Change is inevitable – Rev. Dr. Quarshie

by Kofi Ayim

Akropong-Akuapem

 

The New York Theological Seminary (NYTS) held its maiden graduate convocation for ten candidates for the Doctor of Ministry Degree at Akropong Akuapem January 14, 2017. The colorful Academic Hooding ceremony was held at the Christ Presbyterian Church.

The procession of graduants and faculty led by the Rev. Dr. Eleanor J. Moody-Shep- herd, Professor of Women’s Studies and the Rev. Dr. Wanda M. Lundy, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Assistant Professor of Mission Studies (both at NYTS) was ushered in by an Ensemble of Atumpan drums of the Akropong Presbytery Gospel Band. The Talking Drums heralded the pronouncement of each graduant with unique praises as their names were called. Delivering the Invocation, the Rev. Dr. Eleanor J. Moody- Shepherd highlighted the historic nature of the occasion.

Presbyterian Church of Ghana was planted and germinated at Akropong in the mid-19th Century. In a brief welcome address, the Rev. Dr. Moses Biney, Assistant Professor of Religion and Society, enumerated challenges and the hard road traveled to a befit- ting grand finale of a historic gradua- tion ceremony.In a keynote address, the Rev. Dr. B.Y. Quarshie, Rector of the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of The- ology, Mission and Culture at Akro- pong-Akuapem entreated the new graduates to not “sit on the fence”but rather go out and share in their ac- quired Christian experiences with those that need them most. “Now that you’ve been equipped and acquired the necessary tools for Ministry, you are obliged to detect, analyze, and re- solve encountered problems in a given community,” he stressed.

Speaking under the theme, “Learning to make a Difference,” Dr. Quarshie pointed out that Christians must be in- volved in the processes that seek to impact positively on quality of life. “Change” he eexplained, “is an inevitable component of life.”  He advised the newly minted religious scholars to not be overwhelmed by the titles – in a country where unlettered people are known to disingenuously use unacquired titles – and move beyond a Minister-centered person to a Ministry of and for the people in order to serve the wider community. He remarked that there is no Ministry if there is no impact felt by the community one serves. Referring to the change of government in Ghana and its attendant transition, Dr. Quarshie decried and denounced political hooliganism by foot soldiers and lamented that indubitably some of the alleged perpetrators would identify themselves Christians.

The vigorous studies began in earnest in 2012 with tutorials and lectures by the faculty of the NYTS and local scholars. The Rev. Dr. George Opare Kwapong was adjudged the best stu- dent in the class of ten and received the Excellence In Ministry Award. Scripture reading was by the Rev. Dr. Daniel Nyante, an alumni of the NYTS and a Program/Course Advisor.

Posted by on Mar 1 2017. Filed under top stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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