Pilgrimage to Ghana Seminar: Reflections from Lexington Theological Seminary
Global Ministries is partnering with Lexington Theological Seminary for a Pilgrimage to Ghana Travel Seminar. This pilgrimage is an expression of LTS’s commitment to the formation of students, clergy, and lay leaders who embody a deep understanding of our global realities, the interconnections of our lives, and the mission of the global church. The pilgrimage provides an opportunity to study the exponential grown of Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa, the efforts and challenges of contextualizing the gospel as an authentic expression of African faith and spirituality, and the opportunities and challenges currently facing theological education in the Ghanian context. There will also be opportunity to visit community-based projects of the Christian Council of Ghana related to interfaith dialogue, human trafficking, and economic justice.
Each day, one participant from the group is providing a reflection on their experience, you can read these reflections below.
Day One
“Jesus said, ‘I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you…. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as love me.’”
John 17:20-21 (NRSV)
Our delegation from Lexington Theological Seminary arrived in Ghana last night after over 24 hours of traveling and were met with such wonderful hospitality by Dr. Joyce Steiner and Ms. Salome Kadi from the Christian Council of Ghana, a partner organization of Global Ministries, which is a common witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ that relates to over 250 partners in over 90 countries.
This morning, on our first full day in Accra, Ghana, our delegation from Lexington Theological Seminary had the privilege of worshipping with the Bethesda Parish, of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, a partner church of Global Ministries, a common witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ that relates to over 250 partners in over 90 countries. For almost three hours, we worshipped in song, dance, and word together with sisters and brothers. Multiple choirs, adorned in their various uniforms, sang songs of praise. One of the pastors, Rev. Ken Djotepe, delivered a sermon that focused on caring of our neighbors, saying that “We are called to love and be thoughtful towards others. Being thoughtful means that we live in care for others, because in God’s eyes we are all one.” As in the United States, elections are coming up soon (in Ghana on December 7) and senior Minister Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Amey spoke about the need for political parties to care for all citizens and to unite the country instead of focusing on divisive rhetoric (something we could use right now in the US context). And over the course of the service, at least three different offerings were collected, with members dancing up the aisles with joy to give. We were asked to share, and Dr. Kahala Cannon brought greetings from Global Ministries, President Charisse Gillett brought greetings from LTS and Rev. Dr. Don Gillett II did so on behalf of the Christian Church in Kentucky.
And all during the service, Jesus’ words to his disciples recorded in John kept coming to mind. Despite speaking different languages, coming from different places and cultures, and all that could divide us, those of us from LTS worshipped. We sang. We heard God’s word proclaimed. We gave offerings of thanksgiving. We felt God’s presence.
We worship a God of all peoples, cultures, and languages, but we rarely get to experience that fact for ourselves. Today, as our time in Ghana is just beginning, we give God thanks for the opportunity to worship, to learn, to grow, and to be present and see God’s spirit move. We can’t wait for what tomorrow will bring.
Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes
Day Two
Our Pilgrimage Group visited our Global Ministry partners in the Volta region of Ghana. We started at the Headquarters (HQ) of the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church of Ghana in Ho. We had a brief devotional time and fellowship with Reverent Elizabeth, the Women’s Desk Programme Officer; Reverend George; and students and staff of the EP School of Graduate Studies, which is located on the HQ compound.
Rev. Elizabeth continued to travel with us up the mountains to the Asamwa Avenui area, where an old mission ground community of the EP parish is located. It has an old chapel, an elementary school, as well as, the EP Church’s Dorcas “Widows” Bakery Project, which was established in 2021 to promote the well-being of the community and is supported by Global Ministries.
Then we continued on to Peki to visit the EP Theological Seminary. Reverent Rubi and the church music students met us in their chapel where the students gifted us with a beautiful song. We had a brief time of sharing and prayer.
