The Bishop of the Diocese of Sapele, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Rt. Rev. (Dr.) Blessing Erifeta, has tasked the clerics and their spouses in the Diocese on the need to be productive and fruitful in their ministries to avoid what happened to the fig tree that Jesus Christ cursed on account of not being productive and unfruitful.

He implored them to concentrate in their God-given assignment and please God Who has assigned and equipped them to be in ministry.

Addressing them at the Diocesan 2022 School of Ministry for Clergy and Wives, at the Ibru Centre, Agbarha-otor, from April 19 to 23, 2022, Erifeta said that every gift of God should be accounted for by both the pastors and their wives.

He said: “Some have broken the cycle of loyalty and established a cycle of deviance and rebellion. If you refuse to build the church, you become a burden to the church. It is in building the church that we become a blessing and be blessed. There should be synergy between the clerics and their wives. None should be a barrier to the other.”

Also, the Bishop of Northern Izon, The Rt. Rev. Victor Okporu, who spoke on the theme: “Towards A Productive and Fruitful Ministry,” stressed the importance of productivity and fruitfulness.

Other speakers at the event included The Ven. Augustine Olomo; Ven. (Dr.) Theopilus Usikairo; Ven. (Dr.) Cephas Okarafe; Mr. Edwin Enajekpo; Dr. (Mrs) Joyce Ogwezi and The Ven. Cyril Akpokwaye, who led the Bible study sessions, while the conference was organised by a committee, chaired by The Ven. Nelson Emebeyo.