Beyond The Awka Diocese Council Of knights Retreat At Immanuel Church Enugu-Ukwu

Council of Knights and Ladies of Awka diocese of Anglican Communion organized a retreat at Immanuel’s Anglican Church, Enugu-Ukwu  Njikoka local government Area with theme 'Crucify Him' Mark 15:13. The event was on Good Friday preceding Easter.

The 3hrs service that was presided over by His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Alexander Ibezim, bishop of Awka diocese was spiritual as every man atones to the heavenly slide even if momentarily.

Bishop Ibezim urge all the members of the council of knights to take up their cross and follow Jesus and steadfast as to make heaven at the end.

 He said," every Christian celebration is all about love, I want to enjoin us all to dwell on Christ’s love and emulate him by loving our neighbors.”

"Good Friday is all about selfless sacrifice of a guiltless God who left his Throne in Heaven to identify with sinful men and went further to die for them having taught them how to love. Churches must focus on prayers and cast their hope for intervention God".

The Bishop said that Christians should always be encouraged by the humility of Jesus and his death on the cross and emulates Jesus in their activities and conduct, adding that Christians should focus on prayers and cast their hope for intervention God. The Bishop said that Christians should always be encouraged by the humility of Jesus and his death on the cross and emulates Jesus in their activities and conduct.

Some Council of Knights members , Sir Ikechukwu Abana , th public Relations Officer Paul University, Awka , Sir Felix Uzor , a lawyer and Educationist , and Sir Felix Ekulide , a super retired local government Administrator eulogized the retreat as refreshing in their zeal and commitment as soldiers of Jesus Christ , pledging to continue to defend Christianity at all times as true soldiers of Christ.

The South-East page observes that Good Friday is perhaps the most solemn date in the Christian calendar and a day set aside to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

On Good Friday, Christians are affixed to the Cross at Calvary; trying to understand and appreciate the sacrifices Christ paid for our Redemption. In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, in the Adoration of the Cross, in the chanting of psalms, in the reading of the Passion of Jesus Christ, and in observing other activities, Christians unite themselves to the
savior of mankind.

Generally, the day is observed as a day of fasting and penance in the memory of Christ. On that day, followers of Jesus Christ will solemnly remember the pains and humiliations He suffered for their sake.

For most churches, Easter is the biggest Sunday of the year. It is an occasion to celebrate the resurrection victory of Jesus Christ over Satan, sin, death, hell, and the wrath of God, while also seeing lost sheep return home and lost people become Christians.

According to the Bible, Jesus is believed to have died around 3 p.m. Jesus was crucified for the sake of humanity in 33 A.D. It was termed as the victory of good over evil. The need of sacrifice for human sins is acknowledged in most of the world’s oldest religions. It is believed that Jesus was the medium between human and God. He was God’s perfect sinless
substitute, who bore the punishment on behalf of the sinful human race.

Through his sacrifice, Jesus became the bridge between humans and God. He is believed to be the Son of God by His followers. Though most Christians celebrate the day in different forms, there are some who think it is another pagan ritual lifted by the Catholic Church, centuries ago.

On Easter message, the Anglican Bishop Awka, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim has called on Nigerians to stop bloodshed and live in unity.

Bishop Ibezim said that blood was precious to God and should therefore not be wasted, adding that he took an overview of events in Nigeria and said that “this is a time of vigilance”.

According to him, there is need for Christians in the country to maintain high level of spiritual and physical vigilance, in order to overcome the challenge of insecurity confronting the nation.

The Anglican Bishop said that although Christians would not pick their guns and start fight, they should always spiritually and physically be vigilant.

Bishop Ibezim advised the Federal Government to always shoulder the responsibility of protecting the citizenry and to pray to God for the solution to the nation’s insecurity.

He said “the Federal Government should use all the machinery apparatus at its disposal to fight insecurity in the country.

He assured Nigerians  that the power which resurrected Jesus Christ from the grave would rescue Nigeria from the activities of those who had continued to shed blood.

“The power of resurrection can do all things” he declared.

Churches, he said, must focus on prayers and cast their hope for intervention God.

The Bishop said that Christians should always be encouraged by the humility of Jesus and his death on the cross and emulate Jesus in their activities and conduct.

He extolled the Anambra State Governor and prayed that he would always guide and lead him well in order to administer Anambra State according to the will of God.