic involvement and massive support, the atmosphere here would certainly have been very different. Dr Odili is one Christian leader who believes that whatever is in his possession is from God and must therefore be judiciously utilised to the honour and glory of God and the blessing of his people. This he has done consistently and most admirably.
People of God here assembled, if I were to make a list of his financial contributions to the work of our Church, it will be longer than your arm’s length. Suffice it to say that, all the Christian denominations in this state owe much of their development in the last seven years to the huge financial donations from the people’s government of Rivers state under the most humane leadership of our dear brother. Individuals: clergy, lay members and bishops alike benefit regularly in kind and in cash from the kind-hearted disposition of the governor. His listening and responsive character to the plight of the needy is now legendary.
His spread of help to the cause of Christianity is not restricted to the state. Only recently, he doled out #100m to the South- South CAN and in addition sent four vehicles to the national headquarters in Abuja. The Christian churches and dioceses in this state see him as their champion, but we also know that Dr Peter Odili has proven himself a national, caring, keenly supportive leader. We assure you, dear brother, in the name of the LORD that you will in no wise loose your reward. We are praying for you.
National Conference
Not too long after our last meeting in Ibadan, we held a very successful and well-attended National Conference with the theme “Seek ye the Welfare of the City/Nation”. Our sincere thanks go to all the dioceses who were represented by their bishops and other high-ranking officials and to our numerous special guests drawn from all walks of life in the country. We remain indebted to the chairman and all members of the organising committee for their sense of duty and dedication. We are also grateful to all those who gave financial assistance towards the cost of the conference.
The reports and recommendations of the Conference have been sent through the diocesan bishops to be reproduced and made available to every parishioner throughout the length and breadth of this country. I appeal to all to ensure that this is faithfully carried out so that the labours and resources put behind the Conference are not in vain. Furthermore, it is important that all leaders at various levels of administration to diligently follow through the recommended action plan at the provincial, diocesan and parish levels to ensure that the desired objective of transformation of our society for needed accelerated development of Church and nation is achieved.
In my keynote address to the National Conference referred to above, I had said:
“The Scripture tells us “Seek peace and prosperity of the city; pray that it should prosper because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29.7) If Nigeria does not have peace no one will be at peace. If it does not prosper nothing will filter down to any of us. Therefore, it is important to seek the peace and prosperity of this country.
Nigeria today is passing through perilous times. Our dear country seems to go from one crisis to another. There is the phenomenon of youth restiveness. The poverty situation of the country in spite of well-publicized government efforts appears to be insoluble. It seems that the lofty vision of our founding fathers has been lost in a wilderness of greed, corruption, selfishness, and insensitivity to the plight of the common man. Men like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Akanu Ibiam and Alvan Ikoku exemplified patriotism, vision, integrity and selfless service to our dear country.
Most of these men died without any legacy of a material empire to their name. In contrast our generation clearly has lost these enduring virtues. Politics today is regarded as an avenue to wealth rather than service to the nation. This probably explains the vicious methods by which people seek political office in today’s Nigeria. It has been reported of some who say “give me political office for only three months and that is enough”. The rest is left to your imagination as to what Nigerians do in political office”.
This then is the backdrop scenario in our nation today. The situation in the Church is equally ugly, as shepherds and sheep have become more intensely and deeply conformed to worldly standards. Hence the theme for this meeting “We are on the Lord’s Side”-an affirmation I hope we will wholeheartedly, unreservedly and continuously make in our Christian pilgrimage. (Church Hymnal: 595 (Exodus 32:26).
Who is on the Lord’s side?
In everyday life situations, we are confronted by circumstances that require us to make choices and decisions. In the exercise of our freedom, sometimes we make wise choices but at other times, sadly, wrong ones. Good or bad, any choice we make has implications and often carries far reaching consequences.
Moses had been on the mountain to receive instructions from God for his people who had unfortunately grown impatient. Tired of waiting for their leader and in their characteristic seditious spirit asked Aaron to:
‘make us gods which shall go before us’ (Ex 32.1)
What they asked Aaron to do was a direct violation of the first two commandments and a rejection of the covenant and therefore of YHWH. More disturbing, they found in Aaron a spineless leader, who readily acceded to their rebellious demand. Well, they’ve made their choice; they must now face the consequences.
On his return to the camp, and seeing the golden calf and the debauchery of his people Moses was absolutely furious, smashed the two tablets of Testimony in his hand, destroyed the idol, decided to separate the sheep from the goats.
He threw a challenge:
who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come to me.
In this clarion call, Moses gave the Israelites a chance to make a choice, to repent and be forgiven, or to remain in their rebellion and be damned; to be on Lord’s side and live or maintain their allegiance to idols, work of human hands and perish.
By their action, (not precepts or word of mouth) the Levites declared ‘We are on the LORD’s side’. By this declaration, they were promptly conscripted into YHWH’s army with a matching order to slay all (even closest relatives) who had elected to continue in rebellion against God and when given an opportunity for repentance, remained adamant. In the ensuing battle, 3000 were slain, (Ex 32 27-28)
The problem of syncretism, religious amalgamation and of apostasy (which as rightly interpreted by the prophets was tantamount to the rejection of their Creator, Redeemer and Covenant God) continued to be the major obstacle in the life of Israel for the actualisation of the covenant promises.
Thus from time to time the prophets called them to repentance, reminding them of YHWH’s saving acts and the fact that they had no ontological relationship to the land they now occupied-it was a gift of God in fulfilment of his gracious promise to Abraham. (cp. Joshua 24:14-16) and Elijah on mount Carmel, (1Kings 18. 21ff)
The golden calf episode has become a classic example of human ingratitude but also of man’s instability in matters of trust in the immortal, invisible God of the universe who chooses not to have any physical representation. Israel here depicts the human preoccupation with walking by sight and not by faith. It is regrettable that Israel did not see YHWH’s saving acts all through the wilderness wanderings beyond the personality of Moses.
And this immediately highlights the inherent danger of making too much of religious structures or institutions, be they places, buildings, positions or personalities. When these are accorded undue importance, the understanding and recognition of the Almighty God as the true Lord and Leader of his people is inhibited; then of course the same temptation to ingratitude and apostasy begins to rear their ugly head.
That the people could so easily and so quickly forget the numerous manifestations of divine love and power both in Egypt and on the way to Sinai baffles human imagination—but then the same is sadly true of much of our contemporary attitude towards God and his Word. We (the Church) are too quick to forget “the ancient paths” and “the Rock from which we were hewn”. In the face of the clamour for modernism and liberalism, we are quick to acquiesce and throw away our long-standing and well-tested heritage and identity in the name of cultural and political correctness.
The voice of the people is not always the voice of God, thus the need for some time-tested and universal reference points like the revealed and written Word of God. To toy with these in the name of cultural accommodation or contextualization can only lead to the worship of pseudo gods and the inevitable attendant confusion and disharmony, as is the case in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Dear friends, this saga is a great lesson for today’s Church. At such times of real danger of sliding into syncretism, apostasy and the inevitable divine judgement, what is needed is nothing short of the call by Moses: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” And those on the Lord’s side must not hesitate, whatever the cost, to make their position clearly known. They must resist every attempt from any quarters to be muddled or messed up with those of contrary disposition in any unholy alliance; lest like Israel they get their fingers burnt. God is merciful; his loving-kindness surpasses all we can fathom. But
‘today when you his voice, harden not your hearts as in
the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness’

