ACCRA DIOCESE CELEBRATES METHOFEST 2022

Story: Emmanuel Ashong, Accra

The Accra Diocese has celebrated the 2022 edition of the Methodist heritage festival dubbed Methofest.  

The festival which was first launched in Cape Coast, the cradle of Ghana Methodism in 2021, is celebrated as a religious tourism programme by The Methodist Church Ghana to reflect on the history and religious cultural heritage of the various sites associated with Methodism.

The quadrennial Connexional event is preceded by Diocesan celebrations a year prior to the main event. The next Connexional Methofest will be hosted by the Akyem Oda Diocese in 2023.

In light of this, the Accra Diocese organised its Diocesan Methofest celebration on November 05, 2022 at the Wesley Cathedral, Accra. The programme which was on the theme “Discipleship: Living the Transformed Life in Jesus Christ; Our Heritage in Perspective”, was chaired by the first Lay Chairman of the Accra Diocese, Sis Gladys Afarchoe Odoi, and attended by the Director for Heritage Directorate of The Methodist Church Ghana, the Very Rev Daniel French as well as the Methodist Bishop of Accra Diocese, the Rt Rev Emmanuel Borlabi Bortey. Also present were the Lay Chairman and Synod Secretary of the Accra Diocese, Bro Joseph Eduam and the Very Rev Mrs Doris Saah respectively as well as the Accra Diocesan Heritage Coordinator, the Rev Peter Osei Nyame.

Welcoming participants to the programme, the Superintendent Minister of the Accra Circuit, the Very Rev Victor B. B. Boyetey was hopeful that “today inspires ideas and actions around the ways that we can realize our agenda for revival, transformation and growth”.

The chairman for the occasion explained that “Methofest contributes to the development of the Church and State by drawing attention to the need to preserve property bequeathed to us as well as valuable information and documents handed over to us by our forebearers”.

“It also serves as a platform for educating our members and the people in our communities to learn and preserve their historical materials”, Madam Odoi added.

For his part, Very Rev French who delivered the keynote address, disclosed that, “Heritage is that part of our Connexional administrative structure that functions by identifying, researching, packaging and promoting the entire historic resources - both tangible and intangible born out from the vision, mission, ministry and cultural identity of The Methodist Church Ghana for the purpose of evangelism that transforms human life and education”.

He praised the Accra Diocese for being “at the centre on Connexional Methofest celebrations” and paid glowing tribute to past Chairmen and General Superintendents of then Accra District as well as past and incumbent Bishops and Lay Chairmen of the Accra Diocese.

In a brief remark, the Lay Chairman of Accra Diocese, Bro Joseph Eduam expressed hope that “the connexion will have a place at her new office building as a museum to showcase these historical materials which will also generate income for the Church”.

Various Circuits in the Accra Diocese mounted stands to exhibit artifacts, documents and archival materials from their respective Circuits in an Inter-Circuits Exhibition Competition. The Dansoman Circuit took the first position. They were followed closely by the Kaneshie North and Abeka Circuits in second and third positions respectively. Awards were presented to the winners at a Thanksgiving Service held on November 06, 2022 at the Wesley Cathedral, Accra.