We’re once again at the time of the year when we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Typically, we would’ve attended service today in memory of His death, probably gone for a retreat tomorrow and had a joyous Easter Sunday in celebration of His resurrection. And on Monday, we’d have gone for our Emmaus Day picnic. It’s a bit unfortunate that we find ourselves in our current circumstances. But hey! Let’s look at the bright side. We have a lot of time to personally reflect on the greatest love story. I tell you; Romeo and Juliet and the Titanic have got nothing on it.
Walk with me.

We’re familiar with the story of the Father who sent His Son thousands of years ago to die for our sins. And while our redemption is a huge part of it, it doesn’t end there. You know, we’ve heard this story so many times that we have the tendency to gloss over the details of the event. Have we ever asked ourselves why He did that?
The story of Easter tells us about a Father who pines for intimacy with His children despite His intolerance for sin and the fact that His children are by default, born into sin. So, what does He do? He makes His only Son who actually bears His nature, sin, in order that all His children can become His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).
It tells us about a God who loves His creation so much that He can’t stand to see it perish in sin. So He gives His son to bear the sin of the world in order that so long as we’re willing to accept His offer we don’t have to live in sin and suffer the consequences thereof (John 3:16).

And what makes it even more beautiful is the fact that, He doesn’t expect any payment for this sacrifice. Not that His children can even afford to pay even if they wanted to. Romans 5:6-8 puts it so romantically,
“6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

And did I mention that this our Father – our God – loves you personally? Yes you! You’re the one I’m talking to. Why are you looking back?
Jesus speaks about a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine missing sheep to pursue a single missing one (Matt 18:10-14). Who does that? It doesn’t make economic sense! Every manager does what’s within his power to cut his losses. But you see, we have a Father who has formed an attachment to every one of His own that He can’t afford to part with even a single one. God doesn’t love you because you’re part of a crowd. God loves you personally.

So, there you have it. A love story tailored specifically to you.
Yeah, being at home all day may suck. But isn’t it great to know that by virtue of the very story for which we’re celebrating this weekend, in communion with the Holy Spirit, you can have your personal Easter services – right from procession to recession. This is all because thousands of years ago, a certain curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple split from top to bottom, granting all of us access to the Father (Matt 27:51, Heb 10:20). This is all because from the moment we were bought by Christ, our bodies were declared temples of the Most High (1 Cor 6:19 & 20).

This is all because He loved us.

#ServiceAllTheWay
#GoodFriday

Dear Rainbow Guilder,

Our #TerrificGuilder for the week is…….

Let’s listen to her💃💃💃💃💃

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My name is Abigail Oforiwaa Ofori affectionately called Bibie.

I’m a YPG member of the Resurrection Congregation, Accra Central District.

I’m a lady photographer and pencil artist. I have a page on social media where I advertise my work and get my clients

Talking about my talent, I will say I’ve always had the talent of drawing right from childhood. I used to draw Santa aka “Father Christmas” on blackboards anytime it was “our day”. So I picked up gradually because I loved what I did.

I grew the talent more in the Senior High School and I realized I can start making money out of it, so as soon as I entered the University, I decided to start marketing myself and helping people surprise their loved ones. I got my first paid portrait in 2015, a year after doing free portraits.😊

With photography, I developed the passion thanks to my late brother. He was a picture freak and would always ask that a picture will be taken of him anytime he wore something new. It got to a point I was teaching him how to pose right for the picture and editing with my phone. I gradually fell in love with taking pictures and in 2017, I bought my very own camera after borrowing from friends for 18months. And in that same year, I had the opportunity to shoot my very first wedding and I realized I loved telling love stories. I always enjoy shooting and I can say I’m a lifestyle and wedding photographer.

My mum motivates me a lot and I pick bits and pieces of things going on around me to inspire myself through this journey of arts.

I love seeing women in arts as it motivates me to do more and be better at what I do since it’s a male dominated field.

I would encourage the youth to put Jesus at the center of everything they do. Without him, you are nothing. Also, giving up should never be an option. Great things take time and failure is an important part of life, it is necessary to make you a better person and to make you grow. Keep going and keep the faith.

I grew up with my parents and late brother in Accra, Adabraka to be precise. I attended Christ the King International school and then continued to Mfantsiman Girls Senio High School where I studied Visual Arts and continued to the University of Ghana, Legon where I read BA Information Studies and Theatre Arts.
After my National Service, I decided to take up my arts and photography full time after a year of not getting a job, and I’m enjoying every bit of it .

“After the rain, comes the sun.” Never let the problems of today deter you from facing the opportunities of tomorrow.

