Diocesan youth fellowship convention held at MCN, Rumukalagbor Circuit

Methodist Youths in the Diocese of D-Line, Port Harcourt gathered together from all the Circuits within the Diocese at Methodist Church, Nigeria Rumukalagbor Circuit from Thursday, August 23 to 26, 2018 for their yearly convention.

The programme was full of spiritual, social and physical activities. The expositor, The Rev. Dr. Togenu Miikue Yobe, who spoke on the theme of the convention “Church without Walls,” described the Church as the body of Christ, the people of God and as the bride of Christ. He also showed what Apostle Paul said about the Church in 1Corintians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” What is the meaning of the Church without wall? To really understand the meaning of the term “Church without walls,” we must first look at what it means to be a Church with walls. A Church with walls is one bound by religion and spirit of denominationalism. A Church with walls is a Church that does not want to grow; a Church that does not want to reach out to lost souls.

God never intended us to be people of religion. We are to be people of impact, power and carriers of God’s glory. Therefore, the Church without walls are people who hunger and thirst for righteousness, a Church that want to reach out to lost souls, help the needy, feed the hungry and comfort the sick. The youths were, therefore, called upon to set themselves apart for God to use them to reach out to perishing souls. The youths were advised to run away from cultism, thuggery, armed robbery and kidnapping as 2019 election approaches. They should not allow desperate politicians to destroy their future by using them as thugs for selfish ambition.

The Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Etim U. Ekong, JP, who was the chief officiant during the Eucharistic service, encouraged the youth to remember their Creator in the days of their youths and to rely on God’s promises in order to overcome the world (1 John 5:4)

Earlier in his address to the youths, the Diocesan Bishop asked the youths not to sacrifice their greatness on the altar of sin, selfishness, laziness, cultism, eye service, lack of vision, lack of focus and bad association. Rather, they should prepare themselves for the future, by developing the courageous spirit for a successful life and fulfilment of destiny.

Deaconess Antonia Gbarakoro handled the youths on “How to make a godly relationship that will eventually leads to marriage without regret and mistakes”. The Rev. Paul C. Egbo led the teenagers in the talk titled “Purity.” The text was taken from Genesis 39:1-20. From the life of Joseph, he encouraged the teenagers to always live a life that will bring glory to God. He called on the young ones to live and maintain moral purity. The Diocesan youth president, Rose Lawrence, admonished the youths to always carry Christ into their environment with a sense of responsibility. “Youths should allow honesty and integrity to have full course in their daily living, as honesty is the life blood of community and the doorway of Christian growth while integrity is essential to shedding light to the dark world.”

The convention, which ended on Sunday with thanksgiving service, was a period of stock taking for the youths. They were charged to go home and be of good behaviour and always ready to serve the Lord. God needs young men and women, whom He will use in building His Church here on earth.”