The mortal remains of the late Apostle James William Devans Cudjoe was laid to rest on Saturday, October 28, 2017, after a solemn funeral service was held in his honour at the Essipong Sports Stadium in the Western Region.
Apostle Cudjoe served for 36 years in the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost and was due for retirement in 2018 when he was called to glory. His ministerial journey took him Diaso, Dunkwa-On-Offin, Anum, Hohoe, Tema South, Kete Krachi, Liberia, Berekum, South Africa, Aflao and Sekondi. He was also appointed as the National Patron of the Children’s Ministry from 2012 to 2014.
The funeral service was officiated by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, with assistance from the International Missions Director, Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi Addo, some Executive Council Members, as well as some ministers in and outside the Sekondi Area.
Also in attendance was his wife, Susana, his children, relatives, sympathizers and members of the Sekondi Area who thronged the stadium in their numbers to pay their last respects to their departed Area Head.
The Chief of Essipong, Nana Abuna I, along with other traditional rulers, and the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, also graced the occasion with their presence.
As sudden as the home call of Apostle Cudjoe was, the service, among other things, presented an opportunity for his wife, children, the Sekondi Area and the General Council of the Church to offer glowing tributes about the deceased.
Mrs Cudjoe, in an emotional tribute read on her behalf at the service, remembered her late husband for his selflessness, humility, and passion for the Lord’s work. She also acknowledged his generosity and frankness in approaching and dealing with issues.
“Everyone may have their own special memories of Dad (Apostle Cudjoe), either as a husband, Apostle, Pastor, brother, friend or grandfather. However, to us as his children, he was the image of the father divine, reflecting the nature of God for his love, his care and the faith he shared,” the tribute by his children also read.
The Sekondi Area, in a tribute, praised the dedication and commitment of their departed Area Head towards his ministerial functions, describing him as “apt to the task.”
A tribute by the General Council read by Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi Addo described him as a trustworthy and a loyal servant of The Church of Pentecost.
“He also had a rare gift of planting and growing churches. By the grace of God, wherever he was posted to, he was able to grow the church,” the tribute further read.
Apostle Cudjoe’s grandchildren and in-laws also took turns to share some thoughtful words about the deceased.
Delivering the sermon at the event, the Bogoso Area Head, Prophet Ebenezer Appiah, refuted some of the erroneous speculations being spread by some people in the church.
According to him, the death of some ministers in recent times is not as a result of prayerlessness, sinful behaviours or a satanic attack on the Church as being purported by some quarters of the church public.
“A time will come when we will all leave this earth, for it is appointed unto all humankind, including ministers, to die once, after which we would be judged,” he said.
He explained that the story of Job in Job Chapter 1 shows that bad things do not only happen to bad people but to good people as well. He further noted that sometimes God, in His sovereign will, allows certain misfortunes to befall Christians for the greater good. He, therefore, advised Christians not to attribute every misfortune to the devil or as a consequence of wrongdoing.
Touching on the sovereign will of God, the Bogoso Area Head asserted that no matter how long one prays he or she cannot threaten or persuade God to act contrarily to His will, stressing that, “God is sovereign, He may listen to our prayers, but He decides which answer is most appropriate to our prayers.”
Prophet Appiah advised Christians to always bear in mind that they are alive to serve the Master’s bidding and should do everything possible to fulfil their divine mandate, especially since they do not know the specific day when they will be called back to their Maker.
“It is not how long you live on earth that matters, rather it is the impact you are able to make while on earth that counts,” he added.
Concluding his sermon, Prophet Appiah advised Christians to live as sojourners on earth and not to preoccupy themselves with amassing wealth at the expense of their eternal home. He also advised them to share their gains with others, to be content with what they have, and not to be anxious about the future.
As part of the service, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah led the congregation to pray for the bereaved family to be divinely comforted for their loss and for God to continue to provide for their needs.
One of the memorable highlights of the event was the performance by a cultural troupe from the Volta region, where Apostle Cudjoe spent most years of his ministry. The ministration got most of the participants on their feet as they danced enthusiastically to the Borborbor rhythm.
On a day when many had travelled far and near to say their final goodbye to the late Apostle James Willie Devans Cudjoe, one would have expected that the service would be characterized by wailing and sadness, however, the general atmosphere was not that of mourning, but a celebration of a life well lived.
May his soul rest in peace.