I’m grateful to all my family, friends and clients for the recommendations and referrals. They have really helped grow my business

You can check out my works and follow me on instagram @penciledbyophoriwaa for pencil portraits and @bibie.k_photography for everything photography

https://instagram.com/penciledbyophoriwaa?r=nametag

https://instagram.com/bibie.k_photography?r=nametag

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Fam, join us celebrate this wonderful guilder💃👏👏👏👏

Kindly follow her on her social media platforms🙏🙏

Bibie, may God be with you as you continue to do great exploits.

ServiceAllTheWay

Hello Rainbow Guilder,

It’s been nine days of fasting and prayer already and for me, if there’s anything I have learnt during this Lent, it is discipline, or what Paul calls in Galatians 5, self control.

En route to work every morning, I pass by my favourite waakye, and bread and egg seller and the quantum of energy I exert to resist the temptation of buying cannot be measured by any scale. The bread and egg seller in particular is a difficult temptation to overcome because of how she’ll demand an explanation from me when I tell her I’m not buying bread and egg today.

But I’ve survived nine days and I believe you can too.

How did I survive, DISCIPLINE!

It is therefore no wonder that one of the derivatives of discipline is disciple.

To be a disciple of Christ, you must be disciplined and fasting is one of the ways to show a disciplined spiritual life.

So today, I want to encourage each and every guilder in the Ga Presbytery to make a sacrifice.

If you didn’t start with us on Ash Wednesday, you have 31 days ahead of you to cultivate this spiritual discipline of fasting.

And, we have five more Fridays to tickle our spiritual senses during Lent with Lenticles.

Until we come your way again on Friday, remember the keyword is DISCIPLINE.

Selah!

Lenticles2020

The Youth and Campus Ministry Coordinator, Rev. Joseph Yaw Asan-Ntow has inaugurated the Central Planning Committee and four subcommittees for the successful planning and execution of the quinquennial Presbytery Youth Gathering dubbed the Rainbow (Ga) Presbytery Guild Assembly (RAPGA).

The inauguration ceremony was held on Sunday, 1st March, 2020 at the Ga Presbytery Office, Jubilee House, Kuku Hills, Osu.

This year’s Assembly is the second edition and will he held at the same venue of the first edition which came off successfully in 2015.

The Presbytery Executive Committee will be the Central Planning Committee and will be assisted by the four subcommittees who will be in charge of Programmes and Publicity, Sponsorship and Finance, Accommodation and Security, and Food and Protocol.

Rev. Asan-Ntow, who was also the Superintendent during the maiden edition of the RAPGA, charged all the committee members to work hard to make the Assembly a success.

The #RAPGA2020 Coordinator, Bro. Peter Sewu Narh took members through their terms of reference and called for collaborations among the committees.

The Superintendent, Bro. Stanley Toddison reminded the committee members that they have been appointed to act based on strong recommendations and have gone through a careful scrutiny to be appointed and must therefore work hard to make the programme successful.

This year’s RAPGA is scheduled to take place at the Mensah Sarbah Hall of the University of Ghana from 2nd to 5th July, 2020 and the rate is GH₵ 209.00 per participant. The theme is “Becoming More Like Christ: Equipping the youth for effective leadership and church growth.”

Kindly be an ambassador of #RAPGA2020 and spread the good news.

YPG… #ServiceAllTheWay

LENTICLES… Reflections on Lent with the Superintendent… This and Every Friday in Lent

Every Ash Wednesday in my congregation, two things happen:

1. We organize our usual Tarry in the morning and then hold an evening service just like many orthodox churches.
2. Someone asks one of these three questions during the Tarry: What is the biblical underpinning of Lent? or Can we have sex during Lent? or can I taste food I’m preparing during Lent?

My minister has tailor made answers to all these questions.

Here are his answers:
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No, I’m not going to tell you the answers! I think you should join my congregation next year Ash Wednesday so you can hear that responses live🏃🏃🏃.

NOTE: Ash Wednesday in 2021 falls on 17th February…. Lol😏

But friends, to the main thrust of the first edition of #Lenticles2020, I want to ask: must we really fast for 40-Days prior to Easter? Like, is it really necessary? If you don’t fast, will you go to hell or will it reduce the efficacy of the Blood of Jesus to wash away your sins?

Well, whatever your answers to the above questions are, I want to just say three things to help us put the Lent in perspective and let me say that these things are not from any theology book.

