Legon Interdenominational Church

This is my Sunday experience in Accra:

• There are LOTS of children in church, perhaps as many as one child for every three adults.
• There are many young adults in church. They compose about a forth of the congregation. At least two Sundays a month, an engagement is announced, occasionally two the same Sunday.
• Our church has a well-attended Bible adult study before church just like the US adult Sunday School classes of my youth.
• 

  Covenant Family Church

  The church has a well-organized Sunday school program for kids.

• The church is over full every Sunday. There are people sitting outside listening even though they can’t see.
• Our church has a choir that performs every Sunday. The choir members all wear matching outfits made out of brightly colored African cloth. Correction, two choirs, each with different outfits.
• Our English-speaking congregations has part of the worship time in a Ghanaian language. People are really engaged during those times and the worship is vibrant.
• The sanctuary is full of ceiling fans blasting away. We look for a spot right under one.
• People dress up for church, and they dress up their kids too. The ladies are in dresses or skirts and blouses. Some men are wearing ties. The little girls have frilly dresses, black shoes and socks with lace and ribbon. They also all have earrings.
• During worship time, people wave their hands in the air, dance and twirl white handkerchiefs.
• The PA system is turned up way too loud!
• Instead of walls, the sides of the Church are a row of big doors that are opened to let in the breeze.
• There is a long prayer time. When elections are near, we are instructed to pray against voter intimidation, stuffing ballot boxes, voters who take bribes, and politicians who offer bribes.
• There is a LONG announcement time which includes lots of personal announcements – deaths, engagements, birthdays, etc.
• Visitors are asked to stand and introduce themselves. It appears that many visitors actually like being asked.
• The pastors wear clerical collars.

And that’s how I know I’m in church in Ghana.