Global Anglican Relations
Sadly, the vexed issues of human sexuality still occupy significant prominence even after the General Convention of the Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA) and the General Synod of the Church of England both of which were held recently. Canterbury is now proposing a two-tier level of relationship as the way forward for the communion in response to the recommendation of the Windsor Report’s call for some sort of ‘covenant’ to bind membership. The Episcopal Synod has already given an initial response to this proposal
“Synod is satisfied with the move by the Global South to continue with its veritable project of defending the historic faith committed to us against present onslaught from ECUSA, Canada, England and their allies. The need therefore, to redefine and/or re-determine those who are truly Anglicans becomes urgent, imperative and compelling. Synod therefore empowers the leadership of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to give assent to the Anglican Covenant”.
And at this meeting, a group is to focus on comprehensive review of all the statements and documentations prepared, and to recommend appropriate position for the Church into the future on the matter. Also, on the issue of the ‘covenant’, the Global South has taken the initiative to prepare a response. The group will also come up with our position after a thorough review.
We continue to participate in the work of the Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations through representation at the 50th Session with the status of Women and Empowerment. Our participation has been highly commended by the outgoing Anglican Observer at the United Nations – Archdeacon Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatapaloa-Matalavea. We hope to participate in the 51st Session next year focusing on “The Elimination of all forms of Discriminations and Violence against the Girl child and the Evaluation of progress made on the role of Men and Boys in achieving Gender Equality (as resolved in 2004).
Episcopal Succession
Pursuant to the implementation of the decision of the Standing Committee in February at Ibadan, with regard to the timeframe for the election of Episcopal successors to incumbent bishops and archbishops, a group will be looking at the work already done by the Committee of Reference on proposed Constitutional amendments and recommend to the Plenary what to present to the General Synod for ratification.
Niger Delta Conflict
The unwholesome and restive situation in the Niger Delta where violence, kidnapping of foreign and local nationals and other vices has become the order of the day calls for urgent action. It is incumbent upon the Church of Nigeria with six dioceses in the region to find a solution, restore calm and lasting peace. I have therefore on your behalf constituted a Committee with the Registrar as Chairman to wade into the issues, make necessary interface with all stakeholders and make appropriate recommendations. This Committee has done some work and their initial report will form the basis of the work of a group at this meeting. The group will after their review, recommend to the Standing Committee line of action our Church must take in this matter.
Nigerian Political Terrain
The Nigerian political environment is precarious and deadly. Already, high profile murder of gubernatorial aspirants have taken place in Lagos and Ekiti, whilst another candidate in Abia State was savagely assaulted, dispossessed and warned to back-down from contesting. There has also been wanton destruction of property and some deaths in Osun State. Onitsha has been on the boil in the past few months, with several deaths. It is common knowledge that politicians use the media to canvass personal interests with threats and innuendos of mayhem. The welfare of the nation and its developmental needs are relegated to the background completely. The Church has a responsibility and must seek ways of impacting very positively in the whole stretch of the political programme for 2007 elections.
In this regard, a seminar was held yesterday to sensitize all bishops to the imperatives of the programmes and the responsibility of the polity. The Chairman of INEC, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman/Chief Executive, National Orientation Agency were all here as resource persons to address us at the one-day Seminar. The idea is that the bishops will then go back to the dioceses and enlighten their parishioners through a well-co-ordinated series of events and programmes aimed at giving in-depth education of how they are to exercise their democratic right to bring about a responsible and responsive governance come 2007. A group will also at this meeting, review the situation and work done so far and recommend godly guidelines for the electorate and the political gladiators.
Corruption
Seven years ago, the President at his inaugural speech declared a fight to finish war against indiscipline and corruption. He vowed that there would be no sacred cows and it is no longer business as usual. We in the church of God are happy that the war is now truly raging. We appeal to all stakeholders to give maximum support and cooperation to the initiative. We must eradicate corruption from our national psyche. We must sanitise the polity. We have laid our hands on the plough, for God’s sake, there must be no reason to want to look back.
Mission and Evangelism
With grateful heart to God I am glad to be able to report that the bishop we sent to Congo as missionary has now fully settled down to work in the area assigned to him-Mbujimayi, within the Church of the Province of Congo. This is the beginning of a new phase of support for the Church in Africa.
