By Andy Dalton
Staff and volunteers at Armley-based charity Leeds City Mission recently welcomed a prominent international visitor to its Compassion Centre in Mistress Lane.
President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention the Rev Israel Akanji was on an official visit to Leeds as part of a 14-day tour of the United Kingdom.Â
He took up the invitation to visit the City Mission Compassion Centre on his fact finding and speaking tour of the country.Â
He had heard of the sterling work of the centre and how Nigerians working in the UK had been helped through its various programmes. Nigerian Baptists were also amongst some of its supporters, alongside people from other church denominations across the city.
Rev Akanji is the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC). NBC has 14,523 churches and a membership of 8.925 million people.
To put this in perspective, there are six times more people attending Baptist churches in Nigeria than the combined total attendance of people worshipping in historic denominations in the UK ie Baptist, Anglican, Methodist and United Reformed churches etc.  Â
He was welcome by Compassion Centre manager Sinclair Martin and LCM staff member Tayo Olayinka.Â
They were able to explain the various social initiatives undertaken by the City Mission. They also expressed their gratitude for the on-going support of nigerians and baptist people throughout Leeds for its programmes that reached across a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds promoting community cohesion.
Historically there has always been strong interest in LCM work from Baptist churches in Leeds. In the 1960s to 70s prominent Leeds chest specialist Dr Charley (a member of Blenheim Baptist Church, near the university) was chairman of Leeds City Mission management committee. Currently a number of Baptist churches in the city are keen supporters of Leeds City Mission.
Rev Akanji commended the work of all the volunteers and staff of the City Mission before departing for Scotland.Â
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Leeds City Mission is doing a great work of Mission’s work in UK and across the World.
The Lord will give the personnel more grace to continue this noble work of God.
We appreciate you for open-arms extended to our President- Rev’d Dr. Israel Akanji during his visit. Thanks and God bless.
This is indeed heartwarming and we thank for a successful visit and for the great work this Leeds mission center is doing!
May God continue to use our Nigerian Baptist Convention President, Rev. Dr. Israel Akanji to do exploits for Missions Internationally and locally, all to the glory of God!