SABBATH SCHOOL AND P/M DEPARTMENT

INSIDE S TORY

DISMISSED BUT DETERMINED: PART 1

By Isaiah Malek Garang, South Sudan

The visiting Anglican archbishop barely looked at the priest kneeling before him as he dipped his

finger into a bowl of ash and painted a small cross on the priest’s forehead. It was Ash Wednesday,

and we felt honored to have such a high church official visiting southern Sudan. But when my turn

came to step forward and kneel, I did not go forward. My fellow priests urged me to kneel and

receive the cross, but I refused. In all my years as a priest in Sudan, I had never found a reference to

such a service in the Bible. And if it was not in the Bible, I felt I should not take part.

The archbishop reported my actions to the church, which took swift action. Within two days,

another priest and I were dismissed from our positions for refusing the ashen cross. Ten years

of dedicated service to the church were as dust beneath our feet. The elders of the 17 churches I

had overseen were called in and questioned. Any of them deemed loyal to me were relieved of their

church duties. Before the dust settled, 82 people- from church leaders to innocent members-had

been dismissed from church office or membership. I was deeply shaken. What did I do that was

such a threat to my church? I wondered. I was forbidden even to enter the church I had so

recently led. Some church members feared that if they were seen speaking to me, they too would be dismissed.

But in time, I heard that others were unhappy about what had happened.

I needed to know the truth about God, the truth that had resulted in my dismissal. I spent hours a

day studying the Bible, searching to know God’s truth. Sometime later Solomon, a distant cousin,

came to visit my family. Conversation turned to spiritual matters, and I asked him about his beliefs.

Solomon told me that he was a Seventh-day Adventist. Later, I mulled over what Solomon had

said about the Sabbath. I had heard of Sabbath keepers before, but I thought that they were like Jews and did not believe in Jesus. I remembered that while studying in the seminary I had asked the priest why the holy day had been changed from Saturday to Sunday.

But he could not give me a satisfactory answer. Some said Jesus had made the change; others

said that it was changed to honor Jesus, who rose from the dead on Sunday. These answers left me

unsatisfied……

To be continued……..

EKITI CONFERENCE SABBATH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL

MINISTRIES DIRECTOR’S REPORT,  

NOVEMBER 2016 - NOVEMBER 2017

INTRODUCTION: I thank God for what He has used His people to achieve within this short period of time.

SABBATH SCHOOL: Training/Seminar have been conducted in five out of the eleven districts we have in the conference in order to make the Sabbath school department in our local churches more effective and efficient and to enhance the interest of the members in the purchasing and studying of Sabbath school study guides. This is gradually being achieved by His Grace. The following are the names of the districts already covered with the attendance record.

District                           Attendance

Ayetoro                         19

Ikun                               18

Epe                                27

Ipoti                               36

Iwaro                             23

ORGANISED CHURCHES

The number of organized churches we have in the Conference has increased by one as Oke-Aafin Church in Epe District was organized on July !, 2017. We now have 34 organised churches in our conference, as against 33 we use to have in 2016.

COMPANIES

We presently have 35 in the Conference. It was 34 in 2016.

SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY GUIDES

Below is the summary of the Sabbath school study guides purchased during the period under review.

                                                2016           2017

TEACHERS EDITION           1,186          1,334

STANDARD EDITION          2,080          2,290

YORUBA EDITION               2,857          2,937

The record shows that it is only 36.10% of the membership that are purchasing Sabbath School Study guide efforts will be made to increase the percentage.

PERSONAL MINISTRIES

Number of Active small groups  =  201

Number of members involved in lay Bible studies according to the latest report =  783

Souls won by lay members:    Adults    = 48

                                                Youth     = 17

                                                TOTAL  = 65

- Efforts shall be made to make sure more members are involved in personal ministry activities.

CHALLENGES

1.     Majority of the Districts are not submitting their quarterly report to the department which is making it difficult to send the quarterly report to the Union as expected.

2.     Majority of the Dustricts are not paying for the Sabbath school study guides booked for on time as instructed, therefore making it difficult for the Conference to mobilise printer for early production.

Notwithstanding the above mentioned challenges, we shall continue to do our best in order to achieve our goals.

APPRECIATION

I will like to express my profound gratitude to the President, Ekiti Conference Pastor Alofe O. S. for his encouragement and advice. I also thank the other two officers, Pastor Dr C. O. Ogah (Executive Secretary)  and Elder A. G. Anisere Conference Treasurer) for their cooperation.

Pastor T. O. Olaye

Sabbath School and Personal

Ministries Director, Ekiti Conference.