We also report that the Nomadic mission you kindly approved last February in Ibadan has also fully taken off. The Bishop is in residence at the co-ordinating headquarters in Jos. We have recruited; trained and equipped 12 Evangelists with new motorcycles.
Also, last month, with the consecration of the Bishop, Rt. Revd. Martyn Minns, the much needed Episcopal oversight for our Mission Initiative in the United States of America (CANA) commenced in earnest. It is important that we all give this godly enterprise our best support. Let charity abound that God’s glory may glow as we together nurture this worthy and timely intervention for the sake of the Gospel and the historic faith once delivered to the saints.
Let me use this opportunity to thank all dioceses that responded to our clarion call for the special fund to support this and other mission work. Specifically, we offer gratitude to the Dioceses of Awka, Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Kaduna, Orlu, Enugu, On the Niger, Lagos West, Niger Delta North, Ilesa, and Umuahia, for agreeing to contribute N600, 000 per annum for three years and for promptly paying the first instalment. We welcome others who are mission-minded and so led to join these worthy compatriots by subscribing to this special mission fund.
At a special session yesterday, the Archbishops met with the CNMS Board to receive the reports and recommendations of the Primatial visitation panels on missionary initiatives. Our concern arising from the vision goals of Church is to ensure that
strong Anglican presence is established wherever there is none. And wherever we are but weak, our effort is geared towards giving the church formidable Anglican presence.
The recommendations will be shared out shortly.
Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue
We continue actively in the pursuit of making the Christian Association of Nigeria focused and result-oriented by proactively interfacing with the government and stakeholders. This has yielded handsomely, we now boast of a more harmonious, constructive and consistent engagement with attendant positive results.
The Most Revd. Josiah Idowu-Fearon led our team to the 9th World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly from February 14 – 23, 2006 at Port Alegre in Brazil, and he was elected into the Central Working Committee of the body.
It is pertinent to report that our Church played a leading role in the inauguration of the African Forum on Religion and Covenant (AFREG), which involves all Christian Heads of State across the Continent of Africa. The vision of the body is “Transparency and Accountability in Governance”. The first consultation took place from July 25-28, 2006 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, with delegation from all over the world in attendance. Our Director of Ecumenism and Interfaith is the Secretary of AFREG.
Our Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission continues to hold regular dialogue as they meet bi-annually. The last consultation held at Ilesa in the month of July, 2006.
HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME
In furtherance of the implementation of our 5 – year HIV/AIDS Strategic Policy and Plans, a debriefing of Bishops was held in June. This was sponsored by ENHANSE Projects and attended by other donor agencies. I urge us all to make the best use of this in moving forward the HIV/AIDS Initiative in our respective Dioceses.
Standing in the gap
At the global level, we are beginning to take a hard and critical look at some of the issues we have hitherto taken for granted in our Christian –Moslem relations especially as it affects the growth of the Church around the world. The UK, Europe and America we used to know as Christian centres are been gradually taken over by Islam and materialism.
I know you will be surprised to learn that some northern cities in the UK now have Moslem mayors and are already asking for the introduction of the Shari’a. London metropolitan Moslem police want to wear turban. Plans are fast afoot to build a 40,000 capacity Mosque near the Olympic Stadium in London! Both the site and timing tells the whole story. France is said to have 7 million French born-Moslems! In Belgium, you don’t drink coffee in public during Ramadan, as that’ll offend Moslems. Whichever way you look at it, Islam is determined to take over the western world. Allowing Islam to take over Europe, America and the United Kingdom will surely have a negative impact and unsavoury implications for Africa.
We have identified four broad lines of action to stem this tide
· Strong Christian political office holders
· Christians in Media
· Regular publications
· Wake up call on all Christian preachers
Initial work has already begun on this assignment both in the United States of American and the United Kingdom. Consultation with identified personalities would take place before the end of the year and during the first quarter of next year.
IBRU CENTRE PROJECT
What was meant to be a one-year project is still yet to be completed. We continue to thank the dioceses that have paid their contributions to the project and appeal to the others who are yet to pay to do so to enable us complete the outstanding work which consists of installation of fittings and fixture and external works.
Finally, beloved in Christ let us rise up at the end of this meeting determined and with greater resolve to employ all our God-given talents in the pursuit of everything that reflects His glory. This is the only way we can unequivocally demonstrate the affirmation “We are on the Lord’s Side”.
“Who is on the LORD’s side
Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers,
Other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side?
Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side?
Who for Him will go?
By thy call of mercy,
By thy grace Divine,
We are on the Lord’s side!
Saviour, we are Thine.

