By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay –
This past Tuesday 12th November 2024, the Anglican Diocese of Freetown commenced their 4th triennial session of synod, where Bishop Thomas Arnold Ikunika Wilson called for renewed commitment to faith and community outreach.
The event which started on Tuesday will end on Sunday 17th November 2024 at the Saint Augustine’s church, Hill Station in Freetown.
The theme for this year’s Synod, is “What is in your Hand” drawn from Exodus 4:2, focuses on God’s call to use the gifts He has placed in the hands of Christians for His glory.
Bishop Wilson stated that while people often grumble about what they lack, they fail to recognize the gifts already provided to them by God, encouraging participants to be open and willing to be used by God in the service to the Church and community.
Speaking during the formal opening, Bishop Wilson stated that the main reason for the gathering is for them to deliberate on the current issues and the way forward of the church.
He gave brief background of St Augustine’s church, where he underscored that the church was founded in March 1930 and catered exclusively to the white expatriates in government service who were then living at the Hill Station, but the church is no longer predominantly white and is the only mixed congregation in terms of liturgy in the diocese.
He said the Anglican Diocese of Freetown is a diocese in the Church of the Province of West Africa, which is part of the Anglican Communion.
“In our first and second gathering, we deliberated on issues relating to our spiritual development and that of our diocese, during the last gathering, our deliberation centered on us moving out of our comfort zones and advancing into our various communities,” he said.
He also spoke extensively on leadership, describing a true leader as one who unites people and guides them forward, highlighting the key qualities of effective leadership in the church, including commitment to the Word of God, godly character, accountability, and flexibility.
He emphasized that the Church needs leaders who are open, committed, and willing to work in service to God’s mission.
Bishop Wilson highlighted that synod is a way for them to elect representatives to come together as a group of Anglican Christians to share the concerns of their Christian faith and practice and to discern God’s will for the church.
“That’s why we come together every three years to report on our performance, look at our operations and take decisions on the way forward for our church,” he stated.
Bishop Wilson’s also spoke on the importance of evangelism, urging the Diocese to continue spreading the Gospel and thanking God for the achievements of the Church over the past three years.
He further stated that from 2021 to date, they were able to achieve a number of things together as a church during the period under review which includes dedication of Anglican House, representing the diocese at the Lambeth conference in July to August 2022, the completion and dedication of Mount Zion Training Centre.
During the session, he also reflected on areas for rebranding and growth within the Diocese, noting that the review of the Diocese’s constitution was long overdue.
He proposed improvements such as collaboration with other churches, updating the church logo, and reworking the liturgy and mission strategies.
He went on to highlight key area of concern which was the urgency of evangelism, adding that sharing God’s Word and the message of forgiveness is not just important, but it is a matter of life and death.
He also addressed global challenges, such as climate change, calling on the Church to take an active role in combating environmental issues that threaten human existence.
In addition, Bishop Wilson urged the Diocese to take greater responsibility for protecting children.
“Our Lord Jesus Christ loves and protects children, and if we are His disciples, we must follow His example,” he said.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence in Sierra Leone, he encouraged the Church to take a more proactive stance in addressing these critical issues.
Further, the Bishop called for the establishment of a diocesan radio station and website, recognizing the importance of engaging with the digital world.
“The cyberspace is already being used to spread information, and even in our churches, people now read the Bible on their phones,” Bishop Wilson noted.
He urged the Diocese to harness technology as a tool for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Today, we are starting another session of planning for our Diocese reflecting on what God has put in our hands and how we can use them to achieve his purpose for our Diocese. So as leaders, be you priest or lay, great or small, we are all positioned at different levels as solutions to problems of life,” he concluded.
