The 37 Military Hospital Methodist Presbyterian Church (37MPC) has climaxed its Golden Jubilee Anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service under the theme: “Celebrating 50 Years of Living a Transformed Life through Christ, the Hope of Glory”, after 8 months of Anniversary activities.
On Sunday 26 November, 2023, a grand service was held at its main auditorium – which stands in the place of a little storeroom, one of the locations where the church commenced its activities in 1973 – with the Guest of Honour being the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana – Bishop Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko.
In a bout of activities on the Golden Jubilee celebrations, the service had a sermon, choral music, which included the inauguration of the Anniversary song (written and composed by the Choirmaster who had held the position for 26 years), launch of the Golden Jubilee Brochure, fund raising, presentation of awards, cutting of cake, blessings from Mother Churches (Methodist, Presbyterian and Evangelical Presbyterian churches), and a reminisce in its history.

In his Golden Jubilee sermon to the church, captioned “50 Years of hoping to be One with God”, Bishop Lt Col Agbeko asserted that the aspirations of the Christian life is to be one with God ultimately, here on earth and also the Afterlife.
He preached that in times when God and the Church are arguably increasingly deemed irrelevant to the present generation, it is incumbent on Christians to draw attention of the unbelieving to God by their lifestyle, that being what is meant by renewal of the mind, according to Romans 12:2 (“… be transformed by the renewing of your mind …”).
He challenged Christians to demonstrate their faith in God by trusting Him, and furthered that, bringing God to be relevant in contemporary situations, is done through a positive attitude adoption, and the lack of that consciousness causes one to complain and lag behind in life, being unable to move forward.

He forcefully posited that, it is wrongful for one to identify only the negative things around him/her, and that complaining people draw negativity to themselves and around them, whiles a grateful mind-set attracts good things, adding that folks who cannot see anything good around them and thank God, cannot overcome negative situations and challenges.
In solidarity messages, the Director General, Religious Affairs of the Armed Forces – Rev Commodore (Cdre) Paul Adjei-Djan challenged 37MPC to go beyond their present level in their next milestone, while the Commanding Officer (CO), 37 Military Hospital (37 MIL HOSP) – Colonel (Col) Richard Lassey Mensah, described the church as a steadfast source of support and inspiration to Ghana’s military community.
The CO said the 37MPC is a beacon of faith, hope, and community service, mirroring the unwavering commitment and selflessness that are hallmarks of military personnel, for she has been nurturing not only the spiritual well-being, but also the physical and emotional health of service members and their families.

HISTORY OF 37MPC (abridged)
37 Methodist Presbyterian Church – the only church under the 37 MIL HOSP Command – commenced under Rev Lt Col DT Padi (Rtd), after he, in December 1973, during a Unit Padre Hour held at the 37 Military Hospital Other Ranks Canteen, suggested the need to form a Church. 37 Military Hospital Inter-denominational Church was adopted, with service held at the then Army Nursing Service Mess, where the first church service was held.
Rev Lt Col C K Affainie (Rtd), took over from Rev Lt Col DT Padi (Rtd) in April 1974 barely months after the Church’s formation. Beyond the military and civilian medical staff, other civilians around the Hospital joined the worship at the Church, hence there was the need to relocate to a larger space.
The then CO – Lt Col Akudey Gletsu, offered an old storeroom (used to keep old medical and sports equipment) right behind Hospital Quarter Guard, to be used as the new place for worship. The location of that storeroom is exactly where the new Church auditorium stands.

The Church congregation then included Anglicans, and hence, to cater for the spiritual needs of the various denominations, two services were held on Sundays; Anglican Mass was held at 0700 hours, followed by the Methodist/Presbyterian worship at 0900 hours, with the Church Committee then comprised of members of the Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians.
The Founding Members of the Church during Rev Lt Col Padi’s tenure as Chaplain were Col Wilson, Major (Maj) Okai Mensah, Maj Akwasi Forson, Maj PNK Adzo, Warrant Officer Class 1 (WOI) Quarmeyne, WOI Fordjour, WOI Turkson Snr, WOI Samuel Kwaku Danso, WOI Ebenezer Adu-Danso, Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Kwayisi, Sgt Adu Asare, Sgt Ohene Djan, Sgt Bernard Danso and S/Sgt Awuku, Sgt Ohene Djan, and Sgt Bernard Danso.
Col Faustina Yebuah, then a Deputy Matron of the Hospital, solicited the assistance of Mr. Kobi (an official of the then State Construction Company, who was a client at Anoff Ward) for the purchase of an Altar, Pulpit, Lectern, Pews, and some chairs to furnish the Church. The Church later ordered a Farfisa Electronic Organ through Col KA Quarshie.

The Church membership scope got wider because it was the closest military-connected Church apart from Garrison Methodist Presbyterian Church at Burma Camp. The Church membership involved military personnel and their families from El-Wak Barracks, Flag Staff House, Butler Lines, Police Barracks, Maamobi, Nima 441 and environs, and civilians from far and near.
The first group of Choristers, under the leadership of Colonel Timothy Barnes (Rtd), was inaugurated in 1974, and the Chaplain General, Rev Lt Col Kofi Asare, dedicated the first choir robes. The second was the 14th Accra Company of the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade, which was also inaugurated in 1974, with 47 young boys and 50 girls. Then the Singing Band, during the chaplain-ship of Lt Col Rev EC Bonney (Rtd) on 30 September 1979 with 12 members.
With membership growth, the worship room (the Storeroom) could not contain the numbers and the need for a bigger space arose. In 1987, permission was granted to construct the first church-building project, and the old structure was immediately pulled down to pave the way for the project. Service was temporarily conducted under nearby trees before permission was granted to use the 37 Military Hospital Basic School classroom block.

In June 2014, worship was moved into the Church Hall to make way for the demolition and reconstruction of a new Church Auditorium. The construction of the Church Auditorium commenced in August 2014 under the leadership of the then Chaplain, now Rt Rev Lt Col Dr Bliss Divine Agbeko (Rtd).
Mrs Happy Twumasi Forson, Col Augusta Wellington (Rtd), Elder Col Sally Odoi Gyampo (Rtd), Elder Robert Nachindi, Elder Lt Col Somouah (Rtd), Col Faustina Yeboah (Rtd) and Brigadier General Kenneth Kweku Kwaah Kumi, heeded the Chaplain’s request and generously contributed financially, to enable the commencement of the new Chapel project.
On 20 November 2022, the main Church auditorium was dedicated to the Almighty God by the Most Reverend Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, who was assisted by Rev Dr Godwin Nii Noi Donkor, Rev Cdre Paul Adjei-Djan, Very Rev Maj Dr Noah Boahen and Reverend Flight Lieutenant Richard Asiedu Perdison.

Currently, 37 Methodist Presbyterian Church has 650 members, with about 320 active and in good standing, excluding the Children’s Service.
Reverend Ministers have been; Rev Capt DT Padi, Rev Capt CK Affainie, Rev Maj EC Bonney, Rev Maj SS Addi, Rev Maj IK Gyamfi, Rev Lt Col GA Ollenu, Rev Maj PA Brewu, Rev Flt Lt GY Temadonku, Rev Capt AY Boateng, Rev Capt BDK Agbeko, Rev SA Kusi Appiah, Rev Lt Cdr P Adjei-Djan, Rev E Oduro Apenteng, Rev Maj C Kumitse, Very Rev Lt Col N Boahen, and Rev Flt Lt R Asiedu-Perdison.