It turns out that Heaven seemed to have declared June 2010 as a kind of Global Church Unity month. And, this so-called church unity activist, set to resume the publishing of a magazine in pursuit of the vision, was totally oblivious of it. Like Jacob at Bethel, all I can say is “and I knew it not” (see Genesis 28:16).
First, as the month opened, God by His Spirit rescued me from the grievous error of trying to resuscitate KINGDOMPeople magazine as an indirect, rather than a direct church unity tool. It was subtle: He did by simply introducing me to the ministry of Bro Cyprian Agbazue and the International Foundation for Church Unity (IFCU). But it worked! It got me scolding myself: “what were you thinking?”
Next he exposed me to the “One Prayer” initiative of Pastor Craig Groeschel and his team at LifeChurch.tv, in the United States – a June-long programme involving 1,300 churches in 25 countries. Already in its third year, the initiative had led to the planting of over 1,600 new churches in India, Cambodia, China and Sudan. And “One Prayer 2010”, which ends this weekend, is expected to help in planting additional 500 new churches in those countries with funds from a special offering collected from the participating churches, including two in Nigeria.
Earlier, Edinburgh 2010, a four-day conference had held in Scotland. Formally opened on June 2, it was a momentous and historic event marking the 100th anniversary of the World Missionary Conference held in the Scottish capital in 1910.
Speaker after speaker, at the conference, attended by about 1,000 leaders from across the denominations, reiterated the need for the Church to unite.
Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, international director of the World Evangelical Alliance, at the opening session, drew attention to the theme of the conference and posited that witnessing to Christ was a potent church-unifying force. His words: “This conference’s theme is ‘witnessing to Christ today.’ We are … talking about …bearing glad witness to Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity…There is no authentic Christian mission that does not bear witness to him in word, deed and character, both individually and corporately. And there is no authentic church that does not have a passionate commitment to mission, reflecting the heart of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
Another notable speaker was Dr Olav Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. He said the prayer of those who gathered in 1910 – the prayer of Jesus in John 17 “that the church may be one” – was the same prayer for leaders gathered in Edinburgh 2010. He said, “One hundred years after the Edinburgh conference in 1910 we are challenged to launch together a new beginning for common mission in the 21st century. We need to discern together what the call to carry the cross of Christ means for us today; as we witness together and find different ways to make it visible that we are called to be one.”
The Anglican Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu., told the closing audience to “be, see, think and do mission” and quit just “re-arranging the furniture.” In his opinion, “reorganizing the structures; arguing over words and phrases while humanity as a whole plunges suicidally into obscurity and meaningless and despair … (are) totally irrelevant to the needs of the world today.”
He warned that Jesus was being judged negatively as a result of the words and deeds of believers, and called upon Christians “to put love where there is none” by turning away from “self-absorbed individualism
.
A nine-point “Common Call” issued on the final day of the conference reads in part: “… We are challenged to welcome one another in our diversity, affirm our membership through baptism in the One Body of Christ, and recognize our need for mutuality, partnership, collaboration and networking in mission, so that the world might believe..”
As if to climax this special month of unity, another historic gathering ends tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The two largest bodies of churches in the Reformed tradition, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, WARC (75 million members), and the 12million-member Reformed Ecumenical Council, REC arrived the meeting with their individual identity intact. But they are leaving as one, having on Friday, June 18 signed a new constitution and bylaws to become World Communion of Reformed Churches, WCRC. It was the culmination of a unity move begun in 2006.
Richard van Houten, general secretary, REC, captured the essence of the event, when he told the hundreds of delegates from around the world gathered for the Uniting General Council: “In these times of division and dissension in so many areas of our lives – including church life – it is highly significant that two global groups of churches … should be willing to come together in a higher level of union than ever before."
On his part, WARC president, Clifton Kirkpatrick said, “I do believe it is God's intention that we live together in unity and I thank God for this momentous day in which we are not just called to be more cooperative, but to be one in Jesus Christ."
The move has been widely hailed across the globe with, among others, the World Council of Churches describing it as a "new expression of the visible unity of God's church."
