A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AT BONWIRE The Wesley Methodist Church, Bonwire was introduced in 1911 after some of the inhabitants notably Op. Yaw Obeng had contact with Christianity on their usual Kente business to Cape Coast. Op. Yaw Obeng consulted the then Chief of Bonwire Nana Yaw Donkor that they wanted to intorduce the Methodist Church to the town. Despite the strict adherence to idol worshipping the king embraced the idea whole heartedly. The gods which were being worshipped by the people were Obour, Aunano, Baraie Odoma and Taekwadwo, prominent among them were Brakune and Tano.
The Chief in consultation with one Nana Afrane sent a delegation to Kumasi led by one Op. Kwadwo Bimpeh who contacted Op. Sraha for the establishment of the Methodist Church. Op. Sraha led the delegation to the then Supt. Minister Rev. Walterworth. In 1914 a grand crusade was organized at Bonwire. Many souls were won and the first converts were baptized on a mat spread in front of Op. Akwasi Afrane’s storey building. Among those baptized were Op. Akwasi Afrane, Madam Adwoa Dwrowaa, Akosua Addai, Akosua Akyaa, Afua Nsiah, John Bimpeh, John Kodua, Kofi Owusu and others. The first Official Divine Church Service was conducted in a two bed-room house of Op. Osei Yaw which had been converted into a chapel.
Rev. Kofi Ayisah from Kumasi accepted to give pastoral oversight to the new born church and requested that the Chief, sub-Chiefs and elders of the church of the town should bring their spouses and children to the church which they willingly obliged. There wasn’t any established church around Bonwire. It was the Basel mission which had established Presbyterian Churches at Ejisu, Antoa and Asonomaso.
The church suffered a setback as there erupted an open confrontation between adherents and the fetish priests. In 1915 the fetish priests and their adherents attacked the church with drumming, dancing and rained insults on the worshippers. Some of the believers backslide into fetishism notably Op. Akwasi Afrane who became the owner of the god Brakune and Addai Tousa and others. The incessant attacks on the Christians led Rev. Walterwalte of the Ashanti Mission in Kumasi to close the church at Bonwire. The chief had to advise the traditional believers to leave the Christians alone and the church was re-organized.
As the church grew numerically Op. Osei Yaw’s house near the present assemble yard – Kroyawase became too small for the congregation. Nana Kwabena Okai, the then Bonwirehene helped to build a bigger swish chapel to accommodate the congregation through communal labor. As the church continued growing the need for a new chapel building became obvious and a chapel was built at the present shop where the church now stands. This chapel was built within a period of one year and was roofed with iron sheets.
The first catechist to serve the church at Bonwire was known as Mr. Sam. Others were Mr. Bounie, Ackaah, Essuon, Cronwell, Arthur – who started the singing Band, Anane, kufin and E. Swanzy.
The construction of the present chapel was started in 1964. Nana Yaw OKai, then Bonwirehene sent Mr. Baware, an architect to copy the Konongo Methodist Church building. The foundation stone was laid on Easter Sunday 29th March, 1964 by Rev. J. K. Bart-Addison, then chairman of the Kumasi district. Mr. E. Swanzy was the catechist in charge and Op. David Amoah was the steward. Those who constituted the building committee were Op. Emmanuel Afrane (Kwame Frimpong), Kate Coffie (Akomaa), Mary Oppong, Grace Ampomah, Elizabeth Gyekye, Joseph Afrane, David Amoah and Nana Yaw Okai (Bonwirehene). The building was roofed in 2 years after the foundation stone.
The Bonwire society was placed under the Minister at Effiduase who was serving under the Kumasi Circuit in the Ashanti Mission. It was later that it was given to Asawasi Circuit for oversight.
The church continued to draw more people into the faith until 1936 when about 43 members led by Op. Robery Boadi deflected to form the Anglican church over some 10s. 6d. money being given to the Singing Band which the church wanted to take custody of.
A mission house was built four years after the completion of the chapel. The first Rev. minister to serve the society was the Rev. J. K. Owusu. Other ministers in succession are Frank Opoku Boateng, Kofi Asiedu, John Wilmot Beiden and Quaphie Anochie Ababio.
The Church at present has a choir which was first started by Mr. Nyamekye and his wife. It collapsed but later revived by Mr. Oppong and Yaa Agyeibea. The singing Band was started by Teacher Isaac Asamoah, Stephen Amoa (Kwadwo Amoapin), Mr. Okra, Samuel Mensah, Boachie Danquah, Kofi Kuma, Mary Okai (Dwrowaa) and others. The Women’s Fellowship, Girls Fellowship, Susuana, Wesley and recently the Boys and Girls Brigade. Most of the societies now forming the Bonwire Circuit owe their beginning through the Evangelism fire of the Holy Spirit ministering through the Bonwire Wesley Methodist Church.
