By Emmanuel Adeleke
The World Council of Churches(WCC) has called on Nigerian churches to promote peace, unity and cooperation among among themsleves and be fervent in prayers.
The WCC Programme Executive for Church Relations, Dr Benjamin Simon, stated this while speaking to newsmen after a visit to Celica Church of Christ, New Ife Road, Ibadan, on Sunday.
He said:”It is our goal to bring all Christian churches together because it is part of the prayer of Jesus in the book of John, that all may become one.
“The ministry of a church as far as we have encountered is already beautiful and we would like to encourage that the cooperation between the churches should be made strong.
“The first thing is prayer and prayer has been leading us towards everything. We are fellowship of churches; the important thing is that we include each others in our prayers. We have a prayer circle every week; there is a prayer circle for different churches all over the world which we are looking at. Member churches are using this prayer circle to pray for different churches.”
Speaking on the purpose the visit, Simon said Celica Church of Christ, under the leadership of Revd Adetunji Adeonigbagbe applied to join WCC.
“The purpose of this visit is to learn first- hand about the life, witness, struggles, joys and hopes of the applying church as well as to share information about the WCC and to address specific questions as may apply, from the side of the WCC and the church.
“It would also be an avenue to meet with representatives of the church leadership and representatives of different institutions and boards to learn about the priorities of the church,” he said.
Simon noted that the feedback about the application of Celica Church of Christ would be communicated in due time.
He described their experience in Nigeria as a wonderful one and an eye opener.
In his remarks, a WCC Central Committee member, Prof Jack Gerges Khalil, said as the 2023 general elections is fast approaching, Christians should speak with one mind and one voice, adding that they should stand next to each other and fight politically for the peace of Nigeria.
Khalil, who is from Lebanon, added: “They should stand for peace, reconciliation, freedom and they should make their group bigger. I will like to encourage members of the churches to go to the poll to vote.”
Also, WCC Central Committee member from DR Congo, Maluavanga Marcelline Mbingasani, said as a Christian, it is very important to pray for the country in order for everything to work out well.
The founder, Celica Church of Christ and the host, Adeonigbagbe, described the “ecumenical guests” as friendly, intelligent and inquisitive. He said the church is known for truth and will never deviate from it.
“It gladdens my heart because we stand on the truth. If it is of man, it will end but if it is God, it will hold.” Adeonigbagbe said.
Earlier in his sermon, a nonagenarian, Prof. Samuel Ayo Bode, said God has a purpose for every creature.
He charged the church not to challenge God when life seems not favourable, stressing that one can not attain the peak without passing through some hurdles in the journey of life.
WCC is a fellowship of 349 churches from more than 120 countries, and representing over 580 million Christians worldwide.
The Geneva-based organisation is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and seeking to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
