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By Chukwuma Umeorah
In a bid to reposition its congregations for spiritual growth and social relevance, the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Lagos West, is set to convene its annual Synod with a focus on expanding evangelism and enhancing its impact on surrounding communities.
The Synod, which will gather leaders and delegates from across the federating circuits of the Diocese and will serve as a platform to review past activities and chart a progressive roadmap for the future.
According to the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Revd. Ezekiel Akande, the gathering will be marked by a renewed focus on church growth through evangelistic outreach and youth development. “This year’s deliberation will be unique in all ramifications as both the ministerial and the Lay leaders of the Diocese shall focus more on the evangelism aspect of our doctrine as Methodist towards the growth and development of all the unit Churches that make up the Diocese,” he stated.
He stressed that the Synod will also tackle how the Church can engage more meaningfully with its immediate environment. “Our discussions will revolve round how we can rise to the occasion of giving our Diocese the spiritual upliftment of our members through effective evangelism in and around our locations where we have our Churches. This will help expand our presence to reach out to more people beyond existing members,” he said.
Beyond expansion, Bishop Akande emphasized the need to cultivate the next generation of faithful. “More importantly is to equally galvanize our young members towards building their spiritual future which the Churches will leverage on towards building forward-looking Churches that can stand the test of time,” he added.
The Synod will commence with Ministerial and Lay Sessions at Methodist Church Nigeria, Idimu, Lagos. It will be officially declared open by the Lay President of the Archdiocese of Lagos Mainland, Olusola Adu, during a formal ceremony, and will conclude with a thanksgiving service at the same venue.
On a broader note, Bishop Akande noted that the Synod would also address the Church’s responsibility in fostering peace and societal progress. “As Methodist, we’ve challenged ourselves to take a position on how best we can add value to our immediate societies by bringing it to the front burner at this year’s Synod of the Diocese and pray for peace and togetherness among nations all over the world,” he said.
In his remarks, the newly elected Lay President of the Diocese of Lagos West, Gbenga Akindele, said the Synod is expected to attract dignitaries from within and beyond the Methodist community, including the Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali-Aba.
“All is actually set to host both our invited guests and all the delegates from the federating Circuits for us to fellowship together while plotting the direction for future growth of the Diocese. As my very first Synod since I was elected as the Diocesan Lay President, I look forward to great sessions within the three days of fruitful deliberations,” Akindele stated.
