HISTORY OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST
Anglican Church, Odorkor
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INTRODUCTION
Before the founding of St John Anglican Church at Odorkor there was in existence at Kwashieman the St Luke Anglican Church under the pastoral care and supervision of St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church Accra.
In the absence of a Parish Priest at St Luke a Catechist by name Robert Lankwei Odartey affectionately called Teacher Odartey was assigned to the Church to lead the congregation at Mass and other church activities. Teacher Odartey lived at Abossey Okai and commuted to Kwashieman on Sundays to carry out his assignment.
In order to encourage members to develop commitment, Teacher Odartey usually arrived at Kwashieman very early in the morning to visit members in their homes to urge them to attend the Mass in their numbers. In the course of his visits Teacher Odartey got to know that there was a considerable number of Anglicans who had moved from Accra central and have settled in the Odorkor-Kwashieman area due to expansion of Accra westwards and the availability of land for new settlement. Those new settlers still continue to travel to Accra every Sunday to worship at their various parishes.
From the complaints by some members of St Luke about the difficulty they experienced by walking the distance from Odorkor to worship at Kwashieman and the firm expectation to discover many more Anglicans among the new settlers rushing to Odorkor-Kwashieman area, it became evident that additional Anglican congregation in the environ was imperative. Through the untiring effort of Teacher Odartey, he succeeded in winning the favour of a Philanthropist businessman who agreed to provide the accommodation for the church. Mr Emmanuel Kofi Ansah Johnson generously released his vacant house at Twuin in Odorkor at no cost to the congregation for worship.
INAUGURATION
On that memorable Whitsunday of May 3rd 1971 , the new congregation was inaugurated in the private residence at Twuin Odorkor. Later it was named as St John Anglican Church after Saint John the Evangelist by Canon John Quartey, Parish Priest of St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church Accra.
Teacher Odartey was assigned to the new congregation as the Catechist; He therefore became Catechist for both St Luke Anglican Church Kwashieman and St John Anglican Church Odorkor.
Brother E. N. K Quartey one of the founding members was appointed Assistant Catechist to Teacher Odartey.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
The founding members were more than 100 drawn from over thirty households from Odorkor and Kwashieman. They were predominantly identifiable families in the area. The present membership of St John still reflects the semblance of the typical family group in community since its inception over fifty years ago. The church was placed under the care and supervision of the Parish of St Mary the Virgin Anglican church.
COMMENDATION
It is worthy of commendation to recognize the immense and valuable contribution made by the late Catechist Robert Lankwei Odartey affectionately called Teacher Odartey towards the founding of St John Anglican Church Odorkor. He was instrumental in mobilizing such an enthusiastic, committed and cohesive group of founding members of the St John Anglican Church Odorkor.
CONFIRMATION
The first batch of fifteen candidates made up of fourteen female and one male were prepared for six months and confirmed on December 12, 1971 by the Right Rev. Bishop Nelson at the St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Accra.
RELOCATION
Through the concerted efforts of Brother E.N.K. Quartey and Madam Margaret Larteley Larkai, the plot of land the present site was acquired at ALABAMA near Odorkor Official town.
A wooden structure was subsequently erected on the site with contributions from members. The Congregation was relocated to the present site on August 4 1979 , eight years after its inauguration.
CHURCH GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
By the tenth anniversary 1981 the church membership stood at 166. A total of 108 adults have been confirmed. The church was housed in a wooden structure from 1979–1991.
The foundation stone of the new building was laid on Saturday 8th June 1991 by the Right Rev. Francis William Banahene Thompson, Bishop of Accra with Rev. Fr. Samuel Hansen Addy as the Priest with Pastoral care and supervision of the Church who was the Parish Priest at St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church, Mamprobi. By divine ingenuity church service continued to be held while construction on the building was still in progress. We are grateful to the late Daniel Torkonoo who provided the building plan of the Church Gratis and Dr. Attu Collison who was the 1st chairman of the Building Committee and who first started to dig the foundation of the Church. The other chairmen of the Building Committee were Mr. S.A. Botchway and Mr. J.A. Quaye. It was ironical that for considerable number of years during the construction of the building the church services were held in a partly concrete and partly wooden structure. The construction works have been completed and the church building is now ready for dedication and consecration.
DEVELOPMENT
St John Anglican Church remained under the pastoral care and supervision of St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church Accra from its inception from 1971 to 1990 and was transferred to St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church, Mamprobi, Until 1996.
In 1996 the church was raised to a Parish level with Rev. Father E.L.K Addo as the first Parish Priest from 1996–1999 followed by Rev. Fr. E.T. Hargoe from 1999–2005. The current Parish Priest is Rev. Can. Col. Lt. Ian Adjetey Adjei (Rtd) who was posted to this Parish from 2024.
FORMATION OF CHURCH GUILDS
THE CHURCH CHOIR
The Church Choir was formed in 1971 with Mr. Emmanuel Tagoe as the Ist Choir Master. He later died in 1973. The Present Choir mistress is Mrs. Victoria Sottie (Nee Blankson)
THE GUILD OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
The Guild of the Good Shepherd was inaugurated on June 20, 1971 by Canon John Quartey with Brother E.N.K. Quartey as the first Master Shepherd with Sister Comfort Barnor as Secretary, Sister Ernestina Hammond, Assistant Secretary, Sister Phyllis Odoi, Treasurer, Sister Sophia Amanuah Ankrah, Porter, Sister Kate Quartey as Music Mistress. The founding members of the Guild was twenty-five.