Fierce may be the conflict,
Strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army
None can overthrow;
Round His standard ranging,
Victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging
Makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting
By Thy grace divine
We are on the Lord’s side!
Saviour, we are Thine.

+ Peter Abuja
September 14, 2006

INEC Boss Appeals for Prayers, Invites Clergymen to volunteer as ad-hoc staff.

INEC Boss Appeals for Prayers, Invites Clergymen to volunteer as ad-hoc staff.

CONN/0590906

Port Harcourt, Sept. 13, 2006- The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu today delivered his most passionate appeal for the success of the 2007 elections appealing to Church leaders to fervently pray for the forthcoming polls.
He also asked the Church to encourage Priests to volunteer as ad-hoc staff, saying ‘there is nothing wrong in Anglican clergymen working as electoral staff’.

Prof. Iwu was speaking to delegates of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) attending the ongoing Standing Committee of the Church in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital

Making reference to the Gospel of Luke 4:18, he tasked the Church leaders to make 2007 an acceptable year of the Lord.

The INEC boss, who quoted copiously from the Bible during his presentation, said “Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovery of sight to the blind.”

“It is only you (the Bishops) not me, that can make 2007 the acceptable year of the Lord. As Christians you can lead us to join our Moslem brothers- who are also Children of the Book-, to make 2007 an acceptable year of the Lord.”

