DANIEL KANU chronicles the recent regional synod of the West in the Presbyterian Church which held at the last week of June where the new moderator laid bare his agenda.
It was all sweet memories after the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN)’s 20th Regional Synod of the West, which took place between June 25 and 28.
Laying bare his agenda in the next three years he will be in charge, the newly-elected moderator, Synod of the West, Rev. Marvelous Kalu, said the “mission” remains at the top of his priorities.
Charging members to always trust God, as He never fails in His promises, Kalu promised to improve upon the laudable achievements of Odege, his predecessor.
He told TheNiche: “My commitment will be total on what I think I will do to move the church forward in this part of the country. The issue of the mission and society, the issue of building bridges of love, and this has to do with the social actions of the church in the community as a way of integrating members of the community with the church because that is one of the missions of the church.
“Mission has been the core agenda of the church right from the time of our Lord Jesus. He gave that apostolic mandate that we must preach the Gospel to where ever the earth ends. I intend to pursue the mission issue vigorously, doing all I can for the growth of mission assignment. I also intend to develop a retreat centre for the church, which is located at Ikoga, some distance away from Badagry.
“I intend to reposition the synod financially by way of establishing some money-yielding projects for the church and other ecumenical responsibilities. But it is the mission agenda first; other things will follow.”
Synod is one of the ecclesiastical events of the church. It is always a time for the Church to review, assess and evaluate her progress within the year and find ways of appraising issues and seeing how far they have gone and how they can consolidate and improve upon whatever standard that was set in the previous years.
Past moderator of the synod, Rev. Nnanna Odege, said: “The period of meeting is a season that affords the region the opportunity to chronicle battles won, territories possessed, giant strides made, but on the ambit and measure of the mission agenda.
“It is a time of withdrawal for self and corporate reflections and evaluation on the performance so far made as servants and church of the living God, and how they, as God’s field commanders, are fulfilling the Great Commission in their families, in the church and in the society, within the confines of the seven presbyteries that make up the great Synod of the West.”
Synod of the West comprises: Lagos East Presbytery, Lagos Central Presbytery and Lagos West Presbytery. It extends beyond the Lagos region to Ibadan Mission Presbytery, Edo-Delta North Presbytery, Edo-Delta South Presbytery, as well as beyond the frontiers of Nigeria to include the Cotonou-Lome Presbytery.
The venue of the conference was the impressive Lekki Parish with Rev. Uchenna Nwankpa as host. Delegates from all the parishes were significantly represented.
Although His Eminence, The Prelate and Moderator of the PCN, Prof. Emele Uka, was unavoidably absent, he was ably represented by Rev. Daniel Ukamba. Many synod key officials, Rev. Bassey Bassey (Clerk), Bro. Francis Ibiam (Treasurer), Barr. Bryan Efod (Legal Adviser) were all present, including very strong foundation elders of the church in Lekki.
The first day of the event was for arrival and registration of delegates, as well as the ratification of agenda and elections for new synod executives.
Presentation of committee reports, mostly finance and statement of accounts; the re-election of key officers namely clerk, treasurer and the legal adviser; presbyteries reports, arms reports and lay leadership training, including children evangelism, were part of the programme at the synod. But more significantly was the keynote address delivered by Barrister Chijioke Isiolu, a young man very enthusiastic in church development and one of the financiers of mission work in the Synod of the West.
Isiolu, whose keynote address was on leadership and the act of giving in the PCN, charged members to make sacrifices at all times for the work of God. According to him, all those that made painful sacrifices for the growth of the work of God always receive blessings from God.
The closing ceremony for the occasion was on the fourth day (Sunday) with prayers and exhortation during the church service for the peace, growth and blessings of God for the church and the nation at large.
It was indeed one occasion that provided time of reckoning where stewardship was presented before the entire synod for progress review. It was where the word of God was expounded refreshingly for faith building and where delegates had timeless pleasurable moments too.