The Elder –In-Charge, St. Gabriel House of Prayer of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ilupeju, Lagos, Senior Apostle Solomon Ikanade Agba, has described as a dream come true and joy unspeakable the construction of an ultra-modern worship centre by the church.
The church was dedicated by the Prelate of ESOCS, Most Eminence, Baba Aladura, Dr David D. L Bob Manuel, who was accompanied by a large retinue to elders in the church including the Deputy Baba Aladura, Elder Dr Harold Olusegun Demuren; Elder (Dr.) Napo Emuchay, who the President, The Organisation of African Instituted Church (OAIC) Nigeria and Senior Apostle General/ Secretary of ESOCS, among other dignitaries.
In his address at the dedication of the new church auditorium named the Citadel of Blessing, Agba, the Elder-in-Charge, explained how God secured the land on which the edifice stands on for the church and expressed gratitude to church members who laboured to deliver the project.
“I can only describe my feeling on this auspicious occasion as joy unspeakable,” he said
According to him, it is a dream come true which conforms to God’s word in Habakkuk 2:3 that “for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
He revealed that the land on which the new structure was erected used to have two properties owned not by the church but expressed gratitude to the Most High for giving the land as a heritage to the church.
He said, “A little over four years ago, the ground on which this magnificent building is now standing used to have two other properties not owned by the church. By the infinite grace of the Most High, He gave the properties to us as a heritage for the purpose of his divine worship and to propagate the gospel.
“I give glory to the Most High God for such privilege. In line with the declaration of Apostle Paul in a letter to the Romans 9:16, ‘So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.’ Glory to God on High. It has been a great journey but our Father and the King of Kings has made it possible to see this event.”
Appreciating those he said the Almighty God used to make the building possible, Agba mentioned Elder Clem Agba, who is currently the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning; Special Senior Apostle Charles Omonzane, Special Senior Apostle Amos Edeaghe, Apostle Fidelis Akhabue, Elder Bassey Edem, and Elder Dere Otubu of Ikeja Province, among others.
He prayed to God to bless, replenish and nourish them.
He further stated, “I want to also place on record the support of His Most Eminence, Baba Aladura, Dr David D. L Bob Manuel, who then as Deputy Baba Aladura encouraged us in this venture and also recommended his engineer who did some excellent work in the construction of this edifice. By God’s divine plan, he is here today to dedicate the church.
“What we see as a beautiful edifice is the architectural work of our own accomplished architect and soldier of Christ, Apostle Emmanuel Ume-Ezeoke.”
On the history of the St. Gabriel House of Prayer, Agba explained, “I was told that the journey of Saint Gabriel House of Prayer started from the private sitting room of our late father, Supervising Apostle General B. Macaulay. He worked assiduously for the growth of the church, especially in Lagos, [this branch gave birth to so many branches in the current Ikeja and Lagos provinces] and I am delighted that his amiable wife, Senior Mother-In-Israel Agnes Macaulay, has also remained steadfast to his ideals and is present to see that his efforts were not in vain.
“I will also make mention of the fathers of the branch who also contributed to the growth of the branch- Apostle General R.K.A. Yunyun, Apostle General M.O. Osebor, Apostle General. G. Ogbuehi, all of who God has kept alive to see this occasion. And for those of them that have passed on like late Special Senior Apostles Mathias Ayemhi, Eddy Ikhile and Matthew Atukeke, we pray God to rest their soul in peace.
“However bright the sky may be, there must always be a dark spot. On 30 March 2018, which was a Good Friday, we lost the then building committee chairman, Senior Apostle Jude Uzokwu, to the cold hands of death. I really wished he was alive to witness this day. His works live after him.”
“I know many of us and others have been praying for this occasion and the building at large, we want to thank our Father for the much that has been done. As we dedicate it to the Lord today, I am conscious and mindful of the prayers of Solomon in 1st Kings 8:22-30 and especially verse 25 which states, ‘Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promised him, saying, there shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.’
“What Solomon inferred was that God promised his father David that he [David] shall never fail to have a man to sit before Him on the throne of Israel, if only the sons of David are careful in all they do, to walk before Him as David did. This is a challenge and charge to us and it represents the greatest objective for the construction of this edifice.”
He expressed the optimism that the church building would help members focus their lives on God, adding that when worshippers gathered they do so to worship God, hear His word, and to receive His grace, forgiveness and love.
“We come to learn and to grow in our pilgrimage with our Lord. We come to build one another up and rejoice that God is in our midst and that He is alive and active in our lives. As such, this edifice as a House of Prayer represents a place of hope, motivation and sanctuary for anyone who seeks the face of Jesus Christ. It is an arena of the Holy Spirit for the propagation of the gospel of salvation,” Agba declared.
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