THE A.Y.P.A
The Anglican Young People Association was inaugurated on 6th March 1977 with Mr. T.C. Anderson as the first President.
THE WOMEN FELLOWSHIP
The Women Fellowship was inaugurated in 1979 with Mrs. Esther Quao as the 1st Chairperson.
THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
The Sacred Heart of Jesus was inaugurated on 22nd February 1999 with Miss Felicia Ashong-Lamptey as the 1st President.
THE MEN FELLOWSHIP
The Men Fellowship was inaugurated on 9th May 1999 with Mr. Paul Addonmai Akwei as the 1st President.
THE CHURCH GOSPEL BAND (The Noble Vessels)
The idea of forming a Church Band was moved by the Rev. Fr. E. I. K Addo when he was Posted to the Church as the 1st Parish Priest. This was in 1997. It started with a small group of youngsters who entertained the congregation at Church Services. Rev. Fr. Addo Started with the purchase of a Conga, then a Bass guitar, a set of Drums and later electronics mixer. The group was named as the Noble Vessels Band by Rev. Fr. E.I.K. Addo with Mr. Joseph Asiamah as the Leader and Brother Abraham Leo Lartey as the Music Director.
THE ST. JOHN'S CLUB
The idea of forming such a Club was moved by Mr. Victor Adamah Bulley who approached certain individuals in the church to be the Founding Fathers namely, V. A. Bulley, Victor Quao, J. A. Quaye, S.A. Botchway, Dr. Attu Collison, Mrs. Phillis Odoi, Mrs. Elsie Robertson, Mrs. Esther Quao, Mrs. Bruce Thompson and Mrs. Evelyn Quaye.
The Rt. Rev'd William Banahene Thompson then Bishop of Accra inaugurated it in December 1991. Bro. Victor A. Bulley was the first Chairman with the late Victor Quao as the 1st Secretary.
ALL APOSTLES' ANGLICAN CHURCH, Darkuman
A new Church in the year 2001 was planted at Darkuman, a suburb of Accra with direct supervision from St. Mary Anglican Church, Accra. The Archdeaconry Board decided that this new Church known as All Apostles Anglican Church should be nurtured by the St. John Anglican Church at Odorkor and since then the Church has been under the Pastoral supervision from St. John Anglican Church.
CATECHIST TRAINING
In 1996, Bro. Eric Ashong Lamptey was admitted to the St. Nicholas Seminary in Cape Coast to be trained as a Catechist. He passed out with distinction.
LAY MINISTERIAL TRAINING
Miss Cherubin Yvonne Martey had her lay Ministerial Training in 1997 and followed also in the year 1998 Bro. Michael Crabbe with the same training. They all passed out successfully.
DIVINE CALL TO PRIESTHOOD
Rev. Fr. Samuel Victor Doodo was made a Deacon June 2006 at St. Augustine Anglican Church, Dansoman and was priested the following year July 2007 at the St. Joseph Anglican Church, Prampram by His Grace, the Most Rev'd Dr. Justice O. Akrofi, Archbishop and Primate of C.P.W.A and Bishop of Accra. He thus was the 1st to be priested on the ticket of St. John.
In August 2007 Brother Aaron Dodoo, a member of the Evangelism Committee, and a PCC member gained admission to the St. Nicholas Seminary, Cape Coast. He is the 2nd Parishner to have gained admission to the Seminary since the Foundation of the Church.
Late Rev. Fr. Abraham Leo Lartey and Rev. Fr. Eric. Ashong Lamptey JNR.
CLERGYMEN WHO HAVE SERVED ST. JOHN
BEFORE ATTAINING PAROCHIAL STATUS
- Canon John Quartey
- Ven A.C. Obodai
- Rev. Fr. Shane MacCarthy
- Rev. Canon Hunu Boye
- Ven R.J.A. Adjaayi
- Rev. Fr. James Kwartelai Quartey
- Rev. Canon S.S. Okai
- Ven Percy R.L. Quarcoopome
- Rev. Fr. E. K. Addy
- Rev. Fr. Samuel Hansen-Addy
PAST WARDENS OF THE CHURCH
PEOPLE'S WARDENS
- Mr. E.N.K. Quartey 1971–1977
- Mr. Eben B. Asiamah 1977–1985
- Mr. Joseph A. Quaye 1985–1997
- Mr. Joshua Crabbe 1997–2000
PRIEST WARDENS
- Mr. A.A. Acquaye 1977–1982
- Mr. J.N.O. Ocquaye 1982–
- Mr. Victor A. Acquaye-Nortey 1983–1986
- Col. W.C.O. Bulley 1986–1997
CONCLUSION
Let us now sing the praises of famous men and women, our ancestors in their generations. Many members past and present have served St. John Church from the formative period to date. High sense of generosity have been exhibited by many brothers and sisters for which we are grateful.
But we are grieved by the loss of our departed brethren whose grasp of fellowship we no longer feel, the glow of the crystal orb we cannot see whose voices and wise contributions in various ways we now miss. The History of the Church, St John depicts how the Holy Spirit has inspired and guided us to erect an edifice for him. It also shows how God has utilised the endowment of His chosen people in helping the Church progress from the scratch to the status of a parish.
WE SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL
Saint John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Odorkor