I find Kirkpatrick’s assertion, above, very instructive; The Reformed Churches began by being more cooperative and have now progressed to “be one in Jesus Christ." It seems to me that being more cooperative is where the journey to becoming “one in Christ” must begin. That, I believe, is what God has instituted KINGDOMPeople to do - join others to help birth cooperation on the irreversible journey to unity. That, unfortunately, was one task we were on the verge of placing on the back-burner. But thanks be to God, that is one task to which we have now rededicated ourselves, as the magazine prepares to come back – to stay. So help me, God. CONCLUDED
Sunday 27 June 2010
Sunday 20 June 2010
CHURCH UNITY - ALWAYS ON THE FRONT BURNER (2)
I confessed here last week that in the pursuit of the mission of returning KINGDOMPeople magazine to the news stand in its print format, one of its core visions had all but been confined to the implied rather than the direct. I confessed that it took the arrival of Bro Cyprian Agbazue’s two books and the introduction of the ministry of International Foundation for Church Unity (IFCU) to point out this grave error.
But, as I mentioned in closing, it didn’t end with IFCU. There was something else, indeed other things happening at the global level, which served to jolt me to the realisation that the Church Unity issue is not on God’s back burner. It is important to Him and He continues to raise instruments for the pursuit of this all-important goal everywhere each with specific assignments.
As you read this, for instance, the third annual One Prayer initiative, brainchild of the fast-growing and innovative LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma City , USA , is well underway across the globe. About 130 churches with a combined congregation of nearly 750,000 drawn from across denominational lines in 25 countries, including Nigeria , are this month participating in the unity-triggering initiative.
Derived from the question, “if God would answer 'one prayer' for the church at large, what would you pray," One Prayer goes further to lead the church to ponder another question: “what if we became the answer to the Lord Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-24, that we would be one? That, according to Pastor Craig, was how One Prayer, initiated in 2008, became an opportunity to see what can be accomplished when the Church works together.
And what have seen in the two years since it started was God working in amazing ways. The organisers say, “millions of believers around the world have united to pray, learn, and love others.” And that has given them the impetus to look forward to another wonderful year. Continuing, the LifeChurch.tv helmsman said, “God has worked in amazing ways each year, and we can't wait to see what He does during One Prayer 2010.”
In the event, these servants of God have galvanised their congregations since June 6, to “come together for four weeks as we learn more about our Creator and go out into the world to share, serve and give…sharing teaching, training, resources, and, most importantly, God’s love with the world…and learning and growing as a global body of believers” exploring this year’s teaching theme”...’Unstoppable’
Explaining the theme, Craig said, “When the Church unites, it's unstoppable... unstoppable grace, unstoppable compassion, unstoppable evangelism, unstoppable love, unstoppable generosity, unstoppable truth, unstoppable hope...”
This is the message being preached throughout the period from several perspectives by several minsters from several parts of the world. In a kind of pulpit swap, participating churches are being ministered to by video by about 60 ministers from outside their own home church, possibly from outside their denomination, country or even continent, thus hopefully breaking denominational barriers and uniting believers.
In one of the messages, Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of the programme originators, LifeChurch.tv, lamented that the divisions among Christians, manifesting in churches competing for larger attendance numbers, fighting over worship style, and increase in rising number of denominations around the world, must be “breaking the heart of God”.
I wonder, he said, “if God ever looks at all of His churches, all the Christian churches all over the world, and asks, ‘Why can't you guys come together? Why are you so divided when my Son Jesus prayed 'Father, make them one.’''
Continuing, he said the series was born more out of repentance than a passion for unity, out of his desire not to be competitive against other believers and to instead be united. “Unity”, he said, “begins with recognizing ‘one enemy’ – Satan, and not the church down the street or in another denomination.”
In a chat with Christian Post earlier this month, Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor at LifeChurch.tv, further explained the goal of this aspect of the vision: "When we share teaching, we have the opportunity to learn as a global body of believers…It's incredible to think that a message recorded in Australia can change a life in Costa Rica or that a pastor in a small American town can influence people in Ghana, Guatemala, and points in between…As we freely share resources during One Prayer, it also helps foster a spirit of generosity between churches."
