One of the most vibrant and active churches in the Chicago area is the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Redemption Congregation. The main church building is at 741 E 84th St, Chicago, IL 60619, with a flourishing branch at Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Prominent on its calendar on Sunday, October 2, 2022, was the confirmation of 5 youth members and a youth day celebration that saw the youth take over leadership role in every aspect of the service.
Confirmation in a Christian Church is the rite at which a baptized person, especially one baptized as an infant, affirms Christian belief and is admitted as a full member of the Church. Confirmands also study the principal tenets of the Christian faith. By this arrangement, the youth of the Church take up responsible positions and roles as they grow in the Church.
Elder Christiana Osei Owusu presented the confirmands to Rev. Dr. Nana Yaw Amponsah Antwi to be confirmed after asking them few questions as stipulated in their study book. Rev. Dr. Nana Yaw Amponsah commended the mentors for an excellent job done. He remarked that during his meeting with the confirmands the previous day, they showed a high level of knowledge and therefore showered praises on them.
The confirmands are:
Joel Yeboah Mireku
Kofi Bugyei
Justin Owusu Achana
David Boateng
Efua Osei Tutu.
The confirmation mentors were Elder Christiana Osei Owusu and Evans Addo Yeboah. They worked and prepared them throughout a yearlong confirmation journey. In addition, the two mentors provided spiritual, emotional, and practical support to the confirmands as they discerned what kind of roles they wanted to take on in the life of the Church.
The Confirmation program at Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Redemption congregation, starts when the youth reach their late teens and their parents are willing to offer their children for it. Elder Christiana Osei Wusu stated. “We spend the entire year in Confirmation classes, helping the youth to grapple and discover their faith. We aim for them to name and claim a faith that is truly theirs, not imitating their parents, teachers, or others. We do this by leading conversations and activities to stretch their ideas about who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy Spirit is, what the Bible is, and other issues of faith.”
The youth preacher for the day was Herbert Agyei. His sermon centered on Faith in the Lord. He explained, “When we say we have faith in people or material things, it’s because they have proved themselves in the past, and we expect them to do the same in the future. But that’s not faith. It’s belief. Belief is natural. It requires evidence. Faith is supernatural. It does not require proof.” “Faith helps us walk in the light, instead of darkness, and also strengthens us to face life’s challenges,” he stated. Will you steal when the cameras are not on you in a grocery store? No, not when you have faith in the Lord., he challenged his audience.
“Faith will give you salvation; grow your faith by listening and reading God’s word, ” Herbert asked the congregation. He likened faith to a student who is adequately prepared for an examination. Such a student is not afraid on the day of the test. “So likewise, a Christian who the Bible prepares will have a strong faith that he will go to heaven”, he stated confidently .
He interspersed his preaching in English and Twi, captivating the audience with his knowledge and presentation of the word.
The youth choir led the congregation through spirit-filled praises and hymns.
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