An Anglican and Ecumenical Partners Research Centre for the training of Ministers of the gospel has been established in Port Harcourt Rivers State.
The centre which is established by the Anglican and Ecumenical Partners in the state according to the initiators will serve as a resource centre for Ministers and preachers of the gospel from all denominations in the State.
President of the Chancel/Chapter Trinity, The Very Rev’d. Dr. Fynface Akah disclosed the initiatives during the Maiden Anglican and Ecumenical Partners conference held in Port Harcourt to formally unviel the chapter and also inaugurate its Board of Patrons.
According to the President, the Anglican-Ecumenical Partners Research Centre will offer opportunities and seminar modules in specific areas of ecumenical orthodoxy, historical and liturgical convergences and as well hold conferences and colloquia on current issues of concern for the benefit of all church members and denominations in the state.
“Therefore the chapter promises to be the special formative vehicle for building up curiosity for acquisition of deepened effective ministry education with a view to meet the growing knowledge and spiritual needs of today’s church against threats, diverse dogmatic agitation as well as unhealthful windows of digital incursions”, Rev’d Akah stated.
He explained that there will be ten canonical faculty resource members with the President as the Dean stressing that the faculty members will be persons with distinct training and knowledge in various ecclesiastical or theological fields of divinity.
Rev’d Akah told newsmen after the event that the objectives of the gathering was to examine issues of common interests to the church in the areas of education for the progress of churches and Ministers.
He said the churches are being encouraged to send in their workers to be trained in practical and functional ministerial expressions adding that most people find it difficult in applying what they leant in Seminaries and Colleges in practical church operations.
“So the chapter that is unfolded is supposed to help leaders, pastors, priests, lay Readers and pastoral assistants to understand how to lead ministeries, how to do it and be effective and lots of teaching models has been developed for this purpose. It is going to be a certificated Programme for those who successfully pass through the modules,” Rev’d Akah stated.
He pointed out that the training programme will enable the Ministers and Priests in the churches to be fully equipped to understand how to deal with people and how to present the gospel to both the rich and the poor in their congregations.
Rev’d Akah aslo disclosed plans by the trust to source for funds to assist individuals who may not have the finances to register for the programme.
