Members of the Association of Catholic Trained Evangelizers of Nigeria (ACTEN) of the Catholic Diocese of Zaria held their first joint fellowship for the year 2022 in St Mary’s Catholic Church, Samaru Zaria on Sunday, 16th January, 2022.
Anchoring the Word sharing session on the Book of Jonah Chapter 3, the Secretary of the group, Evang. Betty Daniel reminded members of their vows to commit themselves to the spread of the Gospel and explained that their Motto ‘We and the Holy Spirit Are Witnesses’ entails a partnership with the Advocate to witness Christ to the world.
“In as much as salvation is a personal race, it is also a collective race,” she stated. “That is why this type of programme is organized so that we can help and encourage one another.
“You will faint on the way if you don’t put on strength and it is the Word of God that gives us strength. It’s either you are a Jonah or the crowd. Jonah was given another chance. You and I will be given another opportunity. This is a call and there is a mission whenever God says ‘arise.’ It’s time to ask what we are called to do. Let us arise and live up to our responsibilities. You and I are the light.”
The host Chief Servant Evang. Sunday Ihedimbu spoke on the need to hold on to the Word of God without which one gets disconnected from their Creator, just as his counterpart from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, ABU, Evang. Enoh Addai observed that some members find it difficult to answer the call as intended because of financial constraints.
“This work of evangelization is actually very tasking for some of us. Evangelizing without any financial support can be very difficult and already, some of us are not finding easy it at all. Some members were not able to attend this meeting because of financial challenges. That is the situation we find ourselves but any difficult task has a reward.
“We need help and we need to raise the bar higher this 2022. It may just be to encourage other evangelizers to participate actively in the work of evangelization. It may also mean supporting them financially.”
On his part, the immediate past Diocesan Chief Servant , Evang Pius Auta added that God speaks in divers ways and that there are times He acts in ways that seem wicked to men but nudged members to keep oiling their faith in Him.
In addition to prayers for the strengthening of the group and her members as well as the healing of her sick ones, a special prayer session was dedicated to the repose of the soul of their immediate past Secretary, Evang Michael Ugwuigba and for the consolation of his family members and for a successful burial.
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Olivia Obijiaku