RECTOR’S REPORT - EASTER GENERAL VESTRY 2023.
Thanks be to God our Father who has been so faithful to his word and to our ministry among God’s sheep that congregate here in Garvaghy Parish. It is a great privilege, and I am humble to be called to serve in this parish, it is one year now that I was nominated and appointed, however I was not instituted to the benefice until June 2022.
My vision as I began ministry here about a year ago is to be part of a church that will faithfully proclaim Jesus and serve the people. Secondly, to be part of a church whose ministry to the people is shaped by the Holy Spirit, seeking to grow and disciple people including ministry to children and young adult. Thirdly, to be part of a living church who would recognise her calling to continually live as salt and light in the community.
I am very much thankful to God for his faithfulness to my calling to this church family and to the ministry which he has entrusted to our hands. We are thankful for spiritual growth experienced in the life of our church, evident in the number of those coming to the joint parishes weekly Bible Study meeting and the numerical increase in the numbers of people returning to worship after a period of Covid and vacancy in the Parish. We welcome the family who have recently joined the parish and are now full fledge financial member of Garvaghy. As we seek to reach more people for Jesus, we are thankful for the development of new ministries which includes Freezer ministry, joint parishes Kids Club, joint parishes Youth Fellowship. I pray that the seed which is
sown through these various ministries will grow to enrich the Kingdom of God. We bless God that in the last few months we can return to our usual social event like Garvaghy blend, Carol singing around shops and the parish and the recent Makaton event in our church hall. We pray and look forward to future events like cookery demonstration, coronation celebration party and other social/community events in our church hall.
I would like to say thank you to every leader of different ministry group within the parish. Thank you to the Rector’s church warden, the people’s church warden, the rector’s glebe warden, the people glebe warden, the Honorary Secretary of the outgoing vestry and the Honorary treasurer of the outgoing vestry. I want to thank every member of the outgoing select vestry for all your support and kindness to me and my family.
As we look forward to elect new members of the Select vestry and trustees of this great parish, I want us to be encouraged that the presence of the Lord is with us. Therefore, let us allow the Spirit of God to guide our decision in choosing, let us refrain from allowing personal feelings to direct our choices and nomination.
I pray that the Lord bless his church, may the Lord keep his church, may he make his face to shine on us and be gracious to us, may the Lord give us his peace. Amen.
Rev. George O. Okikiolu. Rector.