The Dawn of Legon Seventh-Day Adventist Church (LESDAC)

Each generation of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Fellowship leadership at University of Ghana came with its vision. Some leaders focused their activities on increasing the membership, while others embarked on evangelism. In particular, the 1985/6 academic year SDA Fellowship leadership had a vision to establish a permanent Adventist presence at the campus of the University of Ghana. This was premised on leadership’s realisation that the SDA Fellowship on campus had not been permanently grounded – church activities were held regularly while academic work at the University was in session, whereas the light of SDA presence dimmed during the holiday periods. The leadership, therefore, took a decision to hold an evangelistic crusade intended for church planting at the Legon Staff Village in the last quarter of 1985. Thus, the Legon SDA Church (initially called Staff Village SDA Church) was borne in 1985 out of activities/efforts by the SDA Fellowship at the University.

Under the general direction of the then Accra East District of SDA, and with the support of the Madina Central SDA Church and the direct participation of the Adventist staff of the University of Ghana, Elder Asafo Akyeampong conducted the iconic evangelistic campaign of 1985. The preacher was supported in song ministration by the Youth Evangelical Singers (YES) and King’s Ambassadors of Madina Central SDA Church. The first fruits of the evangelistic campaign were five (5) persons, namely the late Elder Asaah Asare, Esther Boatemaa (now Mrs. Wallace Danquah), Mrs. Gifty Ohene Konadu, Sister Clotilda and Torgbor Obodai.

Organisation into a Company Church Status

The first Sabbath worship service of the new Company of Adventist believers after the evangelistic campaign was held at the Akuafo Dining Hall, University of Ghana on December 14, 1985. Thus, December 14, 1985 is the birthday of the first church which became known as Staff Village SDA Church. However, on the third Sabbath, the place of worship was relocated to the classroom complex of the Legon Staff Village Primary School.

The Church was under the leadership of the following persons:

By December 1987, eleven other persons had been baptized, bringing active church membership to twenty-one (21). Two baby girls had also been born into the Church. Mrs. Comfort Sarquah (then Ms. Comfort Antwi) who used to worship at the Nsawam SDA Church, was the first person to have her membership transferred to the Staff Village SDA Church. To augment the membership drive, the Church requested for the transfer of the membership of the core group of worshippers at the Staff Village Church from their former places of worship. Consequently, on February 16, 1988, requests were made to the Madina Central SDA Church for the membership transfer of the following members: Elder Safo Ntim, Mrs. Florence Safo Ntim, Elder Joshua Owusu-Agyemang, Elder Macarious Abofoah, Ms. Comfort Agbezudor, Mr. Loveland Owusu Agyapong Ensaw, Mr. James Nyantakyi and Elder Kwesi Aniagyei. Again, in March 1989, a request was sent to the Madina Central SDA Church on behalf of Sister Gladys Lartey. Similarly, membership transfer requests were made to the Bibiani SDA Church on the membership of the late Mrs. Mary Twum Barimah (Nee Mary Asantewaa) in March 1989.

Church Growth and Fruitfulness

The Staff Village SDA Church, from the onset, was growth-oriented. From January 18 to February 7, 1987, the Church jointly sponsored a crusade with the University of Ghana SDA Fellowship to establish the La-Bawaleshie SDA Church. Thus, in Biblical phraseology, the University of Ghana SDA Fellowship begat the Staff Village SDA Church and the Staff Village SDA Church, in turn, begat the La-Bawaleshie Church. The speaker for the crusade was Pastor S.A. Larmie. With the establishment of the La-Bawaleshie SDA Church, worship services alternated between Staff Village SDA Church and La-Bawaleshie SDA Church for some time until the young church at La-Bawaleshie was able to wean itself off. Adventist Students, notably Brother Isaac Owusu Amponsah and Brother Isaac Kofi Barnes from the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) - now University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) also joined in worship every Sabbath.

The Staff Village SDA Church also mounted a three-week outdoor crusade at the Staff Village community with Pastor Lims Owusu Asante as the main speaker. Other in-door crusades were subsequently held including one handled by the Women Ministries Department with Mrs. Millicent Gyadu as the speaker. The successful evangelistic campaigns and outreach strengthened the Adventist message and presence in and around the University of Ghana community.

Church growth has continued to be experienced since 1999 when the older generation of Elders took a conscious decision to make way for the younger breed of members to take leadership position in the Church. (By older generation of Elders, we mean Owusu Agyeman, Safo Ntim, Dr. Ohene Konadu, Dr. Akuamoah-Boateng, Asaah Asare and Prof. Johnson Manu). The new generation of Elders include: Kwaku Yeboah-Asuamah, Paul Okyere, Kofi Andoh, Okofo Dartey, Jacob Adom Oduro, Ebenezer Antwi, Sophia Dapaah Mantey, Godwyll Ansah, Yaw Kyei Baffour, Yaw Kusi Acheampong, Kobina Holman, Ernest Amoansah, Mark Nkrumah, Emmanuel Ameyaw-Buronyah, Frank K. Boakye and Isaac Owusu Afriyie. The older generation continues to pray for the younger generation and supports them by playing the crucial role of Council of Elders, providing pieces of advice and support on crucial issues in the administration of the Church.

The Staff Village Church was organised and received into the sisterhood of SDA Churches in the South Ghana Conference on April 24, 2004 under the eldership of Michael Kofi Andoh and Kofi Okofo Dartey. Pastor Anthony Kessie, then President of South Ghana Conference of SDA Church and Pastor Kerphas Gyamfi, Madina District Pastor of SDA Church conducted the Church organisation service. The name of the Church was then changed from Staff Village SDA Church to Legon SDA Church (LESDAC). The membership at the time was ninety-one (91).