In his own a message being beamed to hundreds of congregations throughout June, Pastor Groeschel is challenging believers to unstoppable courage. His words: "God is going to call some of you to increase your risk and decrease your security and live by faith, Normal people rarely live by faith. Normal people always have excuses of why they can't do this or that. Normal people rarely ever face their fears. Normal people live with regrets…Those with unstoppable courage do not look at their fears, but rather look at God who says all things are possible.”
“One Prayer” is however, not just about messages and teachings. As senior pastor Craig puts it, having one heart and one purpose is also a powerful unity tool. “What would happen if we the Church across the world united and took all the resources that God has given us, he asked. And then answered, “Within a week, starvation could be eliminated, every person could have access to drinking water, poverty could be eradicated, and the world could not only know the name of Jesus, but they could see him if we became one. By Sunday, the world would worship like never before as they have come to know the glory, power and love of Jesus through his followers.”
That’s why over the last two years, participants in the initiative were galvanised to help support the planting of over 1,600 new churches in India , Cambodia , China and Sudan . And for One Prayer 2010, churches are being encouraged to spread God's love by giving to an organisation or cause they're passionate about. That’s not all, they hope to make lasting impact by collecting a special offering to help support the planting of 500 new churches in Cambodia , India , Sudan and China .
The unity train is moving globally and Nigeria is involved, thanks to Ikeja-based Newbirth Ministries International led by Bishop Francis Anunobi, and Pastor Yemi and Bimbo Ojelade’s Global Impact Church located in Surulere, Lagos. (CONTINUES)
But, as I mentioned in closing, it didn’t end with IFCU. There was something else, indeed other things happening at the global level, which served to jolt me to the realisation that the Church Unity issue is not on God’s back burner. It is important to Him and He continues to raise instruments for the pursuit of this all-important goal everywhere each with specific assignments.
As you read this, for instance, the third annual One Prayer initiative, brainchild of the fast-growing and innovative LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma City , USA , is well underway across the globe. About 130 churches with a combined congregation of nearly 750,000 drawn from across denominational lines in 25 countries, including Nigeria , are this month participating in the unity-triggering initiative.
Derived from the question, “if God would answer 'one prayer' for the church at large, what would you pray," One Prayer goes further to lead the church to ponder another question: “what if we became the answer to the Lord Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-24, that we would be one? That, according to Pastor Craig, was how One Prayer, initiated in 2008, became an opportunity to see what can be accomplished when the Church works together.
And what have seen in the two years since it started was God working in amazing ways. The organisers say, “millions of believers around the world have united to pray, learn, and love others.” And that has given them the impetus to look forward to another wonderful year. Continuing, the LifeChurch.tv helmsman said, “God has worked in amazing ways each year, and we can't wait to see what He does during One Prayer 2010.”
In the event, these servants of God have galvanised their congregations since June 6, to “come together for four weeks as we learn more about our Creator and go out into the world to share, serve and give…sharing teaching, training, resources, and, most importantly, God’s love with the world…and learning and growing as a global body of believers” exploring this year’s teaching theme”...’Unstoppable’
Explaining the theme, Craig said, “When the Church unites, it's unstoppable... unstoppable grace, unstoppable compassion, unstoppable evangelism, unstoppable love, unstoppable generosity, unstoppable truth, unstoppable hope...”
This is the message being preached throughout the period from several perspectives by several minsters from several parts of the world. In a kind of pulpit swap, participating churches are being ministered to by video by about 60 ministers from outside their own home church, possibly from outside their denomination, country or even continent, thus hopefully breaking denominational barriers and uniting believers.
In one of the messages, Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of the programme originators, LifeChurch.tv, lamented that the divisions among Christians, manifesting in churches competing for larger attendance numbers, fighting over worship style, and increase in rising number of denominations around the world, must be “breaking the heart of God”.
I wonder, he said, “if God ever looks at all of His churches, all the Christian churches all over the world, and asks, ‘Why can't you guys come together? Why are you so divided when my Son Jesus prayed 'Father, make them one.’''
