RETURN OLD PRICES OF GOODS, SAME WAY YOU DID NATIONAL ANTHEM-Sir Agbotian Tells FG, As Ika Diocesan Layreaders Concludes Layreaders Week Activities With Thanksgiving
By Nicholas Ebegboni
The Federal Government of Nigeria have been challenged to revert back to the old prices of goods and services in the country just as they were able to in no time, returned the old national anthem.
During a sermon delivered on the 2024 Layreaders Week at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Ute-Okpu on Sunday, July 21, 2024, Sir Agbotian expressed his disappointment with the current economic situation.
He pointed out that if the government can quickly change the national anthem, they should also be able to restore the prices of goods and services to what they were when the old anthem was in use.
Sir Agbotian also criticized the National Assembly for reportedly spending billions of Naira on changing or returning a national anthem, which has had no positive impact on the economy.
The Layreaders president appreciated the Vicar of St. Luke’s Anglican Church Ute-Okpu, Ven. V.N. Etumudor, and his wife, for the hospitality they offered the Layreaders, during the Lay readers week, as he also thanked member of the church for supporting the Vicar in ensuring that the church is not stagnant.
Sir Agbotian who titled his message, ‘Jesus, Light of the World’ while taking his focus text from the book of John 8 verse 12 and Genesis chapter one verses three and four, said as believers, when we show the light, people would find the way.
He affirmed that, the church is light, on such, anyone who claim to be a Christian must live by example.
Speaking on modern day churches and their strange doctrines, he noted that there is a church in Ika land known as koboko church, while there is another one known as okpali (basket) church, as he wondered if what churches do these days were the things the bible asked us to do.
In his words, “Our members are those these churches use to start their so-called ministries, especially our women; all because they are looking for solutions, meanwhile, there are no solution in those places.’
Continuing, “I know of a church where the pastor of the church was lambasting native doctors while he was preaching, meanwhile the native doctor who prepared the charm for him that was making the church to grow was in the church.
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“The Native doctor who felt the pastor was condemning native doctors because of him, stood in the presence of the whole congregation, went to where the charm he prepared for the pastor was, dug it out and took it away, and the church scattered.
“People are looking for where people are falling, and feel that is where power is, there is no power in such places, God is not the author of confusion; in Anglican, once the Bishop performs ablution on you, God has answered your prayers.”
In the same vein, he warned that, at the end, everyone must give account of how he or she lived here on earth.
The preacher stated that, whatever we see in society today, is a product of what happened at home, as he pointed out that there are some husband and wife who live in the same house, sleep on the same bed, but for years have not spoken a word to each other.
He warned those who see their brother progressing and become envious, saying such persons can never progress since they hate progress.
According to him, in the olden days, if one’s conscience is not clear, they do not take holy communion, but today, people go to three, four junctions to perform sacrifices, even carry the name of their children to shrines, yet come to the church to receive holy communion.
He averred that in many homes today, one sees the girl child pressing phone, while the mother is doing domestic chores. According to him, a lot of women have been sent parking from their matrimonial homes because they do not know how to cook.
The president lamented that, ‘Mushroom’ churches have divided a lot of homes, turning wives against husbands, siblings against each other with their false prophecies.
More so, he encouraged members of the church to bring souls to God, and urged them to pledge to God, that before 2024 runs out, they must bring at least, one person to the church.
He said, “If one cannot bring one person to church from January to December then one is in darkness.”
The president encouraged the Layreaders in the diocese to be proactive and not to be dormant saying that they are called and commissioned as Layreaders to show people the light.
During the launching for church development projects, Sir Agbotian who spearheaded the segment, noted that the Lay readers are for the development of the church.
He said, no matter what one gives to God, it’s the attitude that matters and not the amount one has given, as he appreciated the manner in which those called to the high table for the launching walked majestically to the table, affirming that even if they did not give anything, their attitude towards the work of God is what is important.
Meanwhile, the Lay readers in their usual style, as part of the activities for their week visited an orphanage home, to donate some food items to the orphans.