Church under siege – Bishop warns, condemns love of money by Churches

Church under siege – Bishop warns, condemns love of money by Churches

The Anglican Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Cyril C. Okorocha, PhD has counseled the clergy, parents, teachers and Christians to “remember that nothing is worth our while except those that have eternal values”.

Espousing the theme of 2016 Owerri Diocesan Synod – “Building in time for eternity”, the bishop noted that the things people toil for “are passing away” and that “only Jesus will persist”.

He posited that today’s Church is under siege like the world itself, attributing it to excessive love of money by the churches.

The prelate submitted, “our mission and evangelism outreaches are no longer measured in terms of new souls won for God’s Kingdom but by how much money we have raised or failed to raise”.

Bishop Okorocha then lamented that “our normal services and worship sessions no longer major on sound biblical expositions and profound prophetic sermons to convert the sinner and edify the saints”.

The bishop equally identified what he called ideological enslavement through economic enslavement as some of the tactics the enemy employs to “tighten the nozzle of the economic suffering on the neck of the people of God in the hope that they will, out of fear, greed or weakness begin to pleads for relief”.

He treated such sub-heads as “social and political doormatism”, “some axiomatic assertions and observations”, “when to say no publicly” among others as he assured that “God and God’s glory alone is the only thing eternal”.

The Bishop of Owerri then exhorted Christians to “keep yourself pure and God will use you in time for eternity”.

(c) Christian Voice Newspaper

His Timetable: A must read.

His Timetable

‘Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.’
Psalm 105:19

God works according to His own timetable. And when you accept that, you’ll be able to enjoy where you are right now and get to where He wants you to be. Furthermore, God may not answer all your questions; at least not in the way you’d like Him to.

But be assured He is working. And since what He’s working on is often bigger than you can comprehend, He won’t bother you with details you can’t handle. Think - if God had told you all the things you’d have to go through to get to where you are right now, could you have handled it? He knows how long it’ll take and how hard it’ll be - that’s why He’s silent.

If He showed you your whole life in advance you’d faint. Joseph discovered during his time in prison that when God gives you a vision and you commit yourself to it, there’s no ‘opt-out clause’. So stop projecting into the future.

When you live in yesterday you end up with a case of the ‘if onlys’, and when you try to live in tomorrow you get a case of the ‘what ifs’. Remember the popular hit song: ‘One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking of you.

Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.’ What should you do?

Trust God to work things out for you according to His timetable.
Jer 30-31, 2 Tim 1

© 2016:  by UCB,

Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri to host 2017 Synod

Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri to host 2017 Synod

       By Emma Onuma
Christian voice newspaper

The next Diocesan Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Owerri (the 3rd session of the 20th synod), will be hosted by Christ’s Church Archdeaconry, Owerri from Thursday, 5th to Sunday, 8th October, 2017.

The Bishop of Owerri Diocese, Rt Rev. Cyril C. Okorocha, PhD who made the announcement at the close of the 2016 synod at CATOL, Owerri last Sunday disclosed the theme of the 2017 synod as “Guard the Gospel” while the Rector, Trinity Theological College, Umuahia, Ven. Prof. Udobata Onunwa will be the guest preacher.

The prelate also announced the approval for the establishment of a new secondary school to be named “Anglican College of Christ’s Ascension, Ugwu Ekwema, Owerri “ as part of the contribution of Owerri Diocese to provide quality education to Imo State citizens.

Meanwhile, members of the LOC. of the 2016 synod last Wednesday were at St Mark’s Chapel, Bishop’s Bourne, Owerri, for  a special  thanksgiving service at which they were lavishly eulogized by the bishop for a job well done and for co-operating with their Vicar, Ven. Dr. A.C. Chukwuocha to achieve the feat.

The Bishop submitted that any one called upon to do God’s work receives His blessing, more so if one performs the assignment with integrity.

The Diocesan urged members of CATOL to maintain the building sand the premises of the cathedral to ensure its serenity at  all times as he expressed the hope that the cathedral building will be dedicated by the Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh by the end of the year.

Equally, present at the mid-week worship were members of the Anglican Christian Corpers Fellowship, Imo State and Bishop Okorocha urged them to ensure that whatever they did at their youthful age would take them to eternity.

