Evangelism and Church Growth

A project proposal has been written for the “Training of Clergy, Catechist and Lay Leaders for redeployment and evangelization of rural areas in the Diocese”. The initial Training programme is expected to cover a two year period at a total estimated budget of US$ 114,880(GH¢ 172,000)

The aims of the project are:

1.       The establishment of Anglican Churches, Schools, Health posts and other basic social amenities to improve the life of these rural communities within the catchment area of the diocese.

2.       Evangelization of the remote, poverty stricken rural subsistence farming communities.

3.       Update the Clergy and other Lay workers with current methods of rural evangelism.

An amount of US$50,000 has been applied for from Trinity Wall Street Grants of the U.S.A and US$20,000 from U.S.P.G in the U.K. These amount would enable us to purchase Motorbikes for our Clergy and Catechists in the rural areas, Minibus complete with flood lighting, collapsible canopies and plastic chairs, PA system and Musical Instruments for organizing crusades. Part of the funds would also be appropriated as seed money to start clinics and schools in the rural areas. This project is expected to start generating revenue for the Diocese from year three after startup.

Skills Training and Empowerment of Women

This project is designed to cover a one year programme to train and empower Clergy wives and Lay women Leaders in the management of Micro Finance Loans/ Skills Training aimed at developing and empowering Christian families. A total project cost is estimated at US$90,142(GH¢135,000). The objectives of the project are:

ü  To alleviate poverty among needy Christian families

ü  To resource needy Christian women with skills and micro finance loans to undertake Micro and Small Enterprises (M.S.E’s)

ü  To empower clergy wives and lay women leaders in the management of M.S.E’s and micro financing.

The Church has over the years has been helpless in meeting the needs of our needy women folk who as a result of teenage pregnancies, single parenthood, school dropouts and marital pressures/family breakdowns are in deep poverty.

Proposals have been sent seeking for amounts of US$60,000 seed money from Trinity Wall Street, U.S.A and a training and resource credit of US$20,000 from National Board for Small Scale Industries. An amount of US$20,000 was granted by United Thank Offering (UTO) for the purchase of vehicle for the project. Loans ranging from about GH¢200 to GH¢2000 at an interest rate of 10% per annum and payable over a twelve months period depending on type of enterprises would be given out. Women would be encouraged to team up into cooperatives to attract higher capital. From the second year of inception this project would begin to generate profit for the Diocese.

Youth Development

This project will cover a period of three years, developing and expanding Christian Youth Education with the aim to making Christianity/Anglicanism more relevant to their world and integrating them in the church. The aims of the project are meant to making the church/Anglicanism more relevant to the youth by:

-          Training Sunday School Teachers and church Leaders to understand the World of the youth.

-          Developing, adopting and implementing a formal and dynamic Sunday School curricula,

-          The development of Teaching Aids, Audio Visuals, Software, Study and Workbooks, Computers, etc.

-          Mobilization and sensitization of youth at camps and rallies.

-          Integrating them into the church/Adult services via graduation events.

The youth of today perceive the church as old, backward and irrelevant in a changing world. Only a changing church will reach a changing world with the unchangeable gospel.

As a matter of fact, the church has no formal Sunday School curricula. Sunday School teachers do their own thing at the various parochial levels. The youth listens and are influenced by the media more than their parents and the church. The church has indeed failed to nurture the future leaders of our churches and the nation.

A proposal has been written seeking US$25,000 from the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (A.R.D.F) together with US$10,000 from U.S.P.G for the startup of this project. In the second year, an amount of US$30,000 would also be sourced from Trinity Walls Street Grants. These amounts would be used for the development of text books, teachers books, work books, Bible study outline for the various age groups, teaching aids and the printing and procurement of needed materials including Laptops, PC’s, Audio visuals and overhead projectors.

This project, even though non-profit making, has an inherent revenue generating factor in that the youth would be integrated gradually into the church and contribute to church finances in their adulthood.

Clinics

The primary goal of the Church is to evangelize, i.e. bringing people everywhere through the good news of Jesus Christ to the Kingdom of God. Provision of Health Care remains one of the most prolific mediums in reaching out especially in the rural deprived and poverty stricken areas in the country. Fortunately, Ghana has just introduced The National Health Insurance Service which has now made health care accessible to all. Payments to health care providers are fully assured.

The Diocese as part of its Development goals is planning to set up two (2) Health Centres in strategic areas at Sowodadzemu in the Jomoro District an area of 1,350 kilometers square with a population of 110,312, and a border town to Cote D’Ivoire; and Nyankamam near Enchi in the Western Region. The health needs of the inhabitants of the areas earmarked for the clinics are much to be desired. The people are mainly peasant farmers living in deprived areas faced with poverty. The plan is to provide twenty (20) bed health centers TO PROVIDE CLINICAL SERVICES SUCH AS:

·         Care of common serious illnesses of young children, diarrhea diseases, acute respiratory infection, measles, malaria and acute malnutrition.

·         Services to ensure pregnancy related care (pre-natal, childbirth and post-partum) care.

·         Family Planning Services

·         Tuberculosis control

·         Control of STD’s.

The estimated cost of the two (2) Clinics is as follows:

GH¢

Buildings 150,000.00

Furniture/Equipments 50,000.00

Total 200,000.00

Funding proposals have been made through Mr. Aggrey–Pyne, a parishioner with All Saints Parish, Takoradi who has recently settled home after a long stay abroad, to his friends at the Rotary Club of Liverpool, U.K., who are desirous in providing financial support for the project. In a related development, the Chiefs and people of Nyankamam have been able to acquire one of the former living quarters of Samartex Timber and Plywood Company based at Enchi to be used as a clinic. The Chiefs and elders of the village have in turn offered the premises to the Anglican Church. A request has been made to Samartex to assist with timber and plywood for the renovation and refurbishment works. Meanwhile, seed money for the construction works and the procurement of medical equipment, drugs and furniture have been provided by USPG and the Diocese through its Development fund. This is a serious revenue generating project and therefore needs all the support we can muster even from individual investors.