Scores of worshippers joined Archie Ayo Davies, as he proceed on leave to retirement after 40 years of faithful and dedicated service to the banking sector, at the Portuguese Town Methodist Church past Sunday.
The outgoing Deputy Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank used the opportunity to celebrate three occasions in one; his 60th birthday, retirement and thankgiving to God for sparing his life from that tragic and fatal Bellview flight 210 crash on 22nd October 2005.
Delivering his homily at the Great Thanksgiving, Rev. M.I. Harding speaking on the theme “Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever,” noted that thanksgiving should be an integral part of praise to God, and we should further thank God for answering prayers.
Rev Harding recalled that the retiring Banker’s life and work to humanity and the church is an example worth emulating , indicating that “to make the most in life, we must include God’s plan in our plans,” citing that “God alone knows what is best for us, as he alone can fulfill his purpose for us.’
In an interview with Awoko, Archie Ayo Davies disclosed that to complete 40 years in a bank and leaving unscathed, unblemished is no mean achievement, and emphasized that “with all the vicissitudes, unborn traits, the machinations and evils of mankind, I can safely say let me go for the day breaketh.”
He maintained further citing a verse in the Bible “but no, you will not go until I bless you,” and therefore thanked the Lord for his blessing on his life.
Ascending the pulpit on his 60th birthday he implored his congregation saying, “whatever things are lovely, live them in your heart, whatsoever things are honest is man’s noblest art, whatsoever things are just, let every man embrace. Whatever things are pure; lend beauty to your face”.
He therefore strictly enjoined all to be good to all, and “let it not be said that you labour in vain nor waste your strength for naught-for your word is before the Lord and your recompense is with your God”.
Funds derived from the great thanksgiving, he said, would go towards a trust fund, as he had been awarding scholarships to university, tertiary, secondary and primary schools pupils in the church as well as several in his neighbourhood.
The retiring Banker and keen Churchman further revealed that his trust fund would also focus on other less fortunate children with tuition fees, books, pens and pencils and other stationary; while indicating that, he intend to develop his trust fund to enable him make more meaningful contributions to mankind.
Reading the Old and New Testament lessons were Dr. Victor R. Willoughby and Finance Minister David Carew.
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