He then warned them against misusing the free accommodation offered then at Bishop Lasbrey, Christ’s Education Centre for Girls,  adding that any request they were making to the Bishop  routed through the youth should be pastor, Rev. Tim Ashama.

Earlier, the LOC chairman, Sir Oliver Enwerem and the co-chairman, Dr. Lady Angela Uwakwem explained that they were at the service to thank God for his protection and the leading of the Holy Spirit throughout the planning and executing the programmes for the synod despite challenges.

JESUS...THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE

JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD HAS GIVEN US THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE

I WONDER
Sometimes I wonder what led to Ruth following Naomi after the devastating and no ordinary loss she witnessed in the family of Naomi.  A critical look showed that Naomi and her family were immigrants from Israel in search of greener pasture. 

THE ECONOMY OF ISRAEL
The economy of Israel at that time was so bad that Elimelech, Naomi's husband along with his two sons, Malhon and Killion, decided to sojourn in Moab.

Settling in Moab and allowing their sons to marry Moabite women may have been an indication that the situation there was welcoming. 

Ruth and Orpah who chose to get married to the foreigners showed they too were at home with the condition of the family they married into.

A TERRIBLE SITUATION
About ten years into the marriage these two women had borne no issue to the two sons of Naomi. This was a terrible situation but the Bible recorded a more terrible situation:

"The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband." (Ruth 1:4-5).

WAS NAOMI CURSED?
Was the family of Naomi cursed? Or were the women they married cursed?  If you look at the turn of events in this dramatic story you would raise more prying eyes on the family of Naomi.

IMPLICATION FOR RUTH AND NAOMI
The death of Mahlon and Killion meant that Ruth and Orpah were no longer legally bound to stay in the Family of Naomi and she made this clear to them on her departure from Moab:

"But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept." (Ruth 1:8-9).

MOABITES IN ISRAEL?
This was quite an emotional situation and Naomi spoke with all sincerity. There was a better prospect for these two, young and premature widows in Moab.  The discrimination they were likely to face in their homeland would be more bearable than that which they would have faced in Israel. Their prospects or remarrying and reintegrating into  spinsterhood were likely better in Moab. In fact the Moabites were forbidden in Israel.  Recall that they were a product of incestous/forbidden marriage. Lot impregnated his daughters and one of the children born to Lot as a result of this was Moab. 

"No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation." (Deut 23:2-3).

CHOICE
When the day of decision therefore came to Ruth and Orpah, they made their choice. Let me  dwell on this issue of choice for a while.  The fruit we reap are as a result of choice. The marriage we bear or enjoy are as a result of choice.  Though God rules the universe, the choices we  make shall definitely define and punctuate how He would rule us and how our eternal future might be.  The way that seems right to you now might be either the way of sorrow or peace, the way of that seems right to you now will either lead you to eternal damnation or eternal joy.  The choice is yours!

Side Pictures at the recently concluded synod

Photos: The LOC members at the recently concluded Synod

They made it possible with good planning

Prepare for Eternity, Bishop Okorocha Urges the Church in Synod address

The Diocese of Owerri, Anglican Communion recently rounded off her 2nd Session of the 20th Synod which was held at the Cathedral of Our Lord, CATOL from Thursday 6th to Sunday 10 2016.

The theme of the Synod was Building in Time for Eternity. A theme well chosen to prepare the church for a life after death as the world approach the end time.

The Bishop of the diocese, Rt. Rev. Cyril Okorocha did an exposition on the theme and presented it to the delegates at the synod.

In his message on the synod theme, the bishop said: "It is the Lord: Do not be afraid. That the people of God, the church are under siege by a vicious enemy today cannot be over-stated. The question now is 'what is the Spirit saying?."

In essence, the bishop noted that the Spirit is saying we should build for eternity. Thus, he encouraged us to live a life of forgiving and endure hardship knowing that God will make a way.

"The leading and decisive question remains - if the Lord should arrive now, are you ready? In your ministry - Who is your God or goal - money and title and the pursuit of these or the Holy One? The things you are toiling for are passing away, only Jesus will persist. Honestly and truly make this Jesus the Lord of your life in time and eternity will be yours in Him." Concluded the bishop.

Other activities at the synod include; report giving by various archdeaconry, cutting of the synod Cake, presentation of throphis to various parishes.

The next synod will be holding at Christ Anglican Church, Owerri.