NCPC BOSS TASKS CHURCH LEADERS ON PILGRIMAGE

NCPC BOSS TASKS CHURCH LEADERS ON PILGRIMAGE

L/R The Exe. Sec. NCPC Mr. John Kennedy Opara, the New Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby and the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ekweremadu during the Consecration of New Archbishop in London recently.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara has tasked Church leaders and privileged few in the Church to encourage dedicated Church workers by sponsoring them on Holy Pilgrimage.
He disclosed this recently in Abuja during the 19^th annual Synod of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Abuja diocese. Mr. John Kennedy Opara who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, was represented by the Chaplain of NCPC, Rev. Ayodele Jato.
The NCPC boss congratulated the Methodist Church Nigeria, Abuja diocese for their 19^th annual Synod which he said was timely in view of the numerous social ills plaguing the peaceful co-existence of the country.
He described the annual synod as an opportunity provided by the Church to “reflect, brainstorm and project on the spirituality of its existence and the way forward for the Church”. Consequently, he called on the Church leaders to pray against everything that is affecting the country negatively.
The NCPC helmsman stressed that pilgrimage should be for those who are spiritually rich, but materially poor. Thus, he admonished the Church Leaders and wealthy Christians to encourage and sponsor Christians to Holy pilgrimage, especially those who cannot afford the cost of pilgrimage. He equally stated that the era of Government sponsorship of pilgrimage was over as the Commission now emphasizes on self sponsorship.
He equally intimated that the Commission now operates biannual pilgrimages- October-December and March- April in one calendar year. He explained that the Easter pilgrimage which was flagged off on 28^th February, 2013 would be rounded off on 1^st April, 2013.
He further stated that the process for the 2013 Christian pilgrimage had begun with the approval of the 2013 calendar of activities by Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
In his address at the Synod, the Methodist Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Chimaroke Iweha stressed on the theme: “If God had not been on our side”. He made reference to the State of Israel as a case study on how God delivered them from their enemies and gave them victory from time to time. He stressed the need for every Nigerian to always keep hope alive because, “there is hope for us”
The Archbishop also gave thanks to God for making Nigeria to survive crisis that crippled and destroyed other nations. He thus congratulated Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for surviving pressures that rose against him before and after he became the President. Archbishop Iweha further congratulated the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan for surviving the surgeries abroad.
The clergy also called on the government to proffer urgent solutions to the social vices that are threatening the peaceful co-existence of the good people of Nigeria.
Responding to the address of the Executive Secretary of NCPC, read on his behalf by the NCPC Chaplain, Rev.Ayodele Jato, the Archbishop commended Mr. John Kennedy Opara for changing the face of Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria. He stated that Methodist Cathedral of Unity, Wuse Abuja has Pilgrims Association which aims at providing Holy Bible to people and sponsoring members on pilgrimage, among others. He thanked the NCPC boss for sending a worthy representative to the event.
The Synod lasted for three days and is usually held annually by the Methodist Archdiocese of Abuja for Church leaders within the Archdiocese.