It was a day of excitement and joy recently at the Royal Episcopal Evangelical Communion Cathedral in Owerri, as as the congregation gathered to celebrate the one-year priesthood anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther and Rev. Clinton Festus Nwaodu.
It had been a year filled with challenges, growth, and spiritual awakening for the two young brother priests. Their dedication and hard work had begun to bear fruit, and this special day was an acknowledgment of their journey.
Bishop Festus Nwaodu, the Bishop of the Cathedral, centered his homely around the theme of
“Labourers and Harvest” A call to reflect on the true mission of the church and the nature of the harvest that Christ asks his followers to tend.
He spoke of the Church’s challenges and how the mission had been diverted from its original purpose.
“The church today is not the same as the one that Christ planted. We see today’s harvest filled with weeds, messages that serve the politics of man rather than the eternal truths of God.”
He urged the celebrants to look beyond the distractions of the world, to focus instead on the true harvest, souls yearning for salvation.
“When i started , i asked God for wisdom, power and strength to first and foremost convert my immediate family and God answered me.
His passionate plea was a reminder to the congregation of their own roles as labourers in God’s vineyard.
He charged both Rev. Martin Luther and Rev Clinton, with the responsibility of leading by example, ensuring their work bore fruit that would last.
“Do not allow the pressures of the world to sway you, our focus should be on harvesting souls for Christ’s kingdom.”
Speaking, Arch Bishop Chidi Chikelu, while commending Bishop Nwaodu said,
“What Bishop Nwaodu is doing one may not understand, in the spirit realm, he is actually cutting across both the physical and spiritual.
“For a man of God to bring his children into priesthood ordination is not found in anywhere , not to talk of having his four children into the holy order.
“In the next 10 years to come, they will begin to give birth to another generation and before you know it, they will begin to produce a generation of priests, it is biblical “.
“Your leadership embodies the message of Christ, and today, we celebrate two of your children Rev. Martin Luther and Rev Clinton Nwaodu, for their unwavering dedication”.
The celebration not only acknowledged the achievements of the past year but also inspired a renewed commitment to serve, to love, and to harvest with a purpose.
The anniversary celebration was not just an acknowledgment of a milestone but a call to action.
The seeds of faith planted in the past year would continue to grow and flourish, nurtured by the unwavering commitment of those dedicated to the service of God.
Rev.Martin Luther and Rev. Clinton Festus, in different speeches thanked God Almighty for sustaining them through out the period, and promised to keep to their vows.
