Cultural differences are draining Ghanaian Methodists in Britain – Rt. Rev. Christopher Andam

The Rt. Rev. Christopher Nyarko Andam, a Minister in Great Britain has said the partnership between the British Methodist and the Methodist Church Ghana is rooted in our historical link because of the first missionaries who came to the Gold Coast and brought Christianity to the shores of Ghana and stayed with us until we gained autonomy on 1960.

“Two different conferences but with a common partnership because of our relationship before 1960, the Minister noted.

Bishop Andam stressed that the Methodists who travel from home to Britain have the opportunity to worship in any Methodist Church except for The cultural differences – differences in our style or worship where most of the people do not really “feel at home”.

He added that some methodists end up going to other denominations and later become members of their church making the Methodist church lose most of its members.

The Rev Emmanuel Aggrey Ogoo is said to be the first chaplain to be stationed in Britain to help mobilize Ghanaians there to start a church with the Ghanaian doctrine and style of worship.

“Most churches were in the Ghanaian fellowship within the various congregation with the aim of feeding into the Central Fellowship and because they belong to a congregation or society they worship weekly but meet once a month for a joint fellowship at the Central Hall in Britain given to the methodists for fellowship” he added.

Th Rt. Rev. Christopher Andam said the Central Hall is located in the Heart of Britain, close to the Parliament house and is rented for 3000 pounds sterling per hour but has been given to the church for free to be used for fellowship.

“It is expensive maintaining that zone -lightening, heating, security is been paid for so the church also donates to the state yearly as an appreciation.

The fellowship that feeds into the main church can be located in places like Tottenham, Edmonton, Croydon and Central Hall who come together to meet once every month.

He further added that the church in Great Britain is going down particularly in terms of membership because their society has changed a bit.

“In Ghana, children are taught the Lord’s Prayer at a very tender age so they grow up knowing God but the laws in Britain doesn’t allow a parent to force a child to go to church or join any fellowship or anything of such actions.

Meanwhile the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, the Most Rev Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah Gyadu is on a pastoral visit to Great Britain been invited over by the British Conference to discuss and strengthen the partnership that exists between the two conferences.