Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, the theme for this sermon is taken >from the prayer our Lord Jesus Christ prayed when He was in the
Garden of Gethsemane. Our Lord went into this garden with His disciples after He had had a long table chat with them: advising them,
explaining things to them, promising them, assuring them, encouraging them, informing and instructing them.
He took the disciples (excluding Judas Iscariot) into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for strength for the difficult times ahead. He prayed
for Himself: He prayed for His disciples He was leaving in the world; and finally He prayed for the unity of the church.

Brethren, Our Lord Jesus Christ epitomises a man of prayer. He prayed even for His murderers when He was suffering on the cross:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
This is the example we must copy from the Lord that at all times and in every situation we must pray for the Lord’s help and guidance.
Our Lord prayed for the unity of the church: “That they all may be on, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”
That oneness can be described as Unity in Diversity. That is to say in that oneness there are many others. It is not absolute one (single
one): It is compound one: There are many others. Others of different names, different mental, physical, spiritual and emotional strengths and
weaknesses. Others of different tribes, nationalities and races.

There are many, many differences in humans that we can talk about, but brethren, all these different people have been created by God as has
been read to us this morning from Gen. 1:26-27.
We have all been created by God and Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, took part in our creation as we can read from John 1:3
(Ven. E. M. Tetteh read it from the Bible).
Brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ is the 2nd Person in the Trinity. (Three Persons In One God). So He understands this idea of Unity in
Diversity very well. He knows it is possible, that is why He prayed for it: “That they all may be one.”

The psalmist in Psalm 133 said: “Behold how good and joyful it is for brethren to dwell together in Unity.” The psalmist underscores the fact
that Unity is good and joyful because it brings blessings of long life. There is strength in unity as the broom epitomises. The individual
broomsticks are easy to break but not the whole broom, and this is what this artefact symbolises: Unity is Strength.

There is also peace and progress in unity. Differences which are divisive and have the tendency of producing conflicts, are buried in unity. So
precious times which are wasted in conflicts resolutions are redirected into useful and fruitful ventures to bring about progress.
For instance, if a couple, Mr and Mrs Jomo, are always quarrelling and arguing unnecessarily about every issue in their marriage, they can
hardly make any progress in life. Their children will become wayward and never-do–wells. If on the other hand, they try to understand each
other and make compromises where they seem not to agree, they are able to plan their life and achieve a lot guiding their children into
responsible adults.

Brethren, people who agree to live together as in marriage; or to work together as in business partnership or in a voluntary organisation like
the YMCA; or move together as in friendship; or worship together as in the church, they promote the will of the Lord: “That they all may
be one”.
Such people must be supportive of each other, be faithful to each other and show respect for each other in a common attitude of love. As the
Lord Jesus Christ commanded: “A new Commandment I give you: Love one another! As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. All men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn 13:34-35).
It is therefore very wrong, my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, for a Christian brother or sister to undermine his/her fellow Christian; a
husband or wife to be unfaithful to the marriage partner; a person to backbite his/her friend, a church member to hate his/her fellow church
member.

Brethren, let us examine ourselves and see if we are one in reality. As we celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the establishment of the YMCA
in Steinhagen, let us rejoice and thank God for His Grace and Guidance granted this Association all these years; thank Him for the lives of all
those who have served in this association in various capacities in the past and for those who are still serving the association today, and let us
also take stock of how we as individual members of the association have fared and make amends for a better service to the association and
to humankind. It is always a sign of wisdom to make amends.

King Hezekiah said in 2 Chronicles 30:9 “… for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you
return to Him.” And in Luke 15:10 our Lord said: “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Let us therefore work hard to achieve the will of the Lord: “That they all may be one.”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.