South East breaking News
By Steve Unegbu
The Archbishop of Methodist church Umuahia and Bishop of Umuahia ,His Grace Rev Dr Raphael Chibuzor Opoko has felicitated with the Christians in Abia state and all over the world ,enjoining them to show love to one and another.
Archbishop Opoko who made this known in Umuahia while interacting with newsmen ,said Christ paid the supreme prize to redeem mankind,urging them to follow Christ steps .
In his words ,” the message to Christians is that out of love that Jesus died for us ,out of love ,He sacrificed His life .How much are we ready to sacrifice to the welfare and well-being of members as pastors , for the citizens as political leaders and for the welfare and well-being of those in the communities under the leadership of traditional Rulers .How are we able to show love and demonstrate love to the point of sacrificing for their welfare?
” What is the degree of the commitment in the care and shepherding of the people ,as religious leaders ,as pastors .What is our commitment as political leaders, those who have been elected in the various levels .How are we caring for our neighbors ,those that are hungry, how are we touching their lives ,those who are in prisons ,are we visiting them,those at the hospitals ,how do we care for them “
The leader of the Methodist world council churches ,lamented the way some Christians are hiking the prices of commodities and food items ,at this point of Covid -19 pandemic, pointing out that this is not time to cheat and exploit others ,but a time to demonstrate love.
According to him , ” How come ,we decided to hike the prices of food items at this critical period? When we should be emulating Christ in His sacrificial love. I am telling this because I have an experience. Why should Christians hike the prices of food items?
“We went out and procured food items and reached out to people like the Governor did to turn the lives of more than 200 people .I collected the one from the Governor and I decided to see that every single kobo is utilize, instead of not spending it all ,we spend higher and I went to the market, only to discover that prices of things have been hiked “
” For Christ sake ,this is a period of sacrifice ,this is a period of showing love ,a period of demonstrating our commitments to care for one another. What do we see ,this is a period for some people to make money .Are we appreciating the love that Christ shared for us”
” So I call on Christians that this time is not a time to hike prices ,it is not the time to increase cost of transport fare .It is not a time to cheat .How can a Christian be making ten times the cost he bought the goods ? Those are the things Christ is condemning”
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” So I challenge Christians to live up to their calling as Christians. In this land in the Southeast, Igbos do not have lives of isolation, the lifestyle of staying at home ,because an average Igbo man goes out every day to find out what he will eat. It is what he gets that day that he will eat that night ,in the next morning and afternoon and even the next day ,so no savings and now these people are meant to stay at home ,that is why I am commending the Governor for what he has done .I can not say I am commending myself because I have done too .We started dancing the music long ago .And I want to commend all those who have decided to donate in other to alleviate the suffering of the people. I call on politicians ,especially those who are Christians to live up to expectations”