PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CHURCHES WITHIN ABUJA DIOCESE ISSUED BY THE SECOND SESSION OF THE SEVENTH SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF ABUJA, CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION), HELD AT THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE ADVENT ABUJA, FROM THURSDAY 14TH MAY TO SUNDAY 17^TH MAY 2009

PREAMBLE:

The Diocese of Abuja, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) held its Second session of the Seventh Synod from Thursday, 14th May to Sunday, 17^th May 2009, at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Presiding was the Bishop of Abuja and the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd. Peter J. Akinola, CON

Participating were 141 Synod delegates and officials from the four Archdeaconries of the Abuja Diocese made up of the Clergy and the laity.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Synod deliberated exhaustively on the theme: “THE YOUTH OF OUR CHURCH ...” Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

The Synod under God’s direction through the Scriptures, sermons and bible study, therefore issues the following approved recommendations to the congregation for implementation:

1.                  The Church should intensify her efforts at enlightening and inculcating in her youth through its bible study programs and charge them to guard against all forms of sin and particularly sexual immorality and promiscuity.

2.                  The youth should be properly integrated into all activities of the Church by encouraging them to be available and show interest in all the affairs of the Church.

3.                  The Church should not condone fashion and dressing styles that do not glorify God and His word. The Church should intensify her teachings on dressing and covering of the head during church services

4.                  The youth should remember their God in the time of their youth, and desist from succumbing to worldly pressures. The youth should be encouraged constantly by the Church to be patient, as they face challenges of life and trust in God for all their needs.

5.                  Parents and guardians of today have not showed good example as role models to the youth because of their quest for survival. Christian parents are therefore urged to change their attitudes and lifestyle to that which youth of our Church can emulate and become good leaders of tomorrow both in the Church and society at large.

6.                  The Church should cultivate the habit of listening to the youth and giving them the opportunity to air their views through membership of decision making bodies in the Church and enable them demonstrate their potentials and talent.

7.                  Children are leaders of tomorrow; parents are urged to raise their children in love and the fear of God and as friends in order to win them over. Romans 8:28.

8.                  As a way of meeting youth employment, the Church is requested to identify well-placed members of the congregation and encourage them to employ youths of our Church and could also embark on small-scale industries to encourage other parishioners to buy in to the process.

9.                  Parents should allow their children to attend Church programmes that will build them up spiritually and technically.

10.             The Teen ministry should follow an approved liturgy and incorporate skills acquisition and fund management programmes, career talk, etc, in their seminars and workshops.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen.”

The Most Revd. P.J. Akinola, CON                                             Revd. Joshua Lambert

President of Synod                                                                           Synod Secretary