Kunle Adelabu
-Hold anniversary thanksgiving, reception on Sunday
Youths and Ladies Christian Guilds of the United African Methodist Church (UAMC) Cathedral, Igbogbo, have donated food, toiletries, groceries and clothing items to the Hikanos Orphanage Home in Igbogbo, in commemoration of their anniversaries.
The societies also organized a free medical outreach programme within the Cathedral Church premises for members of the Church and public, on Saturday, October 14, 2023, after the donation at the orphanage home.
At the orphanage home, Bishop M. J. Toyi, the UAMC Cathedral, who accompanied members of the societies offered the children at the home special prayer.
While the medical team were attending to people for the medical mission, members of the two societies also gathered for marriage counselling which was held within the Church auditorium, organized as part of the celebrations to assist members with good knowledge of keeping their homes and dealing with challenges.
The resource person, Pastor Olajide Dankuwo, charged members to tolerance, love, understanding and placing God first always as necessary to have a good family.
While the Youths Christian Guild is celebrating its 27th anniversary, Ladies Christian Guild is commemorating its 23rd anniversary of existence.
The anniversary celebrations started on Friday, with a prayer session at the Church premises led by Revd. Judah Odu.
The anniversary thanksgiving will hold during the service tomorrow when the two societies will be dedicating the installed sound system for the use of the Church, as their anniversary project.
The anniversary reception will hold at Shokis Event Hall, after the Church service.
Mr Gbenga Ogunlewe, President, Youth Christian Guild, UAMC Cathedral, Igbogbo, said that the society is celebrating because it has built a solid structure, and the need to reach out to the Church and the general public.
“As you can see, we are still growing. You can be a 27-year-old person and an adult, yet, still have a lot to learn. The journey has been great, awesome and we thank God for the proper foundation that has been laid for these societies.
“That’s one of the reasons that we said that there is a need for us to celebrate because a 27 year old man is an adult, but we are not just celebrating, we are commemorating the anniversary with programmes to show to the Church that we are old and mature enough to take up more responsibilities.
“That is you seeing that we are giving lecture beyond normal Church Service. We are also having seminar, outreaches showing that indeed, the Youth Christian Guild has come of age”.
Speaking on what the society will be doing after the anniversary, Ogunlewe said:
“After the anniversary, we will never stop walking. We still have lots and lots of programmes in stock. We have been reaching out to the less privileged in the Church where we give out mostly food items. We also have an empowerment fund which we came up with to afford beneficiaries the opportunity of investing such into their businesses and make returns.
“In the course of the year, we have also been reaching out to some of our members in schools by assisting them in their academics.
“We have so many programmes in stock after the anniversary”.
Explaining the idea behind the society visiting the orphanage home to donate and organising medical outreach for members of the public, Ogunlewe said:
“The perception always is that the Church is only interested in receiving. We believe that it’s time for us to give back; it’s time for the Church to start giving back. It is an indirect way of evangelism. We are letting the public know that the United African Church is not all about receiving, we are also giving back to the society”, he said.
His female counterpart, Miss Opemipo Hamzat, President, Ladies Christian Guild, UAMC, said that the journey has been remarkable and challenging with the society growing in bounds.
“The journey so far has been fine, pleasurable and challenging but with strength to overcome and God’s support. We really appreciate God for everything”, she said.
“I happened to be one of the foundation members. About three years ago, we were just two members but later, we increased to five and we have been growing since then. We thank God for everything, because we have brought so many other members to join the remaining two old members.
“The Church and the general public should expect more impacts and giving more back to the society. We are going to be doing more than what we have done this year”, she said.
