By Yinka Shokunbi Assistant Life Editor
June 29 is marked in the traditional Christian calendar as Saint Peter’s Day, a day that symbolises the death of Apostle Peter, one of the foremost disciples of Jesus Christ, who was known to have been crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar. It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request, since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus Christ.
Ever since 1736, when it was recorded that Peter was killed, Orthodox Churches have always observed the Feast of Saint Peters and denominations in the Anglican Church, which are named after Peter, the Rock, are not left out of celebrations to mark Saint Peter’s Day.
It was no mere coincidence therefore that on Sunday June 29, the parishioners of Saint Peter’s Anglican Church (SPAC), Iseri-Oke, in Ikosi-Iseri Local Council Development Area of Lagos State chose to celebrate the day with a thanksgiving, because the day equally marked 130 years of the founding of the Church that heralded Christianity in the Aworiland and with the theme, ‘You Storm, Be Still’.
The weeklong event that culminated in the Sunday thanksgiving had begun with film show, Praise Night and a three-day revival and outreach evangelism, as well as free medical check-up which were supported by The Lord’s Labourers Fellowship International of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikeja.
Historical records have it that Saint Peter’s Church was founded sometime in 1884 by the first paramount ruler of Iseriland, Oba Taiwo Olowo, then a very prominent personality in Lagos Island, who was also known to have embraced Christianity at the time of his sojourn on the Island.
Olowo was said to have, in fact, been a prominent parishioner at Christ Church Cathedral, Marina, which had been founded on March 29 1864.
When Olowo was invited to be installed as a paramount ruler of Iseriland, it was therefore an opportunity for him to gather members of his household as the first set of Christian worshippers in his palace.
The earliest Church services that were held in the palace were reportedly moulded after the services held at the Cathedral, Lagos, since that was what Olowo was very familiar with.
Records have it that the foundation of the church was subsequently laid at its present site on Ogun River Road in 1884 because the people opposed the citing of the Church elsewhere.
To them, an unfamiliar religion as Christianity was an aberration to the gods of the land. No wonder, the growth of Christianity in the Aworiland was stormy; it was a onerous task converting the traditionalists in the land to Christianity.
Naming the Church after Peter the Apostle of Christ was considered historically unique “because like Peter the Rock, this Church too has had its fair share of many storms it had passed through as the first Church in Iseriland and the oldest Church in the Diocese of Lagos West (Anglican Communion), but it has remained steadfast in keeping the faith of the founding fathers, to be the light of evangelism in Aworiland,” said, Venerable Sunday Fajemisin, the Supervising Archdeacon, Ikeja Archdeaconry, who was the preacher at the 130-year celebration of the Church.
Espousing from few Bible passages, Matthew 14:22- 32; Mark 4: 35-41, Fajemisin, likened the storms experienced by the Church in 130 years to the one Apostle Peter had when he had to walk on water after Christ beckoned on him to come to Him; saying, “Peter began to sink when the wind (storm) grew very strong, that he had to cry unto Jesus to save him, and immediately, Jesus reached out to him, held his hand and he was saved.
According to him, preaching about Christ, the Messiah, in a predominantly traditional community is no mean task for a lone voice, as there are bound to be obstacles and challenges, “but when a believer cries to Christ to be his sustenance and guide, Jesus will surely make the difference; only the believer must be ready to submit and be steadfast.
“Likewise, when the disciples had thought it was time to follow Christ to take some rest after so much work had been done and the people were yet to be satisfied, they entered into a boat to go away from the crowd, but the storm of the night came on to stir them to fear.
“The Biblical account in Mark 4: 38 shows that Jesus was resting on a pillow; but the disciples were afraid and even wondered if Jesus was not bothered that they were going to sink, they then woke him from his deep sleep.
“He got up and commanded the wind saying to the waves, ‘you storm be still’ and it obeyed immediately”, Fajemisin noted.
He pointed out that the kind of storm that came up while Christ was sleeping was to prove a point that Christ is indeed the Messiah for the world as explained in Mark 4:41 when the people in the boat asked, “who is this that even the storm obeyed Him”.
He charged Christians in the country not to be wearied about the incessant crisis around them, but to always think about why a storm had to arise or roar its head where Christ Himself was dwelling?
Fajemisin pointed out: “It is because storms do not have respect for anyone; no respect for age, academics, status or race, riches, or any situation; storms are wicked and daring but one thing that is certain is, storms bow down to superior power of Jesus Christ”.
The Archdeacon admonished Christian worshippers not to think the task of labouring in the vineyard is over yet, “rather, the signs of the times we are in now are telling us, we are far from taking any kind of rest”.
He likened the insurgency the country is passing through to yet another type of storm for children of God, advising that the time has come for Nigerian leaders to sincerely cry to God for help because He cannot fail.
According to Fajemisin, “When the storm of old raged, the disciples called on Christ and He did not fail them, unfortunately in Nigeria today, a number of our leaders have not realised that there is someone who cannot fail.
“A number of our leaders, while we pray for them in the churches, still rely on the barrels of gun, bullets, might and power and not on governance which can even make them realise that they in turn do have someone they can call on to.
“As far as I am concerned, our leaders are wasting our prayers because there seems to be no change of heart in them. What we are passing through in Nigeria is beyond the physical, but more in the Spiritual Pedestrian and only the spiritual can address it and so every genuine hearts should continue to pray, God is surely listening and His testimonies and peace will surely rule over the country”, Fajemisin added.
As part of the thanksgiving of the anniversary, there were colourful song ministrations and various presentations by the visiting Lord’s Labourers Fellowship International as well as children from the churches.
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