Continuing, he said the series was born more out of repentance than a passion for unity, out of his desire not to be competitive against other believers and to instead be united. “Unity”, he said, “begins with recognizing ‘one enemy’ – Satan, and not the church down the street or in another denomination.”
In a chat with Christian Post earlier this month, Bobby Gruenewald, a pastor at LifeChurch.tv, further explained the goal of this aspect of the vision: "When we share teaching, we have the opportunity to learn as a global body of believers…It's incredible to think that a message recorded in Australia can change a life in Costa Rica or that a pastor in a small American town can influence people in Ghana, Guatemala, and points in between…As we freely share resources during One Prayer, it also helps foster a spirit of generosity between churches."
In his own a message being beamed to hundreds of congregations throughout June, Pastor Groeschel is challenging believers to unstoppable courage. His words: "God is going to call some of you to increase your risk and decrease your security and live by faith, Normal people rarely live by faith. Normal people always have excuses of why they can't do this or that. Normal people rarely ever face their fears. Normal people live with regrets…Those with unstoppable courage do not look at their fears, but rather look at God who says all things are possible.”
“One Prayer” is however, not just about messages and teachings. As senior pastor Craig puts it, having one heart and one purpose is also a powerful unity tool. “What would happen if we the Church across the world united and took all the resources that God has given us, he asked. And then answered, “Within a week, starvation could be eliminated, every person could have access to drinking water, poverty could be eradicated, and the world could not only know the name of Jesus, but they could see him if we became one. By Sunday, the world would worship like never before as they have come to know the glory, power and love of Jesus through his followers.”
That’s why over the last two years, participants in the initiative were galvanised to help support the planting of over 1,600 new churches in India , Cambodia , China and Sudan . And for One Prayer 2010, churches are being encouraged to spread God's love by giving to an organisation or cause they're passionate about. That’s not all, they hope to make lasting impact by collecting a special offering to help support the planting of 500 new churches in Cambodia , India , Sudan and China .
The unity train is moving globally and Nigeria is involved, thanks to Ikeja-based Newbirth Ministries International led by Bishop Francis Anunobi, and Pastor Yemi and Bimbo Ojelade’s Global Impact Church located in Surulere, Lagos. (CONTINUES)
Sunday 13 June 2010
CHURCH UNITY - ALWAYS ON THE FRONT BURNER
I have lately been immersed in preparations for the “third coming” of KINGDOMPeople, a publication we like to style as “the general interest magazine for all who name the name of the Lord in truth.” As those who have read this column for a while know, it is a publication which has the unity of the Church as one of its main raison d’être. That is to say, it will be unaffiliated to nay one church or denomination or group.
Yet, it took a call from Pastor Paul Adams to remind me that that particular aspect of the magazine’s reason for existence was not being directly addressed. We had three editions packaged with none directly discussing the issue. We had put them together with considerable sensitivity to inclusiveness, created a “Family Debate” section where we were hoping to encourage frank, but polite and humble discussions of issues of denominational differences on some hot button subjects with which the enemy had kept the church apart. But we had refrained from any direct mention of the subject.
Then Pastor Paul called. He had given my name and number to some brethren organising a seminar on church unity, he said. I should therefore expect their call. Now you may know that apart from being the super-star actor that he is, Bro Paul is an ordained pastor who also coordinates Sonship Unity Foundation, a unity ministry he founded. So it was natural that he would be contacted on such matters. Having had the privilege of serving on SUF’s team and organising a One Church Luncheon, way back in 2005, at which he anchored a very lively talkshow, you might understand why he thought I was an appropriate person to link with these brethren.
Anyway the call eventually came. It turned out that the caller, Cyprian Agazue, a chartered surveyor by profession, presides over a group known as International Foundation for Christian Unity (IFCU). The foundation, he told me, wants me to be one of the speakers at this year’s edition of their annual symposium already scheduled for October 5, 2010 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos. A letter of invitation was going to be sent to me, if I would provide an address, he said. I did.