He asked Church leaders to stop ascribing blame of manipulation of election on politicians and called on Christians to train men of integrity to take over the leadership of the country.

“No politicians carries ballot boxes, no politicians carries acid, no politician carries machete. It is the ordinary Nigerian, people who come to Church everyday to worship God; they are the ones they use,” he said.”

He described as totally unacceptable a situation in the country where people of low intellect and sheer brutality have been allowed to control the reins of political power.

Iwu said religious leaders have been appointed by God to lead and liberate the people from the reins of ignorance and bondage.

He appealed to the Church leaders to encourage their followers not to allow themselves to be used as agents to derail the electoral process.

On what INEC was doing towards the 2007 polls, Iwu said some 500,000 people and more are needed to conduct the polls.

He said the electoral body resolved not to take any list from politicians during recruitment of ad-hoc staff and listed religious bodies, academia, business community, as reliable alternatives.

MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AND NATION ARISING FROM THE POLITICAL AWARENESS SEMINAR HELD FOR THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AND NATION ARISING FROM THE POLITICAL AWARENESS SEMINAR HELD FOR THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION) ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 2006, AT ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, DIOBU, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.
INTRODUCTION
The Bishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) met in a seminar on Political Awareness in the country on the 13th day of September 2006 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s Diobu, Port Harcourt in the Diocese of Niger Delta North. After a very deep prayerful exposition and exhaustive deliberation on the current political process, as well as the security demands, mobilization and laws towards a successful general elections in the country next year, issues the following statements to the Church:

1. Commendation
The House of Bishops highly commends the leadership of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) for putting in place such an educative, informative and brainstorming seminar for the house of bishops at this crucial stage of our national history and development. It also places on record, the contributions of our Resource Persons: Prof. Maurice M. Iwu, chairman Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Faruk, Director General, National Orientation Agency and Hon. Austin Opara, Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, towards the success of the seminar. The first three personalities not only attended in persons, but also made remarkable contributions that have made the Church and her leaders better informed on the ongoing electoral process in the country.

2. The Church and an Enduring Democratic Process in Nigeria
The House of Bishops strongly believes that the feeling in certain quarters that Nigerians by nature are incapable of doing things right is not only false but also unfounded. It however identifies the problem as having to do with the wrong mindset, which people have built over the years. To conduct a credible election in Nigeria come 2007 is not only possible but also feasible.

Conscious of the fact that a new political culture is germane to the emergence of the new Nigeria of our dream, the Church therefore commits itself irrevocably to partner with all relevant electoral agencies or bodies to ensure a successful general elections in Nigeria not only in 2007 but also in subsequent elections. While regretting her political aloofness and inertia, the Church believes that the need to wrest politics out from the hands of hawks and predators into those of godly and patriotic Nigerians is urgent, imperative and compelling. It (the Church) therefore commits itself to the following programmes of action:

Aggressive Electoral Education Programme
Part of the mandate of the Church is teaching. She is to teach all things necessary for the growth and development of the human society towards the path of godliness and righteousness. To this end, every Ecclesiastical Province and Diocese in the Church of Nigeria should carefully study all the relevant electoral laws and acts and endeavour to explain same to the electorate as a way of getting them well informed enough to be able to resist the manipulations of wicked politicians. Political Education is to become part and parcel of the Church’s mission and ministry.
Awareness Campaign
Every bishop is enjoined within his Diocese to identify, persuade and encourage men and women of integrity and good Christian virtues to present themselves for elective positions and/or offices. It believes that only when such people get interested and involved will our society be on the path of recovery and rectitude. It should be made clear to people that shying away from active politics is both an anti social behaviour and an ungodly act.

Mobilization and Sensitization of the Electorate
It is the duty of every bishop to mobilize, sensitize and conscientize all eligible voters to endeavour to be card carrying members of any political party of their choice. Again every true Nigerian Christians should see it as a duty to participate fully in the forthcoming revision of voters Register so as to take active part in the process that will lead to the emergence of God-fearing leaders at all levels in our country next year.

The Youth and Electoral Violence
Every diocese in the Church of Nigeria should organize an awareness seminar for the youths on the need of resisting the temptation of mortgaging their future in the hands of wicked politicians for a plate of portage. The dangers of offering themselves as political thugs for doing odd jobs should be highlighted to prevent them from being willing tools in the hands of mischief makers.