The church for the past years has experienced a tremendous change and improvement in numbers, spiritual life, growth and infrastructural development. The church has a primary school and is going to set up a weaving academy which has also been proposed to form part of Methodist University.
The Chief in consultation with one Nana Afrane sent a delegation to Kumasi led by one Op. Kwadwo Bimpeh who contacted Op. Sraha for the establishment of the Methodist Church. Op. Sraha led the delegation to the then Supt. Minister Rev. Walterworth. In 1914 a grand crusade was organized at Bonwire. Many souls were won and the first converts were baptized on a mat spread in front of Op. Akwasi Afrane’s storey building. Among those baptized were Op. Akwasi Afrane, Madam Adwoa Dwrowaa, Akosua Addai, Akosua Akyaa, Afua Nsiah, John Bimpeh, John Kodua, Kofi Owusu and others. The first Official Divine Church Service was conducted in a two bed-room house of Op. Osei Yaw which had been converted into a chapel.
Rev. Kofi Ayisah from Kumasi accepted to give pastoral oversight to the new born church and requested that the Chief, sub-Chiefs and elders of the church of the town should bring their spouses and children to the church which they willingly obliged. There wasn’t any established church around Bonwire. It was the Basel mission which had established Presbyterian Churches at Ejisu, Antoa and Asonomaso.
The church suffered a setback as there erupted an open confrontation between adherents and the fetish priests. In 1915 the fetish priests and their adherents attacked the church with drumming, dancing and rained insults on the worshippers. Some of the believers backslide into fetishism notably Op. Akwasi Afrane who became the owner of the god Brakune and Addai Tousa and others. The incessant attacks on the Christians led Rev. Walterwalte of the Ashanti Mission in Kumasi to close the church at Bonwire. The chief had to advise the traditional believers to leave the Christians alone and the church was re-organized.
As the church grew numerically Op. Osei Yaw’s house near the present assemble yard – Kroyawase became too small for the congregation. Nana Kwabena Okai, the then Bonwirehene helped to build a bigger swish chapel to accommodate the congregation through communal labor. As the church continued growing the need for a new chapel building became obvious and a chapel was built at the present shop where the church now stands. This chapel was built within a period of one year and was roofed with iron sheets.
The first catechist to serve the church at Bonwire was known as Mr. Sam. Others were Mr. Bounie, Ackaah, Essuon, Cronwell, Arthur – who started the singing Band, Anane, kufin and E. Swanzy.
The construction of the present chapel was started in 1964. Nana Yaw OKai, then Bonwirehene sent Mr. Baware, an architect to copy the Konongo Methodist Church building. The foundation stone was laid on Easter Sunday 29th March, 1964 by Rev. J. K. Bart-Addison, then chairman of the Kumasi district. Mr. E. Swanzy was the catechist in charge and Op. David Amoah was the steward. Those who constituted the building committee were Op. Emmanuel Afrane (Kwame Frimpong), Kate Coffie (Akomaa), Mary Oppong, Grace Ampomah, Elizabeth Gyekye, Joseph Afrane, David Amoah and Nana Yaw Okai (Bonwirehene). The building was roofed in 2 years after the foundation stone.
The Bonwire society was placed under the Minister at Effiduase who was serving under the Kumasi Circuit in the Ashanti Mission. It was later that it was given to Asawasi Circuit for oversight.
The church continued to draw more people into the faith until 1936 when about 43 members led by Op. Robery Boadi deflected to form the Anglican church over some 10s. 6d. money being given to the Singing Band which the church wanted to take custody of.
A mission house was built four years after the completion of the chapel. The first Rev. minister to serve the society was the Rev. J. K. Owusu. Other ministers in succession are Frank Opoku Boateng, Kofi Asiedu, John Wilmot Beiden and Quaphie Anochie Ababio.
The Church at present has a choir which was first started by Mr. Nyamekye and his wife. It collapsed but later revived by Mr. Oppong and Yaa Agyeibea. The singing Band was started by Teacher Isaac Asamoah, Stephen Amoa (Kwadwo Amoapin), Mr. Okra, Samuel Mensah, Boachie Danquah, Kofi Kuma, Mary Okai (Dwrowaa) and others. The Women’s Fellowship, Girls Fellowship, Susuana, Wesley and recently the Boys and Girls Brigade. Most of the societies now forming the Bonwire Circuit owe their beginning through the Evangelism fire of the Holy Spirit ministering through the Bonwire Wesley Methodist Church.
The church for the past years has experienced a tremendous change and improvement in numbers, spiritual life, growth and infrastructural development. The church has a primary school and is going to set up a weaving academy which has also been proposed to form part of Methodist University.
