Old Catholic Church Celebrates Milestone Ordination as 2 becomes Bishop
TEC News!
In a joyous and spirit-filled ceremony at Ihugh, Benue State, the Old Catholic Apostolic Church, Province of Nigeria on Thursday celebrates milestone ordination as 2 New Bishops were ordained, consecrated and added to the church Council of Bishops.
The consecration ceremony, attended by church members, families and friends, marked a significant milestone in the church’s history.
The two ordinands, who have undergone rigorous training and preparation, were presented with Oblations and ordained by the Presiding Bishop of Province of Nigeria ‘OCAC’ Church, Most Revd Raphael Fagbohun Oluwaseun, Phd.
In the messages he emphasized during the consecration Ceremony, Most Revd Raphael charged the newly installed Bishops to see the ordination as a call to service and not title or decoration.
He emphasized the importance of servant-leadership and challenged the new Bishops to serve with humility and compassion.
The ordinands expressed their gratitude to the church and their families for their support and encouragement throughout their journey which they both described as uneasy and Challenging.
They also pledged to serve the church and the community with more dedication and commitment.
The Ordinands, Bishop Levi Terkula Tyo-Abuul who is now Bishop of Ihugh Vicariate mentioned his challenges so far to TEC News correspondent and promised to serve the people with the new mandate.
“I see this as a challenge for me to do more. The journey has not been easy but God has been faithful. We are looking forward for more expansion and to do more for God” . Bishop Terkula stated.
The second Ordinand, Bishop John Oamen Akhigbe is now the Bishop of Southern Vicariate appreciated God who has brought him so far.
“I thank God almighty who has brought me so far. It has not been an easy journey to this point but thank God for where he has brought me”, the new bishop told TEC News.
The Presiding Bishop of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church, OCAC, Most Revd Raphael Fagbohun spoke to TEC News over number of issues including what is expected of the new Bishops and he said ; more service.
“More Service. They have no excuse now anymore. I don’t need to come all the way from my base to come and do what they are empowered now to do. They have no excuse anymore. More growth is expected. More expansion is expected and etc. No excuse now”. He said.
The wife of Bishop Levi Terkula Tyo-Abuul, Rev Mrs Latifah Terkula spoke to TEC News and expressed her joy that God has been faithful. When asked what the journey to this point looked like , she said uneasy but God has been coming through.
“The journey has not been easy. Infact, sometimes I would like to cry when I can’t see my husband for days but Grace would just helped me. He is hardly around. His passion is so high for his people. He just wants his people fine. He thinks them , he lives for them. His going away from the family is not for anything bad but service to God and the people. I had to pray specially that God should just strengthen me and He is doing just that”.
When Rev Mrs Latifah Terkula was asked what next, she said expansion and on what would she do with the thousands of people under them now, Rev Terkula said she would feed them.
“Expansion. Yes , Expansion is what is next. On the people, I will feed them”.
The Ceremony was held at the Old Catholic Apostolic Church Cathedral, Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State and above 2,000 worshipers graced the occasion.
Different groups made presentations in singing and dancing during the ceremony which include the Tiv dance and the people were thrilled watching and making merry in the reception that followed, where church members and guests celebrated the new Ordinands and their families.
Old Catholic Apostolic Church, OCAC has the Rt Revd. Adrian Trimlett-Glover as the Patriarch of the Church Worldwide and one of the differences between the church and others Catholic is that OCAC Church priests can marry and have children if they so desire.
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