Ga Sub-Urban Circuit

𝗕𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗣'𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛 𝗢𝗙 𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

On behalf of the entire Diocesan Executive, I welcome you into the month of October, which marks the beginning of our new Church year. While the world is preparing to end a year, we are beginning our year with God. Because we are beginning with God we shall also end with him in peace and with great testimonies.

In the Bible, October / 𝗧𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗶 in the Jewish calendar is the month of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27). It is also the month of Tabernacles / Ingathering, when Israel celebrated God's provision and gathered their harvest (Exodus 23:16). Let us therefore trust that in this month, we would experience the Lord's special providence as well as his mercy that takes away our sins, as we come to him in repentance. As we expect forgiveness from The Lord, let us also forgive those who hurt us in the year that has just gone by, because we cannot carry the grudges and bitterness of the past year into the new year.

It is my prayer that this year would not be just another year, but a year of establishment, enlargement and abundance. It is also my prayer that, as a Diocese, in this new year we enlarge in spiritual growth, enlarge in numbers, enlarge in influence across the Connexion and beyond, enlarge in influence and territories, and enlarge as individuals in capacity and results.

“𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲” (𝗣𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝟲𝟱:𝟭𝟭)

As we begin the new year, I give you the following charge:

𝗶. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗿.

Noah began a new world with an altar.

“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗮𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁” (𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝟴:𝟮𝟬).

I charge all Circuits and Societies to organize a special prayer and thanksgiving service to open the year. The fire of prayer should be sustained throughout the year, for a church that prays together, stays together.

𝗶𝗶. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱.

As the Lord charged Joshua to do, let us not depart from the word, but intensify our study of the word as individuals, and as a Church improve on our Bible class meetings.

“𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹” (𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝟭:𝟴)

𝗶𝗶𝗶. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:

A Church that expects to enlarge must Evangelize.

“𝗚𝗼 𝘆𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀...” (𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟴:𝟭𝟵).

I charge every member to win at least one soul every month in this Church year.

In our next Standing Committee meeting coming on in early November 2026, the Diocese will begin the process of electing a new Lay chairman by nominating three people who will contest for the position at our next Synod in April 2027. I call on all of you to commit the process to serious prayer for the Lord himself to give us his own choice. This is not a time of dirty politics, it is a time of sober reflection and seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit.

I take this opportunity to welcome all ministers who have newly arrived in the Diocese, and encourage them to work hard to help the Diocese to progress.

I leave you with God's blessings:

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗮𝗵 𝟲𝟬:𝟮𝟮).

• What was difficult for you to achieve last year will become easy for you this year.

• There shall be no calamity befalling you, but the Lord will clothe you with fitness and strength.

• You will not just survive, you will dominate.

Let us remember that how we start the year will determine what happens in the year. May God help us to start right so we can end right.

Shalom!
Stay blessed
~
𝗥𝘁. 𝗥𝗲𝘃. 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗵-𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻
(𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗿𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗲)