BISHOP NWOKOLO DEDICATES ASCENSION’S NEW CHURCH BUILDING

…CALLS ON CHRISTIANS TO REDEDICATE SELVES FOR GOD’S USE

(By Alex Uzoigwe)

           The ultramodern church building of the Ascension Anglican Church, Isiafor, was today Sunday, November 20, 2022,  dedicated by the Bishop on the Niger, the Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo, calling on Christians to be diligent enough to rededicate themselves for them to be veritable instruments for God’s use.
        He explained that a rededication of the mind and body was necessary because according to him, “we cannot worship God without our bodies; therefore we must sacrifice our bodies as a living sacrifices unto the Lord”.

       He made the call and the explanation in the homily he delivered during the ceremonious church service marking the education of the new church building.
         Reemphasising the need for a total rededication of the self, the bishop said, “You should rededicate your body to God, for your body is the temple of the Lord, for God is interested in living in us”.

      He had while explaining the meaning of dedication, referred to it to mean setting apart, being made holy for God, and consequently required Christians to endeavour to dedicate themselves by presenting themselves as living sacrifices unto the Lord.

     Bishop Nwokolo remarked that dedication demanded clean, righteous, and fully set apart body saying that the mind controls the body while the Word controls the mind which he said leads to total transformation, adding that Christ was transformed and transfigured, appealing to Christians to do the same.
           He commended members of the Ascension Church for erecting the new structure which he described as “one of the biggest churches in the diocese,” but, in a lighter mood, comparing it with the Basilica of St Andrew’s, Odoakpu, Onitsha.
           “We are very proud of you for doing this lovely work. You have built a lovely church and it is today being dedicated.

       “It’s now nobody’s property so that everyone is free to come here and worship God. You have built the church and we are handing it over to God”, the bishop said.
          In a welcome address that the church presented to the bishop, the congregation briefly narrated how the church started in September 1991 while holding her maiden church service on Sunday, February 27, 1994, under a canopy with Rev. Canon (Dr) E. C. Nwabufo as the Conductor.

        The three-page welcome address signed by the Vicar, Ven Angus Umeh,  the Chairman, of the Dedication Committee, Sir Simon Omekaodinma and the Secretary, Comrade Chris Chinwuba acknowledged the contributions of various past and present clerical and lay members of the church, appreciating the bishop for making out time to dedicate to the building.
           In a brief vote of thanks, the Vicar, Ven Umeh, profoundly appreciated the bishop and his wife, Dr Nonyelum Nwokolo for attending the event. He also commended members of the church for collectively and individually contributing in different ways to make the day a success.

           The church service featured a ceremonious dedication-cake cutting through which funds were raised.
          Over four thousand Anglican and non-Anglicans from within and outside Anambra State attended the dedication.