FOLLOWING the recent directives by the Lagos and Ogun state governments placing a ban on all religious meetings and gatherings of more than 50 worshippers in Lagos, as part of the precautionary steps towards managing the further spread of the Coronavirus disease, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG has issued a new guideline for Sunday worship in the affected two states.
A memo titled: “Slight alteration in the mode of service for parishes in Lagos and Ogun states” from the Assistant General Overseer (Admin & Personnel) Pastor Johnson Folorunsho Odesola and addressed to pastors-in-charge of regions and provinces in Lagos dated March 18, 2020, outlined the changes.
According to the letter made available to VANGUARD late on Wednesday night, Pastor Odesola said: “We refer to the directive from the Lagos and Ogun state governments placing a ban on all religious meetings and gatherings of more than 50 worshippers in Lagos, as part of the precautionary steps towards managing the further spread of the Coronavirus disease.
“In line with this directive from the government, the mission authority has instructed as follows:
1. Parishes that have an average of attendance of 50 members or less can hold their services without any alteration or changes.
2. Parishes that have average attendance above 50 members are directed to make use of their House Fellowship centres to run simultaneous services with the main church.
3. Parishes that have the facility to run more than one service can also do so, under the strict directive that worshippers won’t exceed 50 people per service.
4. One supervising minister and an usher could be seconded to each Centre for the collation of necessary reports (attendance, New converts, Newcomers, etc)
5. All centres are requested to connect to Dove Television to join the live broadcast from the General Overseer during the period.
Continuing, Pastor Odesola informed the senior pastors that the arrangement will remain in operation for the next few weeks, based on the position of the Government.
“You are therefore requested to convey the assurances of the continued prayer of the General Overseer to members, while also encouraging them not to panic in the face of ongoing crisis because God promised us victory over every battle at the start of this year,” the AGO in charge of Administration, maintained.
Earlier on Wednesday, our correspondent confirmed that an annual Power Conference Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), First Born Family (FBF) scheduled for Sunday to hold its 32nd anniversary Power Conference tagged: ‘Emerge” at the Tafawa Balewa Square with the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, ministering became the first casualty of the governmental ban.
Feelers reaching Vanguard indicate that the power conference designed to assist the army of poor persons in the Lagos Islands through the free meal programme of the First Born Family in addition to the spiritual and physical healing to members of the congregation through the ministration.
The head of the First Born Family and the pastor-in-charge of Region 19 of the church, Pastor Brown Oyitso said due to the prevailing circumstances in the country especially with the scourge of Coronavirus diseases the programmer has been put on hold and appealed to Nigerians for understand that the RCCG is a law-abiding church organization that will not flout the laws of the land.
“While we pray to God, the ultimate healer of diseases to lift this scourge as He did in 2014 with a similar situation and dealt a deadly blow on ebola, to do same now, we are duty-bound to adhere strictly to directives.
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