Anglican women brainstorm in Awka, condemn same sex marriage

Women in the Anglican Diocese of Awka rose from their annual conference and issued a communique which, among other things, condemned same sex marriage in strong terms. It said the practice, now legalized by the Supreme Court in the United states of America, was  not rooted in the Christian doctrine and was totally alien to Africa. The Church of Pentecost, Awka, Anambra State was a beehive of activities for two consecutive days, beginning from June 28 as Anglican women in Awka Diocese gathered in their numbers to fashion out a way forward not only for the Anglican Church, but also the nation at large.
Participants at the two-day conference were drawn from all the Anglican churches in Awka Diocese.
At the centre of the programme was the wife of the Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, Mrs Martha Chioma Ibezim, who read the conference address, which contained the activities of the Diocesan Women in 2014 with a view to enabling them chat a new way in the remaining part of 2015 and till another conference scheduled to hold at the same time next year.
Although it was almost entirely women affair, the Anglican Bishop of Awka Dioceses, His Lordship Bishop Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim and all the Anglican priest within the diocese were on hand all through the days of the programme as he held and conducted a special service for the women.
In his sermon at the service, Bishop Ibezim enjoined Christians, especially the women to eschew materialism and pursue the things of God vigorously at all times. He said that many Christians have been swayed from being committed to worshiping the living God and from striving for salvation of their souls to now spend all their time pursuing ephemeral  things especially material wealth.
Addressing the conference, the wife of the Bishop of Anglican Communion, Awka, Mrs Martha Ibezim explained the essence of the Anglican Women August meeting held annually in the communities.
According to her, the meeting offers the women the opportunity of identifying the local church challenges, problems or needs and mapping out strategies for solving them, encouraging and promoting active participation to all church activities among women.
Also part of what the women would benefit are identifying urgent physical projects in order to take initiative and or mobilize the men for positive action and using it as a spiritual time for spiritual nourishment through communion services, Bible studies and biblical theme talks, she said.
She, therefore, commended the women and encouraged them to continue their good works of executing developmental projects in the diocese.
Mrs Ibezim seized the opportunity to call on the government at all levels to decide for good service and governance by providing job opportunities for the jobless, decent housing accommodation for the retired civil servants, sound medical care and education for all, urging the church and its leaders to decide for deep spiritual revival and growth.
Several women who deserved special recognition were honoured at the conference while a communiqué issued at the end of the conference warned Nigerians against same sex marriage which it said attracts the wrath of God.
The conference also condemned the multiplicity of fake gods in the society and enjoined the women not to fall prey to such gods.
The conference stated that although money was important people should avoid the tendency of worshiping it.
It called on the clergy and church workers not to relent in preaching the gospel and to always seek to win souls for Christ.
The Anglican Women Conference glorified God for a peaceful transition and commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for what it described as his spirit of sportsmanship in conceding victory to save Nigeria from anarchy and turmoil.
It also facilitated with President Mohammadu Buhari for his victory at the polls and prayed that God would use him as an instrument to take the nation’s democracy to higher height.
The conference expressed appreciation for the giant strides made by the Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Ibezim and his wife Martha for the infrastructural development in the Diocese, especially the Amanwanyi in Mbaukwu which is to become a campus for St. Mary Summer Vocational Institute, which a committee has already been set up.
It called on the women to lend their support on the project and send their wards and children for training there.
Those who attended the conference with the theme “Choose ye this day the God you will serve” included Dr (Mrs) Motunrayo Funke Otumakaiya who was the guest speaker and head of Department of Family Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; Professor (Mrs) Roseline Chinwoke Ebenebe, former Head of department, Education Foundation, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and Prof (Mrs) Ifeoma Okoye, Professor of Radiology and Head of Radiation Medicine Department of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.



The sun