Methodist Church Ghana inducts Lay President

The Methodist Church Ghana Conference has inducted William Orleans Kwaku Arko Oduro, Legal Practitioner, as the eighth Lay President in Accra.

Mr Oduro, who has served in several capacities in the Church, takes over from Brother Bernard Clement K. Botwe for a three-year term.

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, The Most Reverend Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, called on the new Lay President to serve with diligence and sacrifice.

He commended the seventh Lay President, Brother Botwe for his hard work and efforts in leading the Lay Movement and for putting up a Chapel in the Oti Region.

He said the induction service was timely especially as the Church decided to propagate the word in other areas of the country.

He urged Brother Oduro to bring his expertise as a legal Practitioner to bear on the activities of the Church.

He called on the Lay President to help deepen the relationship between the Lay Movement and the Clergy of the Church.

"I charged you to construct a Chapel for the Church during your tenure at Damango in the Savannah Region," he said.

He expressed the hope that Brother Oduro would discharge his duties in the interest of the Methodist Church Ghana.

He called on members to always respond to the call of God to serve in his Vineyard in any capacity they find themselves.

The Presiding Bishop called on Ghanaians to give thanks for a peaceful elections and urged them to continue to pray as a country, bury their differences and tolerate each other’s views.

"Let us be modest in our celebration and let us do the right things," he said.

Dr Boafo said the continuous preservation of the nation’s peace was the only way the country could grow and develop.

"I pray we all come together as a country in one understanding to move forward," he added.

Mr Oduro expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the Church for the confidence reposed in him to serve.

He said his election as a Lay President was humbling and he was committed in assisting the Presiding Bishop accomplish his vision for the Church.

"It is a call to serve the Lord and nothing else," he added.

He said the Lord be his helper, he would accomplish his task of putting up a Chapel at Damango in the Savannah Region.

As a Lay President, Mr Oduro will assist the Presiding Bishop in giving leadership to the Church.

The Lay President will preside over the Representative Session of Conference and Conference Boards in the absence of the Presiding Bishop.

In the absence of the Presiding Bishop from the country, the Lay President will take decisions over matters affecting the general welfare of the Church.

The Lay President also presides over the Biennial General Meeting of the Methodist Lay Movement Council and its Executive Meetings.

He is a Board Member of the Wenchi Methodist Hospital and also a member of the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Committee of the Ghana Health Service.

The Lay President is an external solicitor of Stanbic Bank Ghana.

Brother Oduro is married to Mrs Emily Ama Ntiriwaa Oduro with Four Children.