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Tag: synod

  • Lagos West Anglican begins Synod today

    The four-day annual Synod of Anglican Diocese of Lagos West begins today.

    The annual meeting will attract dignitaries, the clergy, laity and delegates from churches.

    The Synod is expected to take decisions on spiritual and temporal matters concerning the Church in Nigeria and the country’s precarious situation.

    Diocesan Bishop Revd. James Olusola Odedeji, will use the Synod to further shape his episcopacy, built around three points: spiritual development, aggressive evangelism and youth empowerment.

    A statement yesterday by the Diocesan Communicator, Mr. Mobolade Omonijo, said highlights of the programmes, which will end with a thanksgiving on Sunday, include an opening service today, presentation of the presidential charge tomorrow by the bishop and final deliberations by committees and approval of communiqué on Saturday.

    Those expected include Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode and other dignitaries from Lagos and other states.

    Dioceses within the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the United States of America (U.S.A) have also indicated their representation.

    Bishop Odedeji, who is concerned about the precarious situation in the country, has held prayers, starting with last Friday’s pre-Synod vigil at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church in Ikeja, and all churches, since then.

  • Synod tells FG to tackle insecurity

    The Archbishop of Lagos Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Luke Odubanjo, has called on the federal government to halt the killings in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and other parts of the country by suspected herdsmen.

    He also called on security agencies to arrest the high rate of kidnapping among Nigerians.

    Odubanjo, in his address at the 56th synod opening ceremony of the Lagos Diocese at Igbogila Ota, said government must stop at nothing to defend the defenceless.

    He said: “Our leaders should stand up to defend the helpless citizens that are being kidnapped in their schools in Dapchi, Yobe State, and as well being killed in Benue State, Kaduna, Adamawa State, Plateau State, and Kogi State respectively.”

    He said peace and security remained top priorities that government must ensure for Nigerians, saying the current insecurity in the nation was worrisome.

    Odubanjo also commended Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for “brilliant performance in the area of commerce, infrastructure, salary payment, religious harmony, investment of N25billion for employment purpose, provision of trucks and van for the police, leadership that fears God, Love and dedication to service of humanity.”

    He however appealed to the Governor to clear the embarrassing reappearing wastes across the state as soon as possible.

    The Archbishop tasked Christians to work toward peace everywhere they find themselves as well as pursue holiness at all times.

  • Synod to FG: tackle insecurity

    The Archbishop of Lagos Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev. Luke Odubanjo, has called on the federal government to halt the killings in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and other parts of the country by suspected herdsmen.

    He also called on security agencies to arrest the high rate of kidnapping among Nigerians.

    Odubanjo, in his address at the 56th synod opening ceremony of the Lagos Diocese at Igbogila Ota, said government must stop at nothing to defend the defenceless.

    He said: “Our leaders should stand up to defend the helpless citizens that are being kidnapped in their schools in Dapchi, Yobe State, and as well being killed in Benue State, Kaduna, Adamawa State, Plateau State, and Kogi State respectively.”

    He said peace and security remained top priorities that government must ensure for Nigerians, saying the current insecurity in the nation was worrisome.

    Odubanjo also commended Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for “brilliant performance in the area of commerce, infrastructure, salary payment, religious harmony, investment of N25billion for employment purpose, provision of trucks and van for the police, leadership that fears God, Love and dedication to service of humanity.”

    He however appealed to the Governor to clear the embarrassing reappearing wastes across the state as soon as possible.

    The Archbishop tasked Christians to work toward peace everywhere they find themselves as well as pursue holiness at all times.

     

  • Synod advises govt on poverty alleviation

    The Anglican Diocese of Lagos Mainland has advised  the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to use the occasion of its second anniversary to introduce policies that will address the plight of the citizens.

    At the end of its four-day Synod from May 25 to 28 in Lagos yesterday, the diocese said in appointing people to implement the policies, competence and the country’s diversity should be considered, to give the citizenry a  sense of belonging.

    In a communiqué signed by the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Akinpelu Johnson and the Synod Secretary, Venerable Emmanuel Adekoya, the diocese hailed the success made by the Federal Government in the war against Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast, but called for more efforts to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls and other Nigerians abducted by the insurgents, to restore normalcy to the zone.

    Speaking          about agitations in the Niger Delta and Southeast, the diocese said while militancy had abated, efforts should be intensified to address the causes of conflicts, to ensure peace.

    It decried the reports of  nefarious activities of herdsmen, such as invasion of farms, kidnapping for ransom and other crimes in  parts of the country and enjoined the government to address the problem so that “while honest labour is rewarded, impunity and criminality must be punished.”

    The diocese praised the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government, saying it was necessary to contain the  effects of corruption on national development.

    It called for a more even-handed approach to ensure that it was not wrongly perceived as being selectively targeted at only critics of the administration or members of a particular political persuasion.

    The synod advised the citizens to shun corruption and other crimes,  since any meaningful ethical reorientation must begin with the individual.

    The diocese hailed the message of its synod theme, “But even with many the net did not break” (John 21: 11B),  noting that “even as the country undergoes painful readjustment in the midst of recession, a unity of purpose anchored on the sovereignty of God Almighty and the willingness of the people to obey His directives will result in bounteous blessings for the people and the development of Nigeria.”

    The diocese congratulated the people and government of Lagos State on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the state and urged the government to extend its urban renewal efforts to such areas as Ebute Meta, Yaba, Orile Iganmu/Coker to rid them of decrepit surrounding and create space for recreational facilities.

  • Synod for May 21

    The Diocesan Bishop (Lagos Mainland), Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Prof Adebayo Akinde, has said the focus of the third session of the third Synod is the youth.

    The bishop spoke at the Pre-Synod Breakfast Fellowship at St Jude’s Cathedral, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

    The fellowship also served as an avenue to raise part of the N15.5 million needed for the Synod.

    The Synod will hold from May 21-24. Expected to attend are more than 400 youth chosen from across the diocese.

    He said:  “The proceedings this year will be slightly different from the previous ones. We will have a youth summit of 2-3 hours session where they will talk to us on their problems, ambitions, aspirations and perception of the future.

    “All we want to do is help them know God and help them stand their ground as ambassadors of Christ.”

    A lecture was delivered by Ven Nnaemeka Nwosu entitled: ‘Teach the Youth Today and Fashion the Future’, where he highlighted challenges inherent in building the youth for the church and for the nation.

    He said the youth have a lot of gifts and talents available to the church. Today’s investment in them, the cleric said, will bring about the gains of tomorrow.

  • Methodist Church holds annual synod

    All is now set for the 9th Annual Synod of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos West.

    The four-day event would take place at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Idimu, Mushin in Lagos on March 19 with the Ministerial and Lay Sessions.

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, will declare the synod open on March 20, while the Synod programme will be rounded off with a thanksgiving service on March 22.

    The theme for this year’s Synod is titled ‘Aglow with the spirit.’

    Speaking on the event, the Lay President of the Diocese, Otunba Morakinyo Hanson said, “This year’s Synod, which is the 9th edition in the history of the Diocese, is expected to attract notable personalities within and outside the Methodist family to be led by His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Uche, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, amongst others.”