Fr Paul Okai delivers his keynote address

KEAVA region which serves under the Anglican diocese of Malaita has hosted its 15th conference at Kilu’ufi in Dukwasi parish.

Leaders from the eight parishes within the region have attended the four-day meeting excluding the other two parishes in the Malaita Outer Islands’ Luaniua and Pelau.

During the keynote address yesterday Fr Paul Okai said the theme for this year’s conference “Let Us Venture into Christ for Excellence”.

It is an important reminder for all of us Keava region clergy and laity who attend this conference.

Fr Okai said, “As Jesus’s time with his disciples drew to a close, he knew that his disciples were soon going to lead the church after his ascension and would need a working understanding of what they were meant to achieve.

“Today we must build a strong relationship god, the kind of relationship and friendship that involves sacrifice, obedience and growing intimacy with Jesus.

“Members of this gathering and 15th Keava conference god is calling us today to return to that friendship that first captured our attention and filled our lives with gladness when we started to do god’s work in the church.

“We must remain in that love we have for Jesus in the beginning because our friend and master Jesus is always with us through thick and thin and through to the end.

“Our family members can despise us and our friends can forget us but if we are the friend of Jesus he will never let us down.

“He is faithful and will always be there for us and is the best friend we can ever find on earth and in heaven.

“As we are giving this opportunity to rekindle our friendship with Jesus again or in the words of the theme, “let us venture into Christ for excellence.”

“Let us not forget that our friendship with Jesus demands sacrifice, obedience and intimate relationship with him every day.”