But that is not the story. The story is that what Bro Agbazue sent to me was a parcel, not just a letter. For, accompanying the letter were two books authored by him, and published by the foundation. They are “His Seven Priorities” published in 2005 and “That They May Be One: A Divine Strategy for Christian Unity” published last year. I skimmed through the books and became intrigued by what God was already doing through this brother. So, I not only plan to be at the symposium, if the Lord tarries, I also hope to be able to collaborate with him and his foundation in whichever way the Lord would lead.
But let me tell you a bit about IFCU as I gleaned from the books and a visit to their website (ifcuonline.com). It was founded in 2005 at the formal presentation of “His Seven Priorities”, the book the Holy Spirit told him was orchestrated “to make God’s desires on a new strategy for Christian unity known to His people”. According to him, he used the opportunity of the event to present the vision to those present and seven persons responded to his invitation at a meeting two weeks later thus becoming founding members of the new organisation.
IFCU’s vision is to “increase the awareness among Christian of God’s urgent call for the physical unity of all Christians as a way of quickening the conversion of the world in view of the imminent return of Christ for judgment and “popularize the seven strategies established in the Old Testament by God himself perfected in the New Testament by the salvation of all men as the panacea for genuine Christian unity.”
It also envisions “to follow the example of the Lord who has shown himself at the forefront of this rapprochement by using men from different denominational backgrounds to bring back this focus in our generation”
Its strategies for actualising the vision include the use of mass communication tools such as the print and electronic media, billboards and more personalized materials such as fliers, handbills, tracts and posters targeted at Christians everywhere and, organize symposia, seminars and lectures in public places for this purpose.
Other methods are production of “radio and television programmes for the purpose of awakening and mobilizing global interest in Christian unity; cooperation with other organizations or church denominations already involved on dialogues at various levels and; organising of periodic public prayer sessions for Christian unity at chosen venues. Of course the foundation would also mobilize and manage resources for the pursuit of its goals as articulated.
For those who might be wondering, “why Christian unity?” IFCU says “The desire of Christ that His Church should remain in complete physical unity throughout the ages was unequivocally stated in the words of His last prayers just before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion. He said; ‘I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have love them even as you have loved me’ (John 17:20 -23).”
There’s more on IFCU on their website, but as I was saying, the incursion of the ministry into my consciousness at this particular juncture led the team to repentance for being derelict in not including some direct church unity content in KINGDOMPeople. And with it, a rethink. But it didn’t end with IFCU! At the global level something even more compelling was also happening. I’ll tell you about it next week.
Yet, it took a call from Pastor Paul Adams to remind me that that particular aspect of the magazine’s reason for existence was not being directly addressed. We had three editions packaged with none directly discussing the issue. We had put them together with considerable sensitivity to inclusiveness, created a “Family Debate” section where we were hoping to encourage frank, but polite and humble discussions of issues of denominational differences on some hot button subjects with which the enemy had kept the church apart. But we had refrained from any direct mention of the subject.
Then Pastor Paul called. He had given my name and number to some brethren organising a seminar on church unity, he said. I should therefore expect their call. Now you may know that apart from being the super-star actor that he is, Bro Paul is an ordained pastor who also coordinates Sonship Unity Foundation, a unity ministry he founded. So it was natural that he would be contacted on such matters. Having had the privilege of serving on SUF’s team and organising a One Church Luncheon, way back in 2005, at which he anchored a very lively talkshow, you might understand why he thought I was an appropriate person to link with these brethren.
Anyway the call eventually came. It turned out that the caller, Cyprian Agazue, a chartered surveyor by profession, presides over a group known as International Foundation for Christian Unity (IFCU). The foundation, he told me, wants me to be one of the speakers at this year’s edition of their annual symposium already scheduled for October 5, 2010 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos. A letter of invitation was going to be sent to me, if I would provide an address, he said. I did.
But that is not the story. The story is that what Bro Agbazue sent to me was a parcel, not just a letter. For, accompanying the letter were two books authored by him, and published by the foundation. They are “His Seven Priorities” published in 2005 and “That They May Be One: A Divine Strategy for Christian Unity” published last year. I skimmed through the books and became intrigued by what God was already doing through this brother. So, I not only plan to be at the symposium, if the Lord tarries, I also hope to be able to collaborate with him and his foundation in whichever way the Lord would lead.
