Cedar Mountain Chapel Celebrates 65th Ghana Indece Day Anniversary With Prayer, Cultural Display

It was all about colour, cultural heritage and motivation as the Cedar Mountain Chapel (CMC) focused on the nation with a special Sunday service to commemorate Ghana’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations on 6 March 2022.

It would be the ninth consecutive year of celebrations by the branch of the Assemblies of God Church, with nationalism permeating all aspects of the service on Sunday.

The auditorium was decorated with national colours and Ghana flags as each member waved mini flags during the prayer sessions.

Church members wore Ghanaian attire, with short drama, documentaries and cultural performances interspersed during the church service.

Founder and Lead Pastor of Cedar Mountain Chapel, Rev. Dr. Stephen Wengam, said, “The Bible enjoins us to pray for the peace of the country in which we find ourselves. It’s peace and prosperity is our peace and prosperity”.

Consequently, he held an intercessory session solely for the leaders of the government and the success of the country.

In line with activities for the day, the sermon was themed: ‘Making Ghana’s prophetic destiny glorious’.

The Bible verses were taken from Proverbs 3:35 and Proverbs 6:6-9.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise. Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?” – Proverbs 6:6-9 NKJV.

In his message, Rev. Wengam outlined valuable points on making Ghana’s destiny and that of congregants glorious using lessons from ants.

“So, if you want to be wise, Solomon says, go to the ant. Go to the ant if you want to see God’s glory this year. Ghana, go to the ant, Africa, go to the ant. And consider her ways, her activities, how the ant plans her life, how the ants go about things,” he admonished.

According to him, the Bible’s reference to sleep in Proverbs 6:6-9 is not necessarily physical sleep but failure to work and utilise the human brain for productive solutions.

In his view, “Sleepers cannot be achievers” and “a nation that does not observe the ways of the ant is exposed to poverty”.

He said ants exemplified excellent leadership and management, wisdom, discipline and self-motivation.

Ants teach humans to exhibit selfless unity at all times, he observed.

In that regard, he condemned the winner-takes-all syndrome in Ghana’s governance, where everyone else is neglected or abandoned once an opposing political party win power.

He pointed out that leaders are consumed by the “suffer in opposition” mentality.

Hence, “When you come, you can ‘chop’, when you finish, and then you go.”

In his opinion, that is one of the reasons why Ghana takes “five steps forward and 100 steps back”.

“That tiny creature of God does not have degrees or masters yet wiser than us,” he stressed.

The church also used the service to introduce its awards and honours programme for deserving persons in society.

The maiden Global Patriotic Award was presented to the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General (Dr) Emmanuel Kotia, who was the guest of honour for the independence anniversary service.

“That’s our humble way of saying thank you. Well done. In this part of the world, we only descend on leaders when they make mistakes and they are corrupt” but fail to acknowledge when people are excelling.

“I mean, we must move beyond the politicians and reach out for civil and public servants who are doing well, and he [Major General Kotia] is one of them,” Pastor Wengam explained, as he handed the award and citation.

The award was presented to Major General Kotia for his “invaluable contribution towards attaining global peace and same in Ghana”.

Major General Kotia has distinguished himself as an international analyst and expert in defence and security, serving in the army for over 34 years.

His immediate past appointment was Commander of the Western Sector of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2018 to 2019.

Before then, his last appointment in Ghana was the Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Accra, Ghana.

By way of academic qualifications, he holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (First Class Honors) in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Ghana, Master of Science Degree (MSc) in Global Security from the Cranfield University of the United Kingdom; and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science from the University of Ghana.

He was appointed a Clinical Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Kennesaw State University, USA, in 2013.

He lectured a three-credit course for students on the PhD and Master’s Courses in International Conflict Management on Peace and Security in Africa at the Kennesaw State University from 2013 to 2017.

He was also appointed a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom in 2014, where he teaches a three-credit course in peace and security for the master’s course in International Relations annually.

In his remarks after receiving the honours, Major General Kotia thanked the Cedar Mountain Chapel.

Also, he lauded the church’s good work for “mankind, especially for humanity in this country”.

“We want to thank God for the tenacity and the words of

wisdom that has come out from the word of your pastor, especially on the lessons from the ants,” Major General Kotia concluded.