1. You need to approach Easter with an understanding and fasting has been identified as one of the spiritual disciplines that draws us closer to God.
2. Lent is not in the Bible but it is Spiritual…
   Just like people question why we celebrate Christmas on 25th December because it is not in the Bible, there are some who don’t understand Lent merely because “it is not in the Bible.” Well, Youth and Students’ Week is also not in the Bible but from 8th – 15th March, we will be celebrating it ‘gidigidi’. So please spare us the “where is it in the Bible?”skirmishes and let’s wait on God through fasting, meditation and prayer. Shall we?
3. Don’t do this Lent like the Pharisees do…
   Please don’t kill yourself doing Lent just to please your pastor, prayer tower leader or your ‘spiritus’ friend. No!!! If it is one hour you can fast, please do it and do it such a way that your Father who is in heaven will see it and reward you abundantly. I repeat, don’t kill yourself fasting to please any man.

May we see Jesus throughout this period of Lent… Hallelujah🙏🙏🙏

MEET OUR TERRIFICGUILDER FOR THIS WEEK💪💃😍💪💃😍💪💃😍

Today on #TerrificGuilder, we had a Q&A with one of our most enterprising Guilders, Sis. Nicolette Naa Shormeh Noi.
We touched on her childhood aspirations, business, and life in general.

INTRODUCTION
Our TerrificGuilder is the Vice President of the Grace YPG, Mamobi Pigfarm in the Accra New Town District. She is an entrepreneur, teacher, choreographer, philanthropist, and a philocalist (check meaning😏)

ON ACADEMIC JOURNEY:
My academic journey hasn’t been easy at all. I’m not Soo much of a “shark”. I’m just an average student who always tried her best still with the perception ‘I can’t come and keeel myself’ I do what I can do and live the rest for God.

I attended Association International school and continued at Aburi Girls Senior High after which I studied Nutrition and Food science at the University of Ghana.

Schooling made me understand that each day was a learning journey so we learn and unlearn all the time.

Currently I’m teaching and running my own business as well.

LIFE MOTIVATION
I’ve always loved to help people through by any small means possible. I do what I love to do with passion and I don’t like stress at all.

ON BUSINESS
Shorr’s Haven (our TerrificGuilder’s banku and tilapia business) is doing well by grace and one of the reasons for it being established which is to support people is still on course.

In the near future, I will like to run my own restaurant and serve my clients with mouthwatering meals.

WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Finally, I will like to encourage us all not to forget our mandate as believers.
We have been called to spread the gospel. We must adapt to new trends to do this. It may not be easy but I believe “Our God never gave a promise that the journey would he easy” I believe His grace and mercy shall help us surmount all challenges.

Friends, let’s celebrate our sister, Nicolette Naa Shormeh Noi😍😍😍😍😍😍

ServiceAllTheWay

As part of the Ga Presbytery’s resolve to ensure that we mobilize resources for effective leadership and church growth, we have taken a very bold step to ensure some form of liquidity support at the district level, and also to ensure that districts have some fiscal space to run their activities especially with regards to promoting evangelism.

Renewals, which takes its legal basis from our constitution provides that each and every guilder renews his or her membership with his or her respective guilds at all levels (Courts), by paying an annual renewal fee through their branches and the amount remitted across all levels with every level receiving their quota. The ratio for sharing these proceeds received at the branch level has been 1:1:1:1 (for all 4 courts).

So for instance, if a branch receives GHS500.00 as renewals proceeds, each level retains GHS125.00.

In 2020 however, the Ga Presbytery has made a little change to this modus operandi and is allowing all Districts to retain all proceeds from renewals belonging to the Presbytery to aid them have some fiscal space to run their activities.

With this, we believe that some form of liquidity would be available for districts to run their programs. However in this new system, the portion of the renewals proceeds belonging to the national would be remitted to the Presbytery for onward submission to National.

What it means it that:

1. With the earlier example, the branch retains GHS125.00, the district retains GHS250.00 and the National gets its GHS125.00.No amount comes to the Presbytery.
   Even though we admit that this will have a financial toll on the Presbytery; looking at the structure of our budget and activities and programs for the year, we also think and believe that this will go a long way to help districts in their cause to propagate the gospel which can most likely positively affect the growth our dear Presbytery.

AFFILIATION

A new fee has been agreed at Council to step up the affiliation fee from GHS30.00 to GHS50.00 per district. Though we agree that the church is not a profit making venture, money is needed for a smooth run of affairs. I hope the districts will comply with this initiative.

We urge all districts to take advantage of the extra renewal monies made available in order to promote the kingdom business and also nurture great leaders for the future in the church and the world at large. I wish you all a happy new year and I pray the Lord gives us the strength to do His work in accordance to His will and purpose.

God bless the PCG
God bless YPG
God bless us All…

Signed
Ga presbytery Finance Team

It’s another Tuesday and we bring you your favourite social media segment on this portal… The #TerrificGuilder

Our terrific guilder for the week is mostly known by many as the multi-talented  lady. For those who don’t, stay glued as you meet the Jack-ress (pun-intended) of all trade, yet perfect in all. (Oh she is not like our usual Jack of all trades but master of none).