But let me tell you a bit about IFCU as I gleaned from the books and a visit to their website (ifcuonline.com). It was founded in 2005 at the formal presentation of “His Seven Priorities”, the book the Holy Spirit told him was orchestrated “to make God’s desires on a new strategy for Christian unity known to His people”. According to him, he used the opportunity of the event to present the vision to those present and seven persons responded to his invitation at a meeting two weeks later thus becoming founding members of the new organisation.
IFCU’s vision is to “increase the awareness among Christian of God’s urgent call for the physical unity of all Christians as a way of quickening the conversion of the world in view of the imminent return of Christ for judgment and “popularize the seven strategies established in the Old Testament by God himself perfected in the New Testament by the salvation of all men as the panacea for genuine Christian unity.”
It also envisions “to follow the example of the Lord who has shown himself at the forefront of this rapprochement by using men from different denominational backgrounds to bring back this focus in our generation”
Its strategies for actualising the vision include the use of mass communication tools such as the print and electronic media, billboards and more personalized materials such as fliers, handbills, tracts and posters targeted at Christians everywhere and, organize symposia, seminars and lectures in public places for this purpose.
Other methods are production of “radio and television programmes for the purpose of awakening and mobilizing global interest in Christian unity; cooperation with other organizations or church denominations already involved on dialogues at various levels and; organising of periodic public prayer sessions for Christian unity at chosen venues. Of course the foundation would also mobilize and manage resources for the pursuit of its goals as articulated.
For those who might be wondering, “why Christian unity?” IFCU says “The desire of Christ that His Church should remain in complete physical unity throughout the ages was unequivocally stated in the words of His last prayers just before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion. He said; ‘I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have love them even as you have loved me’ (John 17:20 -23).”
There’s more on IFCU on their website, but as I was saying, the incursion of the ministry into my consciousness at this particular juncture led the team to repentance for being derelict in not including some direct church unity content in KINGDOMPeople. And with it, a rethink. But it didn’t end with IFCU! At the global level something even more compelling was also happening. I’ll tell you about it next week.
Sunday 6 June 2010
DOLORES ATWOOD…A VICTIM’S PROGRESS
But as I said earlier, institutional preservation, important as it is can become a stumbling block to justice. I am a Church Unity campaigner who also believes strongly that the church must refrain from shooting its wounded generals, of which Archbishop Burke count as one. But to say, as Archbishop Alaba Job, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, has been quoted as saying that the accusations against Bishop Burke are “unsubstantiated sexual allegation” which are “unfounded” and “has created confusion not only among the lay faithful but also the entire people of Nigeria,” is to stand the truth on its head. Not even Father Burke said that!
I have not met Dolores Atwood, the Nigerian woman at the centre of a child sex abuse controversy that led to the recent resignation of Archbishop Richard Burke of the Benin Archdiocese. But I cannot but salute her courage. You have got to be courageous to go public with that kind of story for several reasons.
For starters you have the cynicism of the general public to deal with. This was obvious from the way a sizeable percentage of commentators on virtually all on-line forums took her story with tonnes and tonnes of salt.
Next, you have the church establishment locally and internationally to deal with. These establishments have powerful machines at their disposal which they are never reluctant to use in furtherance of perceived institutional interest and against opposition. Anyone who has followed this issue with even passing interest will recall that it was to the Saint Patrick’s Missionary Society in Ireland, to which the cleric is affiliated, that Mrs Atwood first reported in December 2008. She only went public in October 2009, when the wheel of justice had snailed for ten months and didn’t seem anywhere near destination. And to illustrate how these things really work, it has emerged that the society actually interviewed the Bishop as early as January 2009, but mysteriously had yet tot complete investigation at the time Dolores went public. But easily the most brazen evidence of institutional support for “one of our own” came through a statement credited to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria during the week. I shall return to it presently.
It also takes tremendous courage to brace up for all the potential fall-outs of such a disclosure on her reputation and esteem within her family - nuclear and extended. But most important of all, it takes courage to, having done what she felt convicted to do, go on with your life without allowing the weight of yesterday to drag you down today. That is my fascination with the story and my admiration for the heroine of the story.
