Members of the Christian and Religious Community
Members of the International Community
Officers and members of the Government
Members of the Press
The peace loving people of Liberia
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Happy New Year……
The Liberian Council of Churches reminds us once again to celebrate Christmas in remembrance of the fullness of the Love of God that He showered unto us by giving us His son…John 3:16….Christmas should rekindle in us the joy of a Savior born in Bethlehem unto Mary who was betrothed to Joseph. A Child who reconciled us with God and made us (humankind) whole once again after the fall of Adam and Eve from the very beginning.
As Children of God, Christmas should inspire us to follow in the footsteps of this Child, to love and to sacrifice, two strong virtues that elude us as a people and a nation, daily. Without love and the spirit of sacrifice, we cannot build the new nation we all desire.
As a nation, Christmas should remind us about forgiveness which precedes reconciliation on every count. We are called to the acknowledgement that the only means for the sustenance of the continued Peace that reigns in Liberia today is reconciliation. Reconciliation may seem far-fetched to us as a Nation but as we ponder during this Christmas about what God has done for us by giving us His Son and the message to us in Matthew 6:12 “Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors” we become more blessed and His Spirit will teach us to understand what our minds cannot comprehend. “No Reconciliation without Forgiveness and No Peace without Reconciliation.”
Let us therefore celebrate Christmas in the Spirit of Reconciliation, forgiving ourselves and all others, in unity with love, sacrificing for each other and sharing Peace with everyone for the Lord our God has shown Mercy to us.
We strongly admonish parents, guardians; care-givers and families to show love to their children. We also admonish parents and guardians to teach their children about the true meaning of Christmas and not just to allow the children to be out alone seeking fun without protection or guidance during this celebratory season. Let us create an environment safe and good for the best interest of our Children.
On this note, the Liberian Council of Churches wishes Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia both at home and abroad, all residents and those in transit in Liberia, A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Jonathan B. B. Hart, President, Liberian Council of Churches
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The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) is the problem and not a solution. Liberia has a real problem which Jesus Christ is not going to come down on earth to solve today because as humans we don't know when He will come, but there is a guarantee that He will return based on the Christian Faith. Jesus Christ gave Liberians a nation and leaders to deal with the actual problem. So while quote Bible verse in order to ignore the actual solution. For example, the LCC could not define reconciliation. What is reconciliation? We have group of people who were killed and their properties destroyed for political gains and those objectives have been achieved. For the LCC, do you believe people should be prosecuted for this wrong? Do you believe the government should come up with programs that provide free education, job training, and monetary payment to victims of the civil war? or do you believe the president must call the Liberian people and say sorry for the war and let's move forward? Liberians actors and players knew what they were doing when they assembled at the Accra Peace Talk on behave of the country. In the first place, the accord should have banned any Liberian who participated in the Liberian Civil war either through providing money, materials in kind or who took guns, commanded, and headed any faction of rebels in the country. Second, those who participated shouldn't be allowed to run for public offices. If this arrangement was put in place in Ghana prior to 2003, then those who will be elected will have a responsibilities to bring peace and prosecute those who are wrong. As it stand, the only report on reconciliation is the TRC because I believe it was not fair to the Ellen's government. There those in Ellen's government who participated in the civil war but the report left them out completely. Liberians have a long way to go in bring reconciliation to the people, because the LCC which suppose to be a voice of the churches is involved in politics with the ruling party and can't in find a way to the president to find the political will to bring real reconciliation. But they wished her Merry Christmas. This show that Liberian leaders in government, churches, and organizations are the problem.