Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Ascension Congregation, Koforidua, organized a Health Screening Week program which was crowned with Sunday church service and Health Screening focussing on Fasting Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure, which is often termed ‘Silent Killer’.
Reverend Nelson Asare Larbi, the Second District Minister, delivered a sermon on the theme ‘Jesus Christ, The Alpha and Omega: Glorifying God As Stewards of His Creation – Our Environmental Witness.’
In his sermon, Rev. Nelson Asare Larbi urged the congregation to be responsible stewards of God’s creation. He emphasized that the dominion God granted to humanity over the earth should not be viewed as a license for exploitation but a call to responsible management. He explained that as stewards, we are entrusted with the responsibility to manage what has been given to us, knowing that we will be held accountable. He said neglect or abuse of these responsibilities will have consequences.
Rev. Asare Larbi referenced the beginning of creation, noting that God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to work and care for it, ensuring its conservation and flourishing rather than mismanaging and destroying it. He stressed that “to whom much is given, much will be required” therefore, as stewards of a beautiful and bountiful earth, it is our duty to preserve and protect it but not to destroy it.
He further highlighted that environmental destruction leads to degradation of the earth which increases human vulnerability, and ultimately, a weakened relationship with God. Rev. Asare Larbi emphasized that a steward’s commitment to environmental conservation and ecological issues serve as evangelical effort to protect God’s creation, nurture the environment, and draw others closer to the Creator.
Rev. Nelson Asare Larbi concluded his message with a strong call to action for stewards to:
- STOP littering the environment.
- STOP blocking waterways and dumping solid waste into water bodies.
- STOP polluting the environment through open defecation.
- STOP polluting water bodies through illegal mining (galamsey) activities.
- STOP deforestation through illegal tree felling.
- STOP or reduce air pollution by using energy-efficient appliances and supporting renewable energy sources.
Summing it all, Rev. Nelson Asare Larbi reminded the congregation that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. He quoted and read Deuteronomy 23:13-14, which states, “And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee; and to give up thine enemies before thee, therefore shalt thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee”.
Credit: Kumwuramhene Sampson
