Life StyleNews
#Coronavirus: Churches go quiet
Churches in the country yesterday went quiet, with most church buildings under lock and key.
Thar was in compliance with the directives by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on restrictions on social and religious gatherings in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
A fortnight ago, President Akufo-Addo, in a late public broadcast, had directed that all gatherings — both social and religious — should cease, while schools should be closed, for the next four weeks.
In compliance with this, the usual early morning rush by worshippers to catch the first service on Sundays was absent yesterday, as streets and roads remained deserted.
Worshippers stayed in their homes and resorted to follow their pastors via television, radio, online and other social media handles.
It was a novelty moment for most of church leaders, who are used to preaching in front of congregations, small or large, as they had to go virtual with their messages to reach out to their members yesterday.
The social media handles of the churches were also awash with advertised mobile money and bank account numbers and other channels for receiving offertory and tithes.
Graphic Reporters
The church premises the Daily Graphic visited across the country yesterday were deserted, with almost all of them under lock and key, in compliance with the directives by the President.
The scenes on the various church premises were a reflection of the difficult times the nation, and for that matter the world, is going through at the moment as it tries to contain the spread of the COVID-19.
From Cape Coast, Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that all churches in the metropolis complied with the ban on mass gatherings, with the streets being generally quiet.
At Chapel Square, the Wesley Methodist Cathedral, the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and the Christ the Sales Anglican Cathedral were all closed.
The Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Pedu was also locked, with nobody on the premises.
The Lion of Judah Cathedral of the Lighthouse Chapel International streamed its service live on Facebook to reach its congregants and provided virtual platforms for congregants to send their offerings.
A handful of members of the church’s media team and a few members of the church choir were on hand to help the Head Pastor, Rev. Paschal Godwyll, to conduct and stream the service live on social media.
From Kumasi, Daniel Kenu & Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor report that the Head Pastor of the Open Arms Ministries at North Suntreso, Apostle Kofi Nkansah Sarkodie, once more defied the ban on public gatherings and held a church service.
He was, however, picked up by the police and is currently in police custody.
The Head of Public Affairs of the Ashanti Regional Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Godwin Ahianyo, confirmed the arrest to the Daily Graphic and said the pastor would soon be arraigned.
Apostle Sarkodie, also known as “Saint Sark”, and two of his leaders were arrested last Wednesday for the same offence but released on police enquiry bail.
Kumasi complies
Apart from that incident, all other churches complied with the President’s directives by not holding church services. They rather resorted to social media to reach out to their members.
For instance, the Catholic Church in the archdiocese used CAK TV to stream the mass to the faithful in the archdiocese.
The streets, churches and even sections of the Kumasi Shopping Mall were deserted in compliance with the directive.
Popular pubs and joints received minimal patrons as people were hit by the reality following the death last Saturday of one of the three persons who tested positive for the virus in Kumasi.
Communities, including the SSNIT Flats at Asuoyeboa, went dead, as residents decided to stay indoors, with children hardly seen outside.
A few commercial vehicles (trotros) were, however, on the streets but with virtually no passengers as drivers’ mates called out for people to fill up the buses.
Churches in Sunyani and its adjoining communities complied with the ban on mass gathering as a measure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, report Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Biiya Mukusah Ali.
About 9 a.m. when the Daily Graphic visited some of the churches at Asufufu and Dr Berko, both suburbs of Sunyani, their doors were closed, with no persons seen around.
Some of the churches visited were the Prevailers Chapel International, the Assemblies of God Church, the Peace Temple of Christ, the Heaven Minded Chapel, the True Faith Church International, the Church of Pentecost, Sunyani Estate, and the Church of God Ghana.
The Daily Graphic learnt that some family members held prayer sessions in their homes, while others stayed glued to their television and radio sets to listen to live broadcasts from the headquarters of their churches.
Both the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani and the Liberty Assemblies of God broadcast their church services on the local BATV, while others did so through various radio stations.
At the Christ the King Anglican Church at Sakumono Estates in the Greater Accra Region, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Roland Kpoanu, reached out to parishioners via social media handles, report Benjamin Glover & Della Russel Ocloo.
A pre-recorded homily was broadcast on the handles of the church yesterday, which was also observed as Mothering Sunday.
At the Calvary Temple of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), a few members of the church’s media team were on hand to assist the Head Pastor, Rev. Anthony Cudjoe, and a six-member choir to conduct a two-hour online service, which was also broadcast on Adom TV, for a larger home audience.
Preaching the sermon on the theme: “God our help”, Rev. Cudjoe encouraged Christians to pray, believing that God was their strength, refuge and ever-present help in times of trouble.
The situation was not different at the Corpus Christi and the St Bakhita Catholic churches, where there was a complete shutdown, with members being asked to watch a televised service, presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, on Crystal TV.