Then our bus continued to climb up the mountains to the town of Amedzofe where the EP Church also has its College of Education. This town is also known in Ghana as the highest human settlement. The group decided together with Reverent Elizabeth to hike straight down the 250 steps on the mountainside to a suspension bridge with a waterfall, to top off the day. The sight is breath taking and we concluded the day in awe of the God we serve. Oh, wait now we still had to walk back up the 250 steps! Night was falling when our excellent driver, Mr. Abebio drove us down the mountain.
Dolores Yilibuw
Day Three
Today, we visited Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture. This is an academic institute that offers general and theological degrees but spans beyond the scope of traditional seminary education. We had the opportunity to speak with the Rector and faculty about contextualization and the importance of language. Much of the work that is being done at the institution is to normalize being able to interpret God’s word and to communicate God’s word in native languages which they call “Mother Tongue”. The conversation left us with the truth that when people can come to understand God in their context and understand God as one who speaks to them right where they are, in a language they understand, they will be liberated in a way that will inadvertently liberate others and advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It brings to light the truth of what Dr. Settles, faculty at Akrofi-Christeller Institute said when speaking of the importance of language. He said, “I don’t have to change to be a Christian.” He is absolutely right. Our differences are gifts and when we bring them to the table in the fullness of all that they are, Christianity (as we see it and live it) changes. It stops being exclusive to certain groups of people, who speak certain languages, and it becomes all that God through Jesus Christ intends for it to be. It activates the Holy Spirit to breathe into us all as it did during Pentecost in Acts 2. It is the language of The Holy Spirit that unifies us. When it speaks, we ALL understand the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! And I would dare say, God spoke very clearly to us through our friends in Ghana today! To God be the Glory.
Dikiea Elery
Day Four
“Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs” (Mt. 19:14).
These words of Jesus never wandered from my heart today. On day four of our Ghanaian pilgrimage, the delegation from Lexington Theological Seminary traveled to the seaside fishing community of Oshiyie, Ghana. In this small community of about 2,000 people, the LTS delegation, along with Salome Kadie from the Christian Council of Ghana and Dr. Kahala Cannon and Rebecca Choate from Global Ministries, met at Mt. Zion Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ghana. We heard stories and engaged one another as twenty-four members (including three precious babies) from the Oshiyie community talked about the devastating impact that human trafficking has had on their community and families.
Starting with deceptive practices by the fishing industry, these practices result in children being separated from their families, domestic violence, the removal of the hope of a proper education for children, as well as a plethora of social and economic problems.
As I reflected on this shared time together, I was curious as to the most effective way to enter into partnership and mutuality when contemplating such a huge social Illness – literally a problem world-wide in scope. As I listened to their communal story – really “sacred” stories – as they trusted me, a total stranger, my sense of helplessness and powerlessness was keen. What can I say? What can I do? I still do not have an answer, and I know one is not coming. Instead, there is a “presence that does make a difference.” Knowing God is present and at work in the moment makes a difference. Knowing that we are present to one another as the God in me finds solidarity with the God in you, makes a huge difference. Knowing that God’s presence is changing me from theinside outas I return home to share these sacred stories that I have been entrusted to me to share with the community of faith that I worship and commune with.
Upon departing from the Mt. Zion congregation, our delegation traveled a short distance down the dusty road to a locale bristling with people and shops. There, we witnessed the redeeming work of our God in a powerful way. The Christian Council of Ghana works closely with community leaders to empower their respective communities through education, support, and the sharing of resources. With the Oshiyie community, this involves educational resources for human trafficking,as well as assisting the community in developing a means to generate income to provide for family living expenses and to educational opportunities for their children. The LTS contingent visited with three women from the community who had developed a robust business processing and smoking large volumes of sardines over stacked trays and brick fire pits. The sardines were fished the previous night by the men from the community. After processing, they would then sell the smoked sardines locally and around the country.
For the many blessings received and experienced on day four of the Ghana pilgrimage, thanks be to God!
Rev. Donald Chase
Day Five
Hearts are Full
We are well into our 5th full day here in Ghana traveling from Cape Coast back to Accra and our hearts are full!
