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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The vicar of St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie, Revd. Canon A.E. Onoyasakpo of Evwreni Archdeaconry in Ughelli Diocese has called on all fathers to live up to expectations and to also take up their candid responsibilities as heads of their various families to build and train their children and wives in the ways of the Lord.
The cleric made this call recently in the church during the Sunday service to round up the activities marking this year’s Fathers Day celebration. In his sermon during the divine service which he took from the Bible book of Micah 3:1, the man of God admonished the fathers in the church and the general society to live up to their responsibilities as fathers and husbands in their various homes.
He went further to give the Biblical example of Eli and his children and how they ended up the same day as a result of disobedient to the Word of God and also the failure of Eli as a priest and a father to train his children in the right ways of the Lord. He however concluded his sermon by advising the fathers in the church to train their families according to the ways and standard of God to avoid his wrath and the final destruction.
Speaking with our correspondent immediately after the service, the president-general of Unenurhie community, Mr. Peter Maison, thanked the vicar of the church and his wife and also the PCC for a well planned Fathers Day celebration and to also followed up all the activities religiously throughout the week.
He also told the fathers saying, “I want to call on all the fathers in the church to be more committed and dedicated to all the church activities especially to our services. We have a lot to do in this church as fathers. We should know that, only the vicar and his wife can’t do the work of the growth and development of the church without our support. We must strive to join them in everything they do to promote and preach the gospel of the Lord. In the same way too, we should equally live up to expectations in our various homes and in the community as responsible fathers. People especially those in the community always look up to us as Christian fathers. We shouldn’t neglect or abuse that name of Christians.”
Also speaking was the Otota’Rode of Unenurhie community, Chief Frank Imudje and the people’s warden of the church, Mr. Augustine Abrucha. The duo thanked the vicar of the church and his wife for their prayers and steadfastness in moving the church higher everyday. They also thanked the women of the church for their ever commitment and dedication to every activity in the church and they equally called on the fathers and men of the church to emulate the Christian styles of their wives in order for the church to win more converts and and contribute to the spiritual freedom of Unenurhie community.
The week long event of this year’s Fathers Day celebration was rounded up with a special thanksgivings offered by the Fathers Union and ably supported by the women and youths of the church. The vicar, Revd. Canon Onoyasakpo later prayed for all the fathers in the church to take the lead as heads both in the church and in their various families.