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Holy Rosary Catholic Church attains Parish status

•Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Acheampong,the first Parish Priest of the church assumes his seat

•Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Acheampong,the first Parish Priest of the church assumes his seat

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev John Bonaven­ture Kwofie has elevated the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Adentan to a parish status.

He has subsequently appointed Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Kwaku Acheam­pong as parish Priest of the church.

The Archbishop who paid a Pas­toral visit to the parish to mark the church’s 40th anniversary celebration, also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 14 candidates in the church.

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In his homily, he reminded those who received the Sacrament of Con­firmation that they were no longer ju­niors in the faith but adults and must, therefore, conduct themselves as such and be bold in professing the faith.

“Once you have willingly professed in the presence of the congregation to follow Jesus, you must endeavour to stay in the church and there should be no turning back, no matter the circumstances,” he advised.

He said since many of the faithful had made meaningful sacrifices and played their part in the growth of the church, it was their time to demon­strate their love for God and the church.

He asked them to stand firm in prayer, good works, service to God and man, and be on the lookout, since the devil would come in diverse ways to tempt their faith.

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He advised the faithful to use words which came from their mouth to edify, promote peace and refrain from the use of abusive language.

The Parish Priest of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Ashaley Botwe and the Deanery Head, Very Rev Fr Nimoriuos Donmanzine advised the faithful to contrive new ways of doing things.

He asked them not to relent in their efforts but remain resolute to surmount the challenges in the future.

Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Kwaku Ache­ampong expressed his gratitude to the founding fathers of the church, the past and current parishioners for the respective roles they had played over the years.

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He said the church’s motto of ‘One Family’, should not be taken as a mere cliche but the true identity of the church.

“Though the church is the mystical body of Christ, it belongs to each of us. It is, therefore, our collective re­sponsibility to lift its image and meet the needs of the people,” he advised.

The church was established in 1983 and had Rev Fathers Duncan and Fran­cis Mulders, Jacque Smeele as some of the pioneer priests.

 By Raymond Kyekye

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Fruitful Living

What Will Heaven Be Like?

Heaven is a place of hope

Heaven is a place of hope

Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Him­self will be with them and be their God.”

— Revelation 21:3

Introduction

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As we journey through life, the thought of a future home with Jesus fills our hearts with peace and anticipation. Heaven is not just an abstract idea or a distant place, but it is God’s promised home for those who believe in Him. Today, we will explore what heav­en will be like according to Scripture, how it intersects with the new earth, and why this promise is central to our faith.

1. Heaven: God’s Dwelling Place

Heaven is described as the central dwelling place of God, where He rules the universe from His throne. Al­though God is omnipresent, heaven is uniquely where His glory is most fully displayed. The Bible promises that when Christians die, they immediately go to heaven to be with Christ (Luke 23:43). However, this is not the final destination. One day, God will bring heaven down to earth, transforming the cur­rent heaven into what the Bible calls the “new heaven and new earth.”

This concept is revolu­tionary. While many imagine that heaven is a place where believers escape the trou­bles of the earth, the Bible reveals that God’s ultimate plan is to dwell with His peo­ple on a renewed earth. As Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”

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2. Heaven on Earth: The New Creation

God’s plan has always included not only redeeming humanity but also restoring creation. The fall of Adam and Eve affected not only mankind but the entire universe. However, God’s redemption plan extends to all of creation. Isaiah 65:17 promises, “See, I will cre­ate new heavens and a new earth.” This new earth will be free from sin, corruption, and death.

The future heaven, or new earth, will be a place where the glory of God is fully revealed. Jesus’ resurrection secured this future, as His victory over sin and death ensures that all of creation will be renewed. It will be a place of perfect fulfillment, joy, and peace—a world where God Himself will walk with His people once more, just as He did in the Garden of Eden.

3. The Throne of God: Reigning with Christ

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In the present heaven, God’s throne is the central feature. Yet, when the new earth is created, His throne will be established there. Revelation 22:3 says, “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city.” This means that the new earth will literally be “heav­en on earth.”

Believers will reign with Christ in this new creation, reflecting the original pur­pose for humanity. In Gen­esis 1:28, God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth, and in the new earth, this dominion will be fully realised. Believers will serve God, not in tedious labour but in joyful, meaningful work. The Bible promises that we will reign with Him forever, ruling as His chil­dren in a perfect, restored world.

4. The Uniting of Heaven and Earth

A remarkable truth about the new heaven and new earth is that they will not be two separate realms. Instead, they will be unit­ed under Christ. Ephesians 1:10 describes God’s plan to “bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” This means that there will no longer be a di­vision between the spiritual and physical realms.

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Just as the curtain sepa­rating God from humanity was torn when Christ died, the barrier between heaven and earth will be removed in the new creation. The result will be one seamless universe, where God dwells among His people forever.

