St. Paul Lutheran Church, Kanda, Rededicated After Major Refurbishment

The Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church at Kanda has been officially rededicated following a major refurbishment aimed at improving its facilities and enhancing worship.

The Church, constructed in the early 1990s, was in a bad state with leaking roofs, broken chairs and poor ventilation.
Averagely, between 150 and 200 congregants worship at the church every Sunday, with a wider membership spread across the diaspora.

The refurbishment has improved these things, providing it with an air-conditioned system and better chairs for both the clergy and congregants.
The refurbishment was done with the help of Nana Dr Appiagyei Dankawoso I, Traditional Chief Linguist (Omanhene Kyeame) of the Asante Juaben Traditional Area.

Briefing the media about the history of the Church, Mr. Isaac Owusu-Hemeng, Acting Chairman of the congregation, said the church had a “long and checkered history,” tracing its roots to the former Bethel Lutheran Congregation, which later merged with Emmanuel Lutheran Congregation to form St Paul’s.

He explained that the early congregation was largely made up of students and Nigerians resident in Ghana in the 1970s, but circumstances, including the departure of many Nigerian members, led to restructuring and eventual unification.
“We decided to merge the two, and so the two became synagogues. We did not want people to have the feeling that one has subjugated the other, so we renamed the congregation St. Paul’s,” he said.
Mr Owusu-Hemeng, who, currently, is the oldest member of the church, recounted that the church initially worshipped in a school in Kanda but faced restrictions that forced members to seek a permanent place of worship.“Pressure was put on us to find another way,” he said, noting that through the intervention of members and providence, the church acquired land that had earlier been relinquished by a private developer.

He said the current structure, originally conceived as a “baby chapel,” was expanded in the early 1990s to accommodate future growth.
“With time, furniture got worn out, even the roof started leaking, there was an obvious need for refurbishment,” he stated.

He noted that the renovation works, which began late last year, were completed in time for the rededication service.
“We are happy that we have come this far, but we are thinking far beyond just the edifice; it is to attract people to come and worship,” he added.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nana Dankawoso I, commended the church and its leadership for their commitment to service and community impact.
“We are not doing this for anything, but we want to motivate others… life becomes more meaningful when we touch other lives,” he said.He highlighted charitable initiatives, particularly support for widows, which had grown from six beneficiaries to about 700.

Nana Dankawoso urged the congregation to continue in faith and service, saying: “Let’s us continue to use the Grace and mercies given to us to do wht is right and serve our Lord.”