Election Monitoring Groups
The problem with the electoral process in Nigeria also include the fact that in most cases the election results do not reflect the actual voting pattern. The need therefore to protect the peoples votes becomes absolutely necessary. It shall therefore be established in every diocese, Ecclesiastical Province, and the National Church, election monitoring groups that will make available to the Church the true voting pattern so as to ensure that the results eventually declared represent the wishes of the people of this country.

Discipline of Errant Politicians
The Church shall henceforth rediscover, dust and exercise fully her instrument of discipline and use it strongly on any member of the Church, no matter how highly placed, who as a politician, engages in or encourages thuggery, and or any form of electoral violence or malpractice or whose conduct in the political arena did not befit a Christian.

The Church is eternally committed to its time-honoured prophetic ministry that declares the whole mind of God fearlessly and uncompromisingly so that the people of this nation shall know the truth that sets free. Our prayer for the nation, her leaders and people shall be intensified so that the year 2007 will indeed be to us all an acceptable year of the Lord towards a better Nigerian nation.

May God bless us all.


+Peter Akinola
(Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria).



MESSAGE TO THE NATION

INTRODUCTION
The Bishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) met in a seminar on Political Awareness in the country on the 13th day of September, 2006 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s Diobu, Port Harcourt in the Diocese of Niger Delta North. After a very deep prayerful exposition and exhaustive deliberation on the current political process, as well as the security demands, mobilization and laws towards a successful general elections in the country next year, issues the following statements:

Commendation
The House of Bishops highly commends the leadership of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) for putting in place such an educative, informative and brainstorming seminar for the house of bishops at this crucial stage of our national history and development. It also places on record, the contributions of our Resource Persons: Prof. Maurice M. Iwu, chairman Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Faruk, Director General, National Orientation Agency and Hon. Austin Opara, Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, towards the success of the seminar. The first three personalities not only attended in persons, but also made remarkable contributions that have made the Church and her leaders better informed on the ongoing electoral process in the country.

INEC and 2007 General Elections
The Church of Nigeria admires with great enthusiasm, the zeal, commitment and determination of the Independent National electoral Commission to conduct a very credible election in the country come 2007. It however notes with sadness that since independence, the electoral process in Nigeria has been characterized by massive rigging, political violence and thuggery, politics of bitterness and imposition of candidates among others. It also decries the fact that party politics has, most of the time, not been issue-based, but driven by primordial sentiments and quest for political power and public office, not as a means of bringing about development, but as vehicles of personal aggrandizement and disbursement of patronages to supporters and cronies. Synod enjoins INEC to be resolute and steadfast in its determination to make the forthcoming general elections a watershed for an enduring democratic culture in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Police and the Democratic Electoral Process
The House of Bishops underscores the crucial but central role of the Nigerian Police in ensuring the success of the democratic electoral process in this country. It is however inconsolably worried that the Nigerian Police is not only ill-equipped, but also poorly motivated for their job. That the Nigerian Police has no functional aircraft for effective surveillance and monitoring, coupled with the fact that armed robbers and social miscreants have stronger fire-power is not only a threat, but posses a real danger to the maintenance of peace, order, security and good governance in this country. It therefore calls on the Federal Government to take urgent steps at repositioning the Nigerian Police for effective discharge of their constitutional obligations by ensuring not only the provision of modern security gadgets and apparatus, but also an improved welfare package that will adequately motivate them for their very delicate job.

The Federal Government and the Success of the 2007 General Elections
The Bishops note with satisfaction that the present government of the Federation is leaving no stone unturned in an effort to engender a true democratic culture that will ensure the realization of the dreams of our founding fathers at independence. Worthy of special mention are the various legislations being put in place to ensure free and fair elections, setting of limits for election expenses by various candidates from the office of the President to Ward Councilors, and the unrelenting war against corruption in the country. It urges Mr. President and his team to remain resolute until Nigeria truly becomes the motherland of our dream.

Politics Without Bitterness
The House of Bishops reminds Nigerians that politics is about sharing of ideas. It is therefore very wrong and ungodly to allow bitterness and acrimony to rise to the level of contemplating, planning and actual assassination of perceived political opponents. It reminds our brothers and sisters in partisan politics of the truism that “whatever a man sows, that he will reap” and warns those who see politics as a do or die affair to save the successive generations of their families from the curse that goes with the shedding of innocent blood.
May God bless us all.

+Peter Akinola
(Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria).