#Coronavirus: Churches go quiet

Churches in the country on Sunday (March 22, 20202) went quiet, with most church buildings under lock and key.

Thar was in compliance with the directives by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on restrictions on social and religious gatherings in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

A fortnight ago, President Akufo-Addo, in a late public broadcast, had directed that all gatherings — both social and religious — should cease, while schools should be closed, for the next four weeks.

Streets, churches deserted

In compliance with this, the usual early morning rush by worshippers to catch the first service on Sundays was absent yesterday, as streets and roads remained deserted.
Worshippers stayed in their homes and resorted to follow their pastors via television, radio, online and other social media handles.

It was a novelty moment for most of church leaders, who are used to preaching in front of congregations, small or large, as they had to go virtual with their messages to reach out to their members yesterday.

The social media handles of the churches were also awash with advertised mobile money and bank account numbers and other channels for receiving offertory and tithes.
Graphic Reporters

The church premises the Daily Graphic visited across the country yesterday were deserted, with almost all of them under lock and key, in compliance with the directives by the President.

The scenes on the various church premises were a reflection of the difficult times the nation, and for that matter the world, is going through at the moment as it tries to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

From Cape Coast, Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that all churches in the metropolis complied with the ban on mass gatherings, with the streets being generally quiet.

At Chapel Square, the Wesley Methodist Cathedral, the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and the Christ the Sales Anglican Cathedral were all closed.

The Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Pedu was also locked, with nobody on the premises.

The Lion of Judah Cathedral of the Lighthouse Chapel International streamed its service live on Facebook to reach its congregants and provided virtual platforms for congregants to send their offerings.

A handful of members of the church’s media team and a few members of the church choir were on hand to help the Head Pastor, Rev. Paschal Godwyll, to conduct and stream the service live on social media.

Defying ban

From Kumasi, Daniel Kenu & Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor report that the Head Pastor of the Open Arms Ministries at North Suntreso, Apostle Kofi Nkansah Sarkodie, once more defied the ban on public gatherings and held a church service.

He was, however, picked up by the police and is currently in police custody.

The Head of Public Affairs of the Ashanti Regional Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Godwin Ahianyo, confirmed the arrest to the Daily Graphic and said the pastor would soon be arraigned.

Apostle Sarkodie, also known as “Saint Sark”, and two of his leaders were arrested last Wednesday for the same offence but released on police enquiry bail.

Kumasi complies

Apart from that incident, all other churches complied with the President’s directives by not holding church services. They rather resorted to social media to reach out to their members.

For instance, the Catholic Church in the archdiocese used CAK TV to stream the mass to the faithful in the archdiocese.
The streets, churches and even sections of the Kumasi Shopping Mall were deserted in compliance with the directive.

Reality of death

Popular pubs and joints received minimal patrons as people were hit by the reality following the death last Saturday of one of the three persons who tested positive for the virus in Kumasi.

Communities, including the SSNIT Flats at Asuoyeboa, went dead, as residents decided to stay indoors, with children hardly seen outside.
A few commercial vehicles (trotros) were, however, on the streets but with virtually no passengers as drivers’ mates called out for people to fill up the buses.

Sunyani complies

Churches in Sunyani and its adjoining communities complied with the ban on mass gathering as a measure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, report Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Biiya Mukusah Ali.

About 9 a.m. when the Daily Graphic visited some of the churches at Asufufu and Dr Berko, both suburbs of Sunyani, their doors were closed, with no persons seen around.
Some of the churches visited were the Prevailers Chapel International, the Assemblies of God Church, the Peace Temple of Christ, the Heaven Minded Chapel, the True Faith Church International, the Church of Pentecost, Sunyani Estate, and the Church of God Ghana.

The Daily Graphic learnt that some family members held prayer sessions in their homes, while others stayed glued to their television and radio sets to listen to live broadcasts from the headquarters of their churches.

Both the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani and the Liberty Assemblies of God broadcast their church services on the local BATV, while others did so through various radio stations.

Sakumono, Baatsona

At the Christ the King Anglican Church at Sakumono Estates in the Greater Accra Region, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Roland Kpoanu, reached out to parishioners via social media handles, report Benjamin Glover & Della Russel Ocloo.

A pre-recorded homily was broadcast on the handles of the church yesterday, which was also observed as Mothering Sunday.

Believe in God

At the Calvary Temple of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), a few members of the church’s media team were on hand to assist the Head Pastor, Rev. Anthony Cudjoe, and a six-member choir to conduct a two-hour online service, which was also broadcast on Adom TV, for a larger home audience.

Preaching the sermon on the theme: “God our help”, Rev. Cudjoe encouraged Christians to pray, believing that God was their strength, refuge and ever-present help in times of trouble.

The situation was not different at the Corpus Christi and the St Bakhita Catholic churches, where there was a complete shutdown, with members being asked to watch a televised service, presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, on Crystal TV.

The Resident Minister of the Hope Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Emmanuel Obeng Ntow, streamed live via the congregation's Facebook and online radio platforms.

Speaking on the topic, "Now I can see", Rev. Ntow said just as Jesus Christ healed a man born blind, Ghanaians would be healed and saved from the COVID-19 pandemic, as God sometimes allowed things to happen so that believers could see His glory.

Bolgatanga was quiet

From Bolgatanga, Vincent Amenuveve reports that both orthodox and charismatic churches in the municipality suspended their Sunday activities at their respective places of congregation.

A visit to some of the churches showed that church auditoriums were empty and the usual noise that emanated from loudspeakers and the playing of musical instruments and preaching on Sundays were totally absent.

Some of the churches used electronic media, such as radio and television, and social media platforms to reach out to their congregations.

The Pastor in charge of the Bolgatanga District of the ICGC, Yikene Assembly, Mr Samuel Boateng, for instance, reached out to his congregation with a 20-minute audio recording on WhatsApp.

His sermon: “God uses the systems and men to perfect His will and purpose in the lives of men", encouraged Christians to use the situation to preach the Gospel to people through technology.

At the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bolgatanga, there was no church activity but a mass service was held on URA Radio, a local radio station of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in Bolgatanga.

Views from Tamale

Samuel Duodu reports from Tamale that all churchess in the metropolis were empty, as the Christian community adhered to the directives by the President on the ban on all social gathering, including religious activities, to stem the spread of the COVID-19.

Some Christians who interacted with the Daily Graphic said they missed the live church services but were okay with the measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

Prayer against COVID-19

The Head Pastor of Winners' Chapel International, Rev. John Theophilus, said in spite of the fact that live church service could not be held, online prayer at 5 a.m. was held to precisely pray against the spread of the COVID-19.

He was optimistic that the COVID-19 would be a thing of the past by the second week of April for life to bounce back to normalcy, with no sicknesses.

The Youth Secretary of the Baptist Church, Mr Alexander Sumaber, said the directives were laudable, but regretted that the church was unable to hold its live church service.

Ms Belinda Konadu, a Catholic, said she never missed Mass at the OLA Cathedral on Sundays but agreed that the church must comply with the President's directives to safeguard lives in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accra noiseless on Sunday

From Accra, Severious Kale-Dery reports that the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. Kwofie, who presided over Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, used the opportunity to read out a pastoral letter he issued to all the parishes in the region.

He urged all Catholics to revisit the Catholic spiritual exercises that defined “our Catholic identity over the years” and identified some of the practices as the Agelus in the morning, afternoon and evening; the Rosary Prayer and the Prayer of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.

“As a faithful community, we are ready to offer the world the weapon of prayer in the fight against the COVID-19. God, through our prayers, will heal our land,” he said in a televised message on Crystal TV.

The Methodist Church Ghana used its television station, the Wesleyan Television, to reach out to its members in a live church service held at the Ausbury-Dunwell Chapel, Wesley House, Accra, reports Augustina Tawiah.

Monitoring from home on television, this reporter saw that for both the first service televised in English and the second televised in Akan, the people present at the service were eight choristers, including an organist, and three ministers, including the Administrative Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rt Rev. Michael A. Bossman, who was the liturgist.

In his sermon, the Presiding Bishop of the church, the Most Rev. Dr Paul K. Boafo, minced no words in stating the special times the nation, and for that matter the world, was in and called on all Ghanaians to do away with fear and anxiety.

"Let us look up to the God of life that He will deliver us from the pandemic. We know Him as the God of Israel who has been with His people in times of crisis like this, and as they prayed onto Him and asked for His mercies and deliverance, He came to their rescue. He will not abandon us," he admonished.

At the Glory Christian Fellowship International, Ghana, Doreen Andoh reports that the Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr Davy Calys-Tagoe, delivered his sermon on the church's Facebook page.

With the help of two of his worship leaders, members were led through moments of praise and worship on the same platform.

The service had just the pastor, his four associate pastors and two worship leaders who facilitated the live streaming.

From Sekondi-Takoradi, Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu reports that the usual church services in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, other municipalities and districts in the Western Region were absent yesterday.