Freeman Ghanaian Methodist Church, Beckenham Inaugurated

Just over a year after the inauguration of Dunwell Ghanaian Methodist Church at Ketley in the Telford circuit, Freeman Ghanaian Methodist Church at Beckenham in the Bromley circuit has followed suit. The inaugural service of Freeman Ghanaian Methodist Church was held on Sunday, 18 June 2023, with the Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo as the officiating minister. 

Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev Dr Paul K. Boafo

Amongst the clergies in attendance include Very Rev Quophie Anochie Ababio, Rev William Davis, Rev Stephen Poxon, Rev Dr Casely Essamuah, Rev Papa Bona Owusu and Rev George Quarm. Also, present at the service was the Asafo Maame Helena Abena Boafo, wife of the presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana.

GMF-UK Chaplain, Very Rev Quophie Anochie Ababio

Preaching under the theme “Reward for being Hospitable”, Rev Dr Leão Neto recounted how Abraham and Sarah were blessed for welcoming strangers. He told the congregants to create spaces for everyone at home or church whatever their circumstances. He told the congregants to embrace difference. 

Rev Dr. Leão Neto, Interfaith and diverse languages fellowships officer

The Ghana High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah, also a Methodist, thanked the Methodist Church in Britain for the initiative to allow culture and language-specific congregations. He urged the congregants not to be exclusive and try their best possible to strengthen and enrich Methodism in the UK. 

Ghana High Commissioner to UK, His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah

Deacon Laura MacBean who represented the Bromley circuit was grateful for the revival of the church and prayed for the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and discernment. 

Deacon Laura MacBean, Bromley Methodist circuit

Past president of the Methodist Church Britain Conference and current minister at St Mark’s Methodist church, Tottenham, Rev. Stephen Poxon, reflected on Genesis 22:17a “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.” He listed many culture and language-specific congregations that have been formed and more yet to come and said this is a clear sign of revival and renewal of the Methodist church in Britain.

Rev Stephen Poxon, Minister at St Mark’s Methodist Church, Tottenham

Newly constituted church council were inducted into office by the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo. Mrs Nana Ama Brehene-Ankah and Mrs Justina Bilson were appointed senior church steward and church council secretary respectively. 

Church council members with the clergy

Some members of the congregation

Freeman Ghanaian Methodist Church meets from 3.00 pm-6.00 pm every Sunday at Clock House Road, Beckenham, BR3 4JP.

Story by Felix Adoko Otabil- GMF-UK Media

The Dunwell seed is still bearing fruit

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, The Most Rev Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo has paid tribute to the early missionaries from Britain who travelled to modern-day Ghana to share the gospel.

The Presiding Bishop was speaking at the first-anniversary celebration service of the Dunwell Ghanaian Methodist Church in Telford, UK. He said, “The fruit you see today is the mustard seed planted by the Rev Joseph Dunwell in Cape Coast in 1835.” He expressed the joy and pride of the Methodist Church Ghana for the first-year anniversary of the Dunwell Ghanaian Methodist Church as the first fully Ghanaian congregation in Britain.

The Presiding Bishop urged the church leadership not to grow weary but to continue to offer sacrifices just as the early missionaries did. He said you can do this through “love, unity, respect and humility.”

Photo: some members of the congregation with the clergy

Other clergies in attendance were Rev Rachel Parkinson, Chair of the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District, Rev Christopher Parkes, Minister-in-charge of Dunwell Ghanaian Methodist, Rev Leão Neto, Interfaith and diverse languages fellowships officer, Very Rev Quophie Anochie Ababio, Chaplain of Ghanaian Methodist Fellowship-UK, Rev William Davis, Rev Jacob Donkoh and Sis Betty Vaughan from Wolverhampton circuit. Betty lived in Ghana between 1962-1967 and initially worked at the Methodist Women’s Training Institute, Kwadaso, Kumasi and later in Takoradi.

Photo: Rev Rachel Parkinson decorated with Methodist Church Ghana scarf

The Dunwell Ghanaian Methodist Church has thirty-five members and is still growing with some regular visitors.

Story by Felix Adoko Otabil- GMF-UK Media