5. The Wonders of the Holy City: New Jerusalem

The Bible describes the New Jerusalem as a city of unparalleled beauty and glo­ry. Revelation 21:2 reveals that the city will descend from heaven to earth, and it will be the capital of the new earth. This city is de­scribed as having gates that are always open and streets of pure gold. Revelation 21:24 says, “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it.”

This implies that the new earth will have cultures, nations, and rulers—all redeemed and purified. The diversity of people and cul­tures on the new earth will reflect the creativity of God. All the best aspects of histo­ry, culture, and art will be restored and redeemed for God’s glory.

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6. Life on the New Earth: Joy and Fulfillment

Life on the new earth will be anything but boring. Some people mistakenly believe that heaven will be a place of endless inactiv­ity, but this is far from the truth. Revelation 22:3 tells us that “His servants will serve Him.” Our work in heaven will be fulfilling and without the curse of sin. We will use our talents and gifts to glorify God in everything we do, and our desires will perfectly align with His will.

The new earth will also be a place of feasting, fellow­ship, and joy. Matthew 8:11 promises that we will dine with Abraham, Isaac, and Ja­cob in the kingdom of heav­en. The Bible often depicts heaven as a banquet, where we will enjoy food, drink, and celebration with Christ as the guest of honour.

We will also have the op­portunity to continue learn­ing, growing, and exploring God’s creation. The wonders of the new earth will be endless, as Ephesians 2:7 says, “in the coming ages He will show the immeasurable riches of His grace.” We will spend eternity discovering new aspects of God’s great­ness and beauty.

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7. The Restoration of Rela­tionships and Creation

One of the most comfort­ing promises of the new earth is the restoration of relationships. In heaven, all brokenness will be healed. There will be no more pain, sorrow, or death. God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and we will be reunit­ed with loved ones who have also placed their faith in Christ. The relationships we experience in heaven will be free from sin and full of love, as we will know each other fully and perfectly in Christ.

Moreover, the new earth will see the restoration of creation itself. The Bible suggests that even animals will be present on the new earth. Isaiah 65:25 describes a world where “the wolf and the lamb will feed togeth­er.” This imagery points to a peace that extends to all of creation.

Conclusion

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Heaven, as revealed in Scripture, is not a distant or abstract place. It is our true home, where we will dwell with God forever. The new heaven and new earth will be a place of unimaginable beauty, joy, and fulfillment. As we look forward to this future, we are reminded of God’s incredible love and grace. He desires to be with us, and His plan from the beginning has been to dwell among His people. Let us live in light of this hope, sharing the good news of the gospel and anticipating the day when heaven and earth are united under Christ.

Stay blessed!

For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0302-772013 or 0268130615

Email: saltnlightminis­tries@gmail.com

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Website: saltandlightgh. org

  • By Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
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Fruitful Living

 National Chief Imam blesses Muslim Youth in Agriculture project

• The National Chief Imam with Mr Mensah at his residence at Fadama

The National Chief Imam with Mr Mensah at his residence at Fadama

 The National Chief Imam, Sheikh (Dr) Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has urged Ghanaian Muslims to venture into agriculture in order to enhanced food security in the country.

The Chief Imam said this when the Managing Director of Sky Dolphin Limited, Wisdom Mensah, paid a courtesy call on him at his residence at Fadama, a suburb of Accra on Monday.

Mr Mensah presented a gift to the National Chief Imam in support of his planned anni­versary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (Maulid) which comes off today October 5 at Fadama.

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The National Chief Imam asked for Allah’s blessing for the success of the Muslim Youth in Agriculture project.

Mr Mensah is supervising the Muslim Youth in Agriculture project, a partnership be­tween the Muslim community and the Sky Dolphin Limited, which involves novel aqua­ponics project, a mixture of fish farming and crop farming, aimed at creating jobs for the teeming unemployed Muslim youth as well as vulnerable rural Muslim women.

The representatives of the Islamic Community on the Muslim Youth in Agriculture, aquaponics projects are Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, the founder and chairman of the Islamic Council for Develop­ment and Humanitarian Ser­vices in Ghana (ICODEHS) and Special Advisor to the National Chief Imam, Imam Moham­med Awal Alhassan, the Metro­politan Chief Imam of Takoradi and Greater Accra Chief Imam of the Dagomba Community, Sheikh Yusuf Farouk Alhassan Umar Yussifiya, the Imam of Yussifiya Mosque in Kumasi and Acting Chairman of the National Hilal Committee of Ghana and Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman, Eminent Member and Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Peace Council of the National Peace Council of Ghana and Execu­tive Secretary of the Tijjaniya

 By Spectator Reporter

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