The current baptized membership of LESDAC is Three Hundred and Twenty-Six (326). The present University of Ghana SDA Fellowship student membership also stands at almost four hundred (400). There are also nine (9) Adventists who are working in the University of Ghana as Faculty or other members of staff.

LESDAC has, since its formation, been under the pastoral leadership of three Resident Pastors, namely Pastor Greg A. Davies (April 2009 to November 2014), Pastor Albert Nana Dugan (January 2015 to January 2017) and Pastor Dr. Samuel Adama Larmie (April 2017 to date). The church of God has made significant progress in its mission under the impacting nurturing and shepherding roles of these dedicated men of God. The invaluable roles of the numerous other past and present Pastors in and outside of Legon District of SDA have also played a significant part in the growth of LESDAC.

Relationship With Ghana National Association of Adventists Students Fellowship

LESDAC maintains a cordial relationship with and provides academic and other support to Ghana National Association of Adventist Students (GNAAS) Fellowships in secondary and tertiary institutions within the Legon catchment area. The institutions include Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School, Legon, GNAAS UG, University of Professional Studies, Accra (Formerly Institute of Professional Studies – IPS) and Accra College of Education (Formerly Accra Training College) as well as Valley View University. Support provided to these GNAAS Fellowships include interventions with the University/school authorities on Sabbath examinations, providing personnel for their programmes, counselling, financial assistance, use of LESDAC premises for programmes. LEDSAC and the GNAAS UG Fellowship in particular often hold joint programmes including worship. Some graduates from these GNAAS Fellowships after school join LESDAC and play various roles in the Church.

Relationship With Sister Churches and The Community

LESDAC used to be part of the then Madina District of SDA, played active roles in the affairs of the District and championed its development in diverse ways. When the Legon District of SDA was borne out of the Madina District in 2015, LESDAC became a member of the new District. LESDAC does not only host the headquarters of the Legon District, but also plays active roles in the mission of the District. LESDAC supports SDA institutions/programmes such as the Encounter With the Truth, Hope TV and other initiatives embarked upon by the SDA Church in Ghana. This is done by LESDAC as a body and by various forms of contributions from individual Church members.

LESDAC has strived to establish a strong Adventist presence in the University of Ghana community and the surrounding communities such as Okponglo and La- Bawaleshie. Besides evangelistic outreach, the Church periodically organises social activities such as visitation to the Legon Hospital, health talk and screening, clean up exercises, donation of food and clothing and sports and games. This has fostered a strong church-community relations within the catchment area of the Church.

Building a Sanctuary for the Lord

One major concern of LESDAC from its infancy has been to raise a sanctuary on the University of Ghana community to the glory of God. The Church on September 22, 1988 made a request to the University of Ghana for land to construct a Chapel. The Church indicated that the SDA Church which had then been operating in the University community for the past 26 years had experienced an appreciable growth and that the Church intended to bring all its members in the University community together to worship under a single roof. Seven (7) years later, on May 5, 1995, the University approved the application through its Chaplaincy Board. Consequently, in February 1996 the University authority allocated to the Church a plot of land near the present location of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office building near Okponglo. The Lord used the Church’s representative on the University Chaplaincy Board, Dr. Akuamoah-Boateng, to ensure that the land was secured. We thank the Lord for His mercy.

However, when the Church made attempts to develop the land, there was stout resistance from some residents from the adjoining Okponglo community for another seven (7) years. Between 1996 and 2003 the Church prayed earnestly for God’s intervention. In 2003, the University authority allocated a different plot of land to the Church. We glorify the Lord and recognise Dr. Kofi Ohene-Konadu who was very instrumental in ensuring the reallocation of land, which facilitated the construction of the present magnificent and glorious church building, that was dedicated on Sabbath, October 2, 2021.

Subsequent incidents on the original land allocated to the Church revealed to us the divine reason for the delay in the acquisition of a land. First, the floods of year 2000 revealed that the original place allocated was a flood-prone area. Secondly, the new six (6) lanes of the National Highway 4 (N4) leading along the Tetteh Quarshie – Adenta stretch would have affected the layout of church property with severe cost implications. Now, it is perfectly understood that the delay in securing the land was a divine intervention, and an affirmation of

Romans 8:28 that >‘in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose’

The sod cutting ceremony for the LESDAC Building Project was held on Sunday, February 22, 2004, by Pastor S. A. Larmie, then President of Ghana Union of SDA Church and Pastor I. B. Boateng of SDA Ghanaian Church, Columbus, Ohio, USA. The Church was thus made ready to embark on the fulfillment of one of its cherished dreams, that is putting up a befitting sanctuary for the Lord.

• Contract for the first phase of the project which included the foundation was signed on May 13, 2006.
• On December 23, 2006, contract for the second phase including the construction of the basement up to the current stage was signed.
• On November 10, 2007, the building was consecrated by Pastor Kerphas Gyamfi, then Madina District Pastor of SDA Church and Elder Emmanuel Kwandahor.

Special recognition is accorded to the contributions of Elder Kwandahor towards the church building project. He provided free consultancy and supervisory services on the project. May the Good Lord richly bless him. This three-storey building has a seating capacity of 800 persons, spacious enough to accommodate the GNAAS UG Fellowship as well as the current worshippers at LESDAC. It is worth noting that over 80% of the funding for the construction of the Church building has come from voluntary contributions from dedicated LESDAC members, who have, over the years, made annual financial pledges towards the church building project. God bless everyone who has supported the Church up to its current state and condition.