Tomorrow, Anglican faithful in the nine dioceses will converge on the Dr Alex Ekwueme square, Awka for the 2021 edition of their prayer rally. The rally is to seek the face of the Lord in the series of challenges confronting Anambra State in particular and Nigeria at large. It will be presided over by the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Chibuzor Ibezim, PhD, to be assisted by other Bishops and clergy.

The Anglican Prayer Rally was introduced in 2013 when the Most Reverend Christian Efobi was the Dean, Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Aguata Diocese and since then it has been sustained. This year’s rally is the eighth in the series.

Tomorrow’s rally will draw the Anglican faithful and their friends to seek the face of the Almighty God in proffering solution to the problems confronting the society, especially insecurity, economic somersault, marginalization and, above all, praying for God’s will to be done in the November sixth Governorship election in Anambra State.

The theme for this year’s prayer rally is: Be Strong In The Lord, taken from Ephesians, chapter six verse ten. It is to remind the people of the need to have absolute faith in God, while passing some life challenges. In the Bible, when the church in Ephesus was passing through some challenges, Paul the apostle of Christ encouraged the faithful to be strong in the Lord. After receiving the message from Paul the apostle, the brethren were encouraged and God showed that He is still God that never changes.

This shows that during trying moment, it behooves the church to bring relief to the people through common supplication. That is what the faithful of all the Anglican parishes that make up the nine dioceses in the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger are doing tomorrow, October 23rd at the Dr Alex Ekwueme square in Awka, beginning at 10am. Tomorrow’s prayer rally of the Anglican Church in Anambra State promises to be more rewarding. The word of God will come with power through His servant, Right Reverend Dr Johnson Ekwe, Bishop, Diocese of Niger West. Governor Willie Obiano is expected to grace the occasion with other top government officials.

Though the times are tough, even the strong are fainting, hence, the Anglican prayer rally 2021 is a great opportunity to prayerfully hand over the affairs of both Anambra State and Nigeria to God. It is written in the Bible that unless the Lord watches over the house, the watchman watches but in vain and unless the Lord build’s the house the builders build in vain.

The Archbishop of Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim needs to be commended for the able way he has been piloting the affairs of the province.

The Bishops of other Dioceses that make up the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger namely, Dioceses on the Niger, Nnewi, Aguata, Ogbaru, Amichi, Niger West, Ihiala and Mbamili, should equally be commended for their support in approving the annual prayer rally, which since its inception, had continued to achieve the desired objective.

More importantly, the planning committee led by Bishop of Nnewi Diocese Right Reverend Ndubisi Obi and Sir Chinedu Ike, the coordinator, should be giving a pat on the back for their resilience in seeing that the Prayer rally continues to wax stronger.

The Anglican prayer rally, which has come to stay, is a practical continuation of the tradition of the church in evangelizing the Igbo land since the 19th century through Onitsha in1857.

Though the rally is being organized by the Anglican Church in Anambra State, people from other denominations can join in the prayer since we are one body in Christ Jesus. We should also remember that Christ is not divided.

Prayer is the master key to break even, Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. 2021 Anglican prayer rally here we come.

WRITTEN BY PATRICK AKOBO

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