All available information leave one in no doubt that since settling down in Canada with her husband after a stint in Thailand, Dolores Atwood has simply been unstoppable these past twelve years. Indeed she has become a prominent member of her Yarmouth Town community in the Nova Scotia province of Canada.
Mrs Atwood serves on such town council committees as the Yarmouth Municipal Planning Advisory Committee, Tri-County Housing Authority and the Yarmouth Town and Municipal Heritage Committee. She is a public advocate for the Cancer Society and is a one-time president of the Business and Professional Women's Club both in Yarmouth Town and in the province of Nova Scotia. She once represented Nova Scotia on the board of CUSO Atlantic. The list of her local, provincial and national organisations also include the Children’s Aid Society. Prior to settling in Canada, she worked as and as a Child Welfare Officer in Thailand where she had responsibility for raising funds to establish rural childcare centres.
Dolores Atwood has not just been active on the social scene, she’s been involved in politics as well. She has her sight on service in public governance which she hopes to kick-start through membership of the provincial Legislative Assembly through the Liberal Party of which she’s a prominent member. She explained her motivation in these words : " Since coming to Yarmouth, I have want to make a difference, so I chose to roll up my sleeves and get involved…All three of my children were born here and I want to make sure that they have an opportunity to stay here and raise their families here."
Of her vision, she told an audience of electors recently : “From my experience, the challenges that Yarmouth is facing are similar to those in many rural communities around the world. They include the erosion of critical transportation infrastructure, out migration of youth and skilled trades people and a lack of support for small and medium sized business…Governments at all levels need to focus on growing rural economies by investing in critical infrastructure, encouraging industry and business development and cutting back on bureaucratic waste. The people of Yarmouth are looking for more than just the status quo from their elected officials. I will represent a new and bold way of thinking and will be a strong voice for Yarmouth”. She didn’t get the Liberal Party ticket to run this time, but, there sure is no stopping this woman of conviction and courage.
I have gone through all of these, dear reader, to demonstrate to someone out there with a baggage from the past trying to keep you down. You can say no! You can take a cue from this Nigerian graduate of International Relations, sexually abused as a 14-year-old by a priest she said she saw as a pair of available listening ears during a traumatic period when her parents’ marriage was going trying times. Like Dolores Atwood, you can pick up the pieces of your life and match forward to victory.
But as I said earlier, institutional preservation, important as it is can become a stumbling block to justice. I am a Church Unity campaigner who also believes strongly that the church must refrain from shooting its wounded generals, of which Archbishop Burke count as one. But to say, as Archbishop Alaba Job, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, has been quoted as saying that the accusations against Bishop Burke are “unsubstantiated sexual allegation” which are “unfounded” and “has created confusion not only among the lay faithful but also the entire people of Nigeria,” is to stand the truth on its head. Not even Father Burke said that!
His public statement was clear: Although “I was recently officially informed by the Society Leader of St Patrick's Missionary Society that, following their investigations in Nigeria, no corroborating evidence was found to support the allegations of child sexual abuse made against me”; but, “I have been unfaithful to my oath of celibacy. I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour…I take full responsibility for my actions. I wish to express my deepest sorrow for my inappropriate, irresponsible and repeatedly sinful conduct.”
Did Bishop Job and his colleagues read this or were they misquoted?
I have not met Dolores Atwood, the Nigerian woman at the centre of a child sex abuse controversy that led to the recent resignation of Archbishop Richard Burke of the Benin Archdiocese. But I cannot but salute her courage. You have got to be courageous to go public with that kind of story for several reasons.
For starters you have the cynicism of the general public to deal with. This was obvious from the way a sizeable percentage of commentators on virtually all on-line forums took her story with tonnes and tonnes of salt.
