Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
The Bishop, Diocese of Umuahia Anglican Communion, Rt Rev’d Dr. Geoffrey Obijuru Ibeabuchi , has charged the newly ordained knights in the church to be defenders of the Christian faith at all times.
Speaking shortly after the investiture
of 53 members of the church as knights of St Christopher at the St Stephen Anglican cathedral Umuahia, the cleargyman encouraged the Knights to put in their best in their services to God, the church and humanity.
Bishop Ibeabuchi pointed out that the newly ordained knights were people who have shown examplary leadership
qualities and selfless services in the kingdom advancement activities of the church.
His words , “It is the custom of the church to honour men who have put in their best all to the service of God, the church and humanity.”
“What we did today is to say thank you to the fifty three(53) of them for what they have done already and encourage them to do more.”
“We have charged them to know that they need to serve God the more and not to retire, what we did today is to encourage them to do more useful services to the God and humanity.”
“The knights are defenders of the faith especially the Christian faith and they are tasked to be just, fair and defend the weak and also to uphold the standard of Christianity wherever they are found either in the church, in the community and their families.
We look up to them to become the vessels God will use to stop the wickedness we see in our land today”
In his sermon captioned “Appointed for Godly exploits”taken from the Bible books of Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 4 – – 10, Joshua 1 verse 8, the quest preacher, the Rt Rev’d Dr Steven Kayode, Bishop of Kaba Diocese in Kogi State reminded the new knights that God has stepped them up to a higher position of responsibility, a position of honour, glory and leadership where people will look up to them for counsel, truth and wisdom.
He charged the new Knights to always be in the altar of prayer, study the word of God on daily basis and making themselves available for personal encounters with God to be able to do the work of the kingdom. Bishop Kayode added that they can not function without divine encounters as everyone God used in the Scripture had an encounter with God citing Jacob, Abraham, Joshua and Peter. He therefore advised them not to fail on the mandate given to them by God and shine as light wherever they are.
One of the newly ordained knights Sir Kelechi Imeoria, the Accountant General of Abia State pledged to put more efforts in his services to God and man.
His words “I will do more based on my new calling to serve God and man.
I will take the work of evangelism seriously as we have been charged to do so, be pure in heart and study my Bible in order to face the challenges ahead.I thank God for this honour, I believe in God and in what he can do through us”
Also speaking sir Ezenwa Nwaobia, a career diplomat described the knighthood as a call to service, win souls for Christ, serve the church and humanity.
According to him, “This investiture has given me a responsibility to do more than I have been doing before today. We are expected to put in our best to support what the bishop is doing to uplift the church”.
In their speeches Dame Juliet Rex-chikezie and Dame Annabelle Ukaonu, expressed joy for the honor and the call to serve God as Dame in the church
“Through the various teachings during our retreat we were made to understand that we have been called by God to do this work, with that we are optimistic that we will do the work.
“We advise other women to shine as light in their families , Society and Church , be more committed in the different ministries of their calling.”.