Don’t Lose Hope, Awka Anglican Church Will Bounce Back Soon – Bishop Ezeofor
Rt. Rev. Dr Samuel Ezeofor
By Titus Eleweke
The Supervising Bishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr Samuel Ezeofor, has urged Anglican faithful not to lose hope or become discouraged by recent developments in the Church, assuring them that God would restore its glory and bring about a positive turnaround.
Ezeofor challenged members of the Anglican Communion to remain steadfast in their faith, trust in God and look up to Jesus Christ, whom he described as the author and finisher of their faith, irrespective of the challenges confronting the Church.
He expressed confidence that the Church would soon overcome its present difficulties and emerge stronger, stressing that although human beings might stumble and institutional systems could experience challenges, God remained firmly in control.
The Bishop gave the assurance on Saturday in Awka, Anambra State, while speaking with journalists shortly after the Anglican Prayer Rally of Anambra State (APRAs), an annual spiritual gathering that brings together faithful from the nine dioceses under the Province of the Niger to seek God’s face, intervention and blessings.
He regretted that the Anglican Church in the Province had recently attracted media attention for the wrong reasons but expressed confidence that God would continue to purge, cleanse and preserve His Church from every form of impurity.
According to him, the challenges facing the Church should not be allowed to weaken the faith of its members or make them lose confidence in God’s ability to restore peace, unity and spiritual integrity to the Communion.
“My message to everyone is that we, as human beings, may stumble, but God is still on the throne.
Our Church may be in the media for the wrong reasons, but the devil will continue to be put to shame.
“This Church belongs to God. Yes, it is human beings who run it, and it is also a human system, but God encourages us to look up to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.
“That things are not going the way we want does not mean that God has abdicated His throne.
You are going to see, in a very short while, that things are going to turn around.
“So, those who are discouraged should know that God is still on the throne and should look up to Him. When things turn around, they will also rejoice,” he said.
Explaining the choice of the theme of the prayer rally, “Dwelling in the Secret Place of the Most High,” Ezeofor said it was informed by prevailing societal challenges and the need for Christians to take prayer seriously as a means of seeking God’s protection and intervention.
He noted that the increasing cases of insecurity, tragedies and other troubling developments in society had made it imperative for Christians to deepen their relationship with God through prayer and obedience to His word.
According to him, those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High enjoy God’s protection and should therefore make it a priority to seek His presence, particularly at a time when the nation and its people are confronted with numerous challenges.
“When you look around, you will see the happenings. We recognise that if we all dwell in the secret place of the Most High, God will save us from all the problems we are passing through.
“There are all kinds of troubles and tragedies all around. But those who dwell in God’s secret place will be spared. We need to remind our parishioners that this is the demand of God for the hour,” he added.
Earlier in his sermon, the Archdeacon of Onitsha South Archdeaconry, Diocese on the Niger, Ven. Dr Emma Ezeugo, urged Anglican faithful to devote quality time to prayer, particularly for the Church, warning against the growing tendency to substitute genuine personal prayers with what he described as “AI prayer”.
Ezeugo insisted that Christians must cultivate a sincere and personal prayer life rather than depend on artificial intelligence-generated prayers, stressing that prayer required spiritual commitment, devotion and a personal relationship with God.
He maintained that fervent and consistent prayers remained essential for divine protection, especially in the face of the numerous challenges confronting society.
“God will spare us from various forms of tragedies when we devote quality time to pray,” he stressed.
The spiritual gathering was attended by several bishops, including the Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor; Bishop of Ogbaru Diocese, Rt. Rev. Prosper Ama; Bishop Obiora Uzochukwu; and the Bishops of Niger East and Nnewi Dioceses, Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi, among other clerics and Anglican faithful.
