QUA IBOE CHURCH
A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 122ND ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF QUA IBOE CHURCH

HELD AT QUA IBOE CHURCH /UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH, IBRAHIM TAIWO ROAD, ANKPA, KOGI STATE

FROM MONDAY 7TH
TO SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER, 2009.

The 122nd Annual Conference of Qua Iboe Church was held from Monday 7th to Saturday 12th December 2009. The Conference was hosted by Ankpa Area Conference. Over 400 delegates from the following areas were in attendance:

Aba and Igbo in Abia State, Abuja covering FCT, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Yobe States; Ankpa, Ejule, Ogugu, Ibaji and Idah in Kogi State, Eket, Mbioto /Mkpat Enin, Uyo, Ukanafun in Akwa Ibom State. Also in attendance were Township Superintendencies and Districts namely; Benin in Edo State, Calabar in Cross River State, Eleme and Port Harcourt covering Rivers and Bayelsa States, Enugu in Enugu State, Lagos Township and Lagos Central covering Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, Ondo in Ondo State, Oron in Akwa Ibom State, Owerri in Imo State, Warri in Delta State, Toto /Bassa in Nassarawa State and the National Centre, Utako in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Institutions, Fellowships and the National Mission Board were also represented at the Conference.

The Conference opening ceremony was graced by the National Chairman of the Church, Revd. (Dr.) N. S. Issah (FCMA, JP) and his wife Deaconess Grace Issah, the General Secretary, Revd. N. A. Umoeren, the Assistant General Secretary, Revd. Udoeyen and the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Elder I. U. Akpasom. Other trustees in attendance were Elder E. E. Nwobia, Elder C. R. Etang, Elder S. R. Uko, Revd. (Dr.) E. O. Inyang, Revd. (Dr.) J. Y. Onogu and Revd. (Dr.) D. M. Akwu who also chaired the opening occasion. Chairmen of Area Conferences, Heads of Township Superintendencies and Districts, Chairmen of Committees and Heads of Church Institutions were also in attendance.

Chief Ibrahim Onuche also graced the occasion as Special Invitee. The Guest Speaker at the Conference was Revd. Israel Yinusa Akoh, a lecturer at the Department of Religion, Kogi State University.

In his address, the National Chairman, Revd. N. S. Issah (FCMA, JP) invited all to work together as a team to ensure that we deliver to our church, an administration that will outdo its modest agenda of:
- Consolidating the gains of reconciliation
- Transforming our denominational base
- Advancing the frontiers of missions and evangelism
In addition, he stressed the need for discipline and respect for hierarchical structure in order to move the church forward. He promised that as from 2010, Conference will give full backing to issues of affiliation for our theological institutions. He also promised that the church will put more effort in the area of foreign and cross cultural missions.

Goodwill messages were received from individuals and groups within the church.

The theme of the Conference was AMBASSADORS OF RECONCILIATION. The guest speaker in his keynote address and sermon gave an exposition of this theme by taking his exhortation from 2 Corinthians chapter 5:14 – 21. He said that we should all see ourselves as ambassadors for Christ with special responsibilities of being a mouthpiece after God’s own heart, that of reconciling men to God whom we represent. He called on the church not to be afraid in discharging her duties because he who sent us out is always present with us.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONFERENCE:
1) Seven (7) new Reverend Ministers were ordained.
2) Nine (9) Pastoral candidates were called to Pastorate.
3) One group of churches, namely Ochi, was granted autonomous district status.
4) Two (2) autonomous districts, namely Ezendioma and Ahi, were granted Superintendency status.
5) Funds were raised in support of church projects.
6) Reports were received from the National Mission’s Board, Fellowships, Institutions, Project and Finance and Investment committees.
7) The Conference Chairman, Revd. N. S. Issah, was returned unopposed as Chairman of the Church for another 4-year term.
8) Prayers and thanksgiving were offered on the resolution of the crisis in Ankpa.
9) Prayers of intercession were offered against assassination and threats of assassinations of prominent leaders of the church especially in Aba and Igbo Area Conferences.
10) Special prayers were offered for the health and speedy recovery of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Umar Musa Yar’adua.

RESOLUTIONS:
Conference deliberated on the recommendations of the Council and made the following resolutions:
1) That Conference reaffirms its stand on the resolution of 2001 Conference at Aba on the name change.
2) That the reviewed and approved church documents (Order of Service and Standing Orders) be implemented as already directed with immediate effect for uniformity in worship.
3) That for the purposes of streamlining Biblical requirements with laid down rules, procedures and constitutional provisions, ordination of Eldership and Deaconship candidates be kept on hold for at lest two (2) years.
4) That the church will continue to take up matters of discipline very seriously in order to checkmate any slide in discipline especially among church officers.
5) That the 2010 Annual Conference be held at QIC/UEC, National Centre, Utako, FCT from December 6th to 11th, 2010.
6) That while we thank God for keeping the nation together, the nation’s leadership should follow up on the state of kidnappings in the country, state of Nigerian roads and the power supply situation in the country.

CONCLUSION:
Conference was appreciative of the warm atmosphere created by Kogi State Government and the Ankpa Community for the holding of the Conference. Conference also appreciated the role of the law enforcement agencies, Ankpa Area Conference and Ankpa Superintendency for their hospitality and provision of facilities for the successful hosting of the 2009 Annual Conference.

The Conference came to a close on Friday 11th December, 2009 after the ordination of new Reverend Ministers and Communion Service.

Revd. Dr. N. S. Issah (FCMA, JP)
National Chairman

Revd. N. A. Umoeren
National Secretary