Miss Lawrencia Naa Adjeley Adjei is a level 400 BSc. Administration student, in the University of Ghana Business School,  majoring in Accounting. She is a resident of the Volta Hall and a member of the NUPS-G Technical Team, where she heads the team as the Technical Director.

“At school what I basically do is to help provide sound during any of the Union’s gatherings,” she replied when asked about the role of the Technical Director. In addition she said, “I love to learn a little about IT when I get the chance to and that triggered my decision to join the Union’s technical team.”

Lawrencia is a devout sportswoman of the University and part of its basketball, soccer, handball,crosscountry and swimming teams.

At home, she is a YPG member, seeking to join the church’s technical team. She is also a member of the 30th Tema Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade where she plays the trumpet and occasionally the turner drum.
 
(Now tell me about the Jack-ress of all trade).

After all this, Lawrencia manages to find some free time for her self where she loves to watch TV.

She also likes to learn new things and how to get certain basic things done so she doesn’t have to rely so much on anyone.

Most at times, people see technical directors as the field of men. Lawrencia told us how a being a female technical director was like.

“With all honesty, it’s quite hard and gets tiring sometimes. Everyone sees any technical person to be more like erm…a sound god or something 

It brings so much expectation from everyone and sometimes I just feel so intimidated.
Well it has its positives though. In all its quite cool. I get to learn more too.” (Oh charley, 3ya relax give the lady wai)

When asked how she balances all this extra cirricular activities with her academics, she said, “I’d say it’s just by Grace. It requires extra physical energy and I thank God through my sports I have a lot of that. I hardly get free times though. I remember about a semester ago…I had to wake up extra early to train…rush to class afterwards…go back to train in the afternoon or probably play a game during the interhalls sports competition. Since most games ended late, I had to rush back, wash down, go for our weekly meetings, setup and setdown if necessary, go back to bed, and the cycle continued all week long.
But I got quite used to the trend and was getting along just fine.

So yes, Grace, discipline, dedication and hard work  make it possible to balance them.
And some help too from our technical members especially the Assistant Director.
I’m not left alone to setup or setdown and I’m very grateful to them.”

Her little message to YPG members is that we should transfer or take the energy we exhibit in NUPS-G during school back home and we’ll see the change we want or expect.

At home we mostly leave everything to our executive to do or struggle with and that isn’t too nice.

Lawrencia worships at Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Redemption Congregation, Tema, Community 9 in the Tema North District.

Can we celebrate our sister in the comment section…

NOTE: Do you know any guilder doing extra ordinary things in any field of life? Get in touch and let’s share their success story. Send us a mail via gapypgsup@gmail.com

Today on #MondayMotivation, we ask you a simple but tough question. Yup, simple but tough.

When life knocks you off your feet
When temptations look you straight in the eye
When your world collapses in front of you
When you feel your anchor drifting away…
You can add to the list…

Who do you turn to #FIRST?????????

Like we mean first oo… not after you talk to your bestfriend or pastor.

Who is your first line of call?

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life.” John 6:68.

Do we agree with Peter that we have no other person to run to when we face troubles or we doubt that Jesus is the only one who can solve our problems???

THINK ABOUT IT; JUST THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

Have a lovely week and may Jesus be your first resort🙏😊💪👐

ServiceAllTheWay

A six-member Youth Delegation from the Ga Presbytery participated in the 1st Disciple Making Global Partners Discipleship Conference held at the Anagkazo Ministry and Bible Training Centre from Tuesday, 4th to Thursday, 6th February, 2020.

The theme for the Conference was “Go make disciples of all nations.”

The Conference was organized to equip church leaders to engage actively in what is undoubtedly the core mandate of the Church, DISCIPLESHIP.

The Maim Speaker, Rev. Dr. Jung Hyun Oh of the SaRang Church in Seoul, South Korea, revealed the discipleship keys which has opened great doors to help grow the church and also make her healthy.

Ghanaian discipleship success stories, mainly from the Legon Interdenominational Church (LIC), were shared. These hanged on Discipleship Training and Leadership Training (DT/LT) and using the Inductive Bible Study approach.

The conference also focused on how small groups can be used as effective tools for church growth.

The Youth Delegation are almost through with a roadmap for implementation which will be presented to the Chairperson of the Presbytery on Monday, 10th February, 2020 for action to be taken.

It is our prayer that this conference will bear fruits in our Presbytery and beyond.

Gird your loins for a discipleship take off…

#ServiceAllTheWay