Frank Cudjoe Damali, Chief Executive Officer of Kings Tower Hotel, Ahinsan Estates in Kumasi on Wednesday called on Christians to take steps that guided their actions and strategies in executing their tasks in ensuring that God’s creation was cared for and not destroyed.
“At our micro level in our congregations and communities, our broader framework is to help deliver God’s mandate to care for creation.”
Mr Damali, made the call in his keynote address at the 36th Annual Conference of the National Catechists and Evangelists Union of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana EPCG at Anlo-Afiadenyigba.
The three-day Conference, which is on the theme “Care for creation, the task and mission of the Catechist,” is being attended by Catechists and Evangelists from all the sixteen Presbyteries of the Church.
Mr. Damali noted that God’s command to man to work the land and take care of it highlighted the responsibility of man especially Christians “to both use and protect the land.”
He stated that man has treated environmental care as peripheral, optional and political adding that this peripheral attitude appeared to have deepened during the period of the industrialization of nations when modern theology often separated spiritual dynamics from ecological issues.

“The consequences of the devastation of the land, sea, and air and the catastrophic environmental crisis are there for everyone to see.
“Brown rivers, degraded forests, climate change, biodiversity, environmental pollution and myriads of environmental refugees are the result of our peripheral attitude towards caring for God’s creation,” he said.
Mr. Damali stated that environmental degradation impacted the poor and the marginalised catastrophically thereby negatively affecting their receiving and accepting the message of salvation impacting.
He called on the Church to evolve measures for environmental stewardship in its task and mission at the micro level.
Mr. Damali tasked the Catechists and Evangelists to demonstrate practical responsibility and also incorporate creation care messages to their congregations.
He urged them to seek professional advice, direction and support from other stakeholders like the Parks and Gardens, Forestry Commission and NGOs.
Mr. Damali called on them to form Ecological Disciple Clubs in their congregations to take up and teach others their responsibilities of loving and caring for God’s creation.
He noted that “man has gone soft on executing God’s mandate to care for his creation as a result our earth is moving through raging environmental crisis with devastating consequences and we need a coordinated effort to reverse it.”
Catechist Sylvanus M. Y. Anku, the outgoing President of the Union said there was interconnectedness of humanity and other creations and that the actions of humanity have grave consequences for the earth adding that man’s redemption was tied to restoration of creation.
“By embracing ourselves as caretakers of creation, we help bring about a more just and sustainable world, reflecting God’s glory and love.”
Cat. Anku was full of praise for the team of executive members of the Union he worked with saying that their enormous support and advices had helped him to move the Union to a higher level.

He disclosed that his plea to the Standing Committee for an additional representation of Catechists on the General Assembly Council had yielded dividends.
The outgoing President stated that plans were far advanced for the establishment of an endowment fund for the Union which he hoped would help cater for the health needs of members and also support their wards education.
The major highlight of the Conference is the election of a new President for the Union.
Present were Reverend Dr. Lawson Kwaku Dzanku, Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church, the Clergy and traditional authorities.