Next, you have the church establishment locally and internationally to deal with. These establishments have powerful machines at their disposal which they are never reluctant to use in furtherance of perceived institutional interest and against opposition. Anyone who has followed this issue with even passing interest will recall that it was to the Saint Patrick’s Missionary Society in Ireland, to which the cleric is affiliated, that Mrs Atwood first reported in December 2008. She only went public in October 2009, when the wheel of justice had snailed for ten months and didn’t seem anywhere near destination. And to illustrate how these things really work, it has emerged that the society actually interviewed the Bishop as early as January 2009, but mysteriously had yet tot complete investigation at the time Dolores went public. But easily the most brazen evidence of institutional support for “one of our own” came through a statement credited to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria during the week. I shall return to it presently.
It also takes tremendous courage to brace up for all the potential fall-outs of such a disclosure on her reputation and esteem within her family - nuclear and extended. But most important of all, it takes courage to, having done what she felt convicted to do, go on with your life without allowing the weight of yesterday to drag you down today. That is my fascination with the story and my admiration for the heroine of the story.
All available information leave one in no doubt that since settling down in Canada with her husband after a stint in Thailand, Dolores Atwood has simply been unstoppable these past twelve years. Indeed she has become a prominent member of her Yarmouth Town community in the Nova Scotia province of Canada.
Mrs Atwood serves on such town council committees as the Yarmouth Municipal Planning Advisory Committee, Tri-County Housing Authority and the Yarmouth Town and Municipal Heritage Committee. She is a public advocate for the Cancer Society and is a one-time president of the Business and Professional Women's Club both in Yarmouth Town and in the province of Nova Scotia. She once represented Nova Scotia on the board of CUSO Atlantic. The list of her local, provincial and national organisations also include the Children’s Aid Society. Prior to settling in Canada, she worked as and as a Child Welfare Officer in Thailand where she had responsibility for raising funds to establish rural childcare centres.
Dolores Atwood has not just been active on the social scene, she’s been involved in politics as well. She has her sight on service in public governance which she hopes to kick-start through membership of the provincial Legislative Assembly through the Liberal Party of which she’s a prominent member. She explained her motivation in these words : " Since coming to Yarmouth, I have want to make a difference, so I chose to roll up my sleeves and get involved…All three of my children were born here and I want to make sure that they have an opportunity to stay here and raise their families here."
Of her vision, she told an audience of electors recently : “From my experience, the challenges that Yarmouth is facing are similar to those in many rural communities around the world. They include the erosion of critical transportation infrastructure, out migration of youth and skilled trades people and a lack of support for small and medium sized business…Governments at all levels need to focus on growing rural economies by investing in critical infrastructure, encouraging industry and business development and cutting back on bureaucratic waste. The people of Yarmouth are looking for more than just the status quo from their elected officials. I will represent a new and bold way of thinking and will be a strong voice for Yarmouth”. She didn’t get the Liberal Party ticket to run this time, but, there sure is no stopping this woman of conviction and courage.
I have gone through all of these, dear reader, to demonstrate to someone out there with a baggage from the past trying to keep you down. You can say no! You can take a cue from this Nigerian graduate of International Relations, sexually abused as a 14-year-old by a priest she said she saw as a pair of available listening ears during a traumatic period when her parents’ marriage was going trying times. Like Dolores Atwood, you can pick up the pieces of your life and match forward to victory.
But as I said earlier, institutional preservation, important as it is can become a stumbling block to justice. I am a Church Unity campaigner who also believes strongly that the church must refrain from shooting its wounded generals, of which Archbishop Burke count as one. But to say, as Archbishop Alaba Job, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, has been quoted as saying that the accusations against Bishop Burke are “unsubstantiated sexual allegation” which are “unfounded” and “has created confusion not only among the lay faithful but also the entire people of Nigeria,” is to stand the truth on its head. Not even Father Burke said that!
His public statement was clear: Although “I was recently officially informed by the Society Leader of St Patrick's Missionary Society that, following their investigations in Nigeria, no corroborating evidence was found to support the allegations of child sexual abuse made against me”; but, “I have been unfaithful to my oath of celibacy. I am deeply ashamed of my behaviour…I take full responsibility for my actions. I wish to express my deepest sorrow for my inappropriate, irresponsible and repeatedly sinful conduct.”
Did Bishop Job and his colleagues read this or were they misquoted?
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