The Christ’s Chapel, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on Monday, donated N1 million to indigent patients of the hospital.
Presenting the money at the hospital, the Chapel’s Senior Pastor, Prof. Biobele Brown, who led other leaders of the church, said the donation was in appreciation for the support the church received by the UCH management.
The team, which also paid a courtesy visit on the UCH Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, added that it was also in commemoration of the Chapel’s 70th anniversary.
He remarked that the church had also sponsored some indigent patients, administered to their welfare, provided bed sheets, toiletries and other needed items as part of ways of giving back to its community.
Brown emphasised that the church, through its spiritual and medical programmes, had also impacted the lives of students and worshippers from different parts of the country.
According to him, the Chapel is a non-denominational one for Christians in the UCH, with the aim of building the body of Christ and advancing God’s kingdom.
He added that it was also the goal of the Chapel to minister healing and care to the sick through the grace of God.
According to him, the chapel started as a fellowship by a British medical doctor named Dr Ralph Schram, who was a house officer at UCH, who along with his wife, Enid, made their home a place of fellowship for Christians.
“Along the line, they had a premature baby who died, and they needed a church to conduct the burial of the young infant; that drew their attention to the need for a Chapel within the hospital premises.
“Eventually, one was formed and the first service took place on Nov. 13, 1955, at the dinning hall of the future medical students’ hostel which is now called Alexander Brown Hall.
“A small Chapel committee was also formed with Dr Ishaya Audu as the first chairman.
“The Chapel has grown from meeting in various places unto having its own physical building commissioned on May 4, 2003,” he said.
The reverend noted that in marking the platinum jubilee celebration tagged ‘God is faithful’, the church planned a week-long programme begining with news conference on Monday.
Brown said that other activities included courtesy visits, mission outreach, novelty football match, special presentations by the chapel primary and secondary schools.
Others, he added, were free medical outreach, checkups, diagnosis and treatment for both children and adults as well as the grand finale thanksgiving on Sunday.
He thanked the church leadership, the UCH management and all who had contributed immensely towards the development of the church.
The UCH CMD, Otegbayo, remarked that the importance of the spiritual aspect could not be overemphasised in achieving efficient healthcare.
Otegbayo thanked the chapel leadership for the prayers offered to UCH, saying it complemented the medical and physical works of the health workers.