Full of gratitude to our host the Christian Council of Ghana and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana Dr. Joyce Steiner, Ms. Salome Kadi and Rev Elizabeth Niobe-Wuasi. Full of thanksgiving for Global Ministries for partnering with the projects in the Eastern and Accra regions in Ghana and for the partnership with Lexington Theological Seminary in making this trip possible.
I would prefer to share something warm and fuzzy. However, today I must acknowledge my heart is full of an array of emotions following a tour to the Cape Coast Castle and Castle El Mina where the evil actions and injustices of humanity occurred in West Africa. Yes, the slave trade experienced by Africans and their dependents for 400 years was fueled by evil and greed.
Words cannot express the reality I experienced being in the male and female dungeon below ground, situated below a church, where captured Africans were held, chained and treated worse than animals until ships arrived to take them to plantations in the Caribbean, Americas and Brazil. One particular male dungeon, a 16×32 room with little to no airflow, sunlight or amenities held 200 plus men for 30-90 days. Today on a cool rainy day in Ghana, I must admit being in the dungeon was suffocating and I felt the pain of the ancestors. Words could not express the reality of the number of Ancestors who died on their way to being sold in the Castle, or the three out of every ten that died inside the Castle, or the thousands that died before making it to the ships, or the millions that died onboard the ships. Yet there were Ancestors who had the courage to not go further than the castle and others who had the strength to fight through the horror of chattel slavery to create the Global African Diaspora.
I express these thoughts as I close out this blog:
1. This is an experience/pilgrimage that everyone and especially those who are a part of the African Diaspora should experience.
2. I continue to process my range of emotions, and I am glad that I experienced it with a stellar group of colleagues: Our partner Salome Kadi with the Christian Council of Churches, Global Ministries, Dr. Kahala Cannon and Rebecca Choate and Lexington Theological Seminary representatives, Dr. Charisse L. Gillett, Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes, Ms. Delores Yillibuw, Rev. Dikiea Elery and Rev. Don Chase.
“We had the land, They brought the Bible’s and taught us to pray with our eyes closed when we opened our eyes we had the Bible and they had the land” Unknown.
Rev. Dr. Don Gillett
During our last full day in Ghana, we visited Trinity Theological Seminary in Accra. TTS is an ecumenical seminary that serves five different denominations: the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Accra Diocese of the Anglican Church of Ghana, and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Like LTS, Trinity offers a number of degrees, including certificates, bachelors, masters, and doctorates.
The President of the seminary, Rev. Dr. Fred Mawusi Amevenku, graciously gave his time to meet with us to talk about the seminary and answer questions. As we talked, it became evident that while the contexts in which we teach and serve are different, Trinity and LTS share many of the same goals related to providing excellence in preparing faithful leaders for the church of Jesus Christ to strengthen the church’s participation in God’s mission for the world. Rev. Dr. Mawusi Amevenku then continued to show his hospitality by giving us a personal tour of the beautiful seventy-acre campus!
As our pilgrimage nears its end and I reflect on our time in Ghana, I am reminded of President Gillett’s words as she led our devotion on this final morning together. In the devotion, she made reference to words shared at our recent LTS retreat: While it is quite difficult to do when we look around and see injustice after injustice in our world, we must “trust in the slow work of God.”
As she shared these words, I was reminded of an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We have experienced so much during this week. We have received such wonderful hospitality from Global Ministries partners, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana. Each day, we have been introduced to communities and people who graciously shared with us their joys, their struggles, their work to bring about justice and love in their communities, and their desire to serve God with their lives. We have learned so much and we have much yet to learn. And through it all we have been together. Together as a group from LTS and together with our Ghanaian hosts. We know that there are no easy answers to the issues we face, either in the US or Ghana. But one thing is clear at the end of this pilgrimage. Together, we must trust in the slow work of God. And we serve God and participate in God’s mission best by journeying together. We give God thanks for the relationships that have formed, the experiences we have had, and the learning that has taken place. And we look forward to seeing God work in our lives and our world as we continue this journey … together.
Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes
