The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and his wife, The Most Rev’d Dr. Henry and Mrs Angela Ndukuba lead other Archbishops, Bishops and Officials of the Church to welcome the Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, Archbishop Steve Wood to St. Matthias House in Abuja on a  two days working visit to the Church of Nigeria.

Archbishop Ndukuba in his welcome speech noted that Church of Nigeria is very much happy to have the new Primate of ACNA in Nigeria and as a partner in the mission and promoting the undiluted word of God as provided in the Scriptures.

Archbishop Wood who was elected and enthroned as the 3rd Primate of the Anglican Church in North America some months back came visiting CoN in company of the Rev’d Julian Dobbs, the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word in ACNA.

Archbishop Wood noted that Church of Nigeria remains a great partner as it played a very vital role in the formation of the  Province of ACNA when believers in the Scriptures were thrown into confusion as a result of heretic and revisionist agenda of the episcopal Church in the US.

When we were lost and confused, Church of Nigeria came on a rescue mission and that has produced the Province of ACNA under Gafcon.

For him, the friendships and partnerships that have grown between the ACNA and Church of Nigeria have been life giving and have produced great impact in the global mission. 

Primate Ndukuba appreciated the collaborative efforts of both provinces in seeking the lost back to Christ and in mission works across North America.

The visit started on Wednesday 11th December 2024 at the St. Matthias House Chapel with a mid-day prayer before the visitors were lead to the oldest Anglican school in Abuja, the Anglican Girls Grammar School Gudu which the students, staff and management welcomed the Primates and their entourage. Later in the evening, a communion service was held at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Lifecamp, Abuja where the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, The Most Rev’d Dr. Blessing Enyindah, preached on Partnership and Ministry taken from Philippians 1: 3-5 where he noted that the concept of partnership in the ministry is a wide concept that propagates the ministry of Christ between the people and the holy Spirit in propagating the gospel, to seek for the lost and making disciples for Christ through our diverse gifts, ideas and resources to complement one another in meting up with the demands of propagating the real gospel of Christ in a time like this.

Building partnership should be void of competition because we are one body in Christ, he added.

Primate Ndukuba appreciated the collaborative efforts of both provinces in seeking the lost back to Christ and in mission works across North America. He added that the visit of ACNA primate is to deepen the existing partnership for greater results. He reassured Archbishop Wood that the Church of Nigeria as one of the provinces that is in communion with ACNA, will work together with his leadership to strengthen the work of mission and also pray along for God’s continuous guide and strength.

The visit ended on Thursday 12th December with close door meetings, prayers and luncheon with officials of the Church and dignitaries at the CoN Secretariat, St. Matthias House.

Archbishop Wood is the third archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America which was founded in 2009 and now has over 128,000 members in over 1,000 congregations across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and the Anglican Church in North America are both part of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon).

By Korede Akintunde

CoN Communication Officer

13-12-2024

[email protected]