(THE DAILY TRUST) Enugu — The Territorial Envoy of the Salvation Army, for Nigeria and Mali Territory, Dr. Levi C. Monanu has reminded Christians in Nigeria and Mali that the church is not just a building where Christians meet and worship but , rather the collective body of the faithful who are followers of Christ Jesus.
Dr. Monanu, who is also the Chairman of Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board, Anambra State, stated this at the weekend while re-dedicating the CC Chapel, Federal Prison, Enugu. He re-stated, ” While we rejoice in the gift of this building, I want to use this opportunity to also remind you of something we all know is true but we find easy to forget, the church is not a building. The church is us – you and I, not the building that we meet in.”
He recalled that through the ages, God had moved His people to build houses of prayer, praises and set apart, places for the ministry of His holy word. He emphasised that “with gratitude for the re-building of the CC Chapel of the Federal Prison Enugu, we are now gathered to re-dedicate and consecrate it in God’s name.”
The Envoy, however, explained that the church was also a place for people to get to know God better, to worship Him together and to learn how to take the message of God’s love to the neighbourhood and the world over.
He added that the event marked an “important step in the long history of hope, for work of this hall to be re-dedicated today to come in fruition.”
Dr. Monanu explained that to dedicate something was to set it aside for a special purpose, stressing that “today we will set aside this place as a house of refuge for those who are hurting and in need; a place where a worried one dumps his problems to God; a place where one communes with his creator and gets renewed; a holy temple of God – in short, a hospital for spiritual and moral transformation, where seekers shall meet God in spirit and where prayers are answered.”
Expressing gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the building, the envoy said, ” The joy which I feel, presiding at this ceremony became greater when I saw all soldiers of Christ of different denominations troop out and the DCP (Deputy Comptroller of Prisons) himself, and some of his officers present too.”
