The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, gave the advice in a statement released on Christmas Eve, in which he extended Christmas greetings to Christians across Nigeria and to people of goodwill.

According to him, Christmas is a sacred season that reminds humanity of God’s abiding love, His gift of hope, and the triumph of light over darkness.

“The message of Christmas calls us to live out the values Christ represents—love, peace, patience, sacrifice, and compassion. Even in the face of economic difficulties and security concerns confronting our nation, the birth of Christ reassures us that God has not abandoned His people and that hope remains alive,” he said.

“As churches gather to worship and rejoice during this festive season, I urge Christian leaders and congregations to do so with wisdom, vigilance and a deep sense of responsibility. The protection of human life is sacred and must remain paramount. Churches, especially those located in areas prone to security threats, are encouraged to take practical steps to ensure the safety of worshippers.”

He encouraged churches, particularly those located in areas prone to security threats, to take practical steps to ensure the safety of worshippers.

In areas where adequate security presence is lacking, the CAN President advised church leaders to prayerfully consider holding services in safer locations or organising smaller gatherings that would allow for better protection of members.

He also appealed to security agencies to enhance their presence around places of worship during the Christmas season and encouraged churches to maintain close collaboration with law enforcement agencies to ensure peaceful and hitch-free celebrations.

“As we celebrate, let us remember all Nigerians who are grieving, displaced, or affected by violence and hardship. At this season of goodwill, I call on all Nigerians to work together in the spirit of peace, justice, and unity,” he said.

“United by our shared humanity and common destiny, we must renew our commitment to peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and national cohesion, mindful that Nigeria is our only home and that its future depends on our collective resolve.

“May the joy, peace, and hope of Christmas fill our homes, our churches, and our land. I pray that the New Year will usher in renewed faith, healing, and lasting peace for Nigeria,” Archbishop Okoh added.

In a statement released on the 20th December, Archbishop Mbanda reflected on the nativity story, drawing a comparison between the rejection of Jesus in Bethlehem and the current divisions within the Anglican Communion.

“At Christmas, the Church once again returns to the quiet and unsettling words of Luke’s Gospel: ‘And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn,’ the statement read.

“The coming of Jesus into the world did not happen because space was made for him, but because he chose to enter our broken world. The Son of God entered his own creation not amid welcome and recognition, but amid rejection, displacement, and neglect.

“For there are times when the Church herself can begin to resemble the inn—busy, occupied, confident in her own arrangements—yet leaving no room for Jesus and his Word. Under false shepherds, the voice of the true Shepherd is sidelined. Faithful witness is crowded out. Obedience is treated as disruption. And those who seek to hold fast to the gospel are told, in effect, that there is no room.

“Yet Christmas proclaims this unshakable hope: Jesus is not hindered by closed doors. God’s purposes are not thwarted by human refusal. The child laid in the manger is the Lord of history, and his Kingdom will not fail.

“This year, many across our Anglican family have known uncertainty, pressure, and grief. Some have borne the cost of faithfulness quietly and at great personal cost. Christmas reminds us that such suffering does not place us outside God’s purposes, but often directly within them.

“The witness of the Church has always been forged not through comfort, but through conviction.

That truth was given renewed expression in this year’s Martyrs’ Day Statement, which clearly and soberly reaffirmed our shared confession, fellowship, and mission under the authority of Holy Scripture. It reminded us that the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) has always been guarded and proclaimed at a cost—and that we are called, in our generation, to do no less.

“Throughout this past year, we have seen bishops, clergy, and lay leaders stand together in gospel unity, resolved to make room for Jesus where others have not—to guard his gospel, to proclaim his truth, and to remain faithful even when it would be easier to yield.”

Archbishop Mbanda’s described the upcoming G26 scheduled for March, 2026 as a spiritual bridge. He said the event is a “summons to make room for Jesus afresh”.

He concluded his address with a message of “unshakeable hope” reminding the faithful the gods purpose cannot be destroyed by human refusal.  

“As we now look toward the historic gathering in Abuja next March, we do so with humility, prayer, and hope. G26 is a summons to make room for Jesus afresh in the life of his Church, to listen again to his Word, and to walk together in obedience and courage.

“And so, as you celebrate the birth of our Lord with your families and churches, may your hearts be strengthened by this sure hope: “Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Lord enters in.” Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

CONNAM CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” – Luke 2:10

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) – Matthew 1:23

Beloved In The Lord,

We bring you greetings of love, joy and hope in His name who was the Babe of Bethlehem, but now the King of glory, even Jesus the Christ, our Lord.

Every Christmas is a special and blessed time for us as it reminds us of two great truths of our relationship with God, both as Christians in particular, and people created by God in general. Firstly, Christmas reminds us of the truth that, God desires the best for everyone of us, and secondly that He is willing to go to any length, even giving up Himself, to accomplish this desire. In the above texts, Christmas does not bring just good tidings (news), but one of great joy. Today and through the season, we celebrate the fact that we are never alone in our earthly struggles and that we shall be victorious in all our life and missionary struggles through Him to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden.

Therefore, as we celebrate the incarnation of God, let us seek our pleasure in Him. We do not need any additions to what Christ allows to the feast in order to be satisfied. Do not labor to borrow from the tables of Satan to adorn the banquet held in honor of Christ our Savior. For the joy which Christmas brings is not borrowed but blooms in the hearts that love the Lord. We are called to serve the Lord at all times, and serving in difficult times requires supernatural preparation. We live in challenging times across the world. Our mission faces challenges from several fronts, but these challenges are sacrosanct to the mission we have been committed to accomplish. We must remain thankful to God both as a Church and people for His grace which has kept us thus far. We are made strong by these challenges as the battle is the Lord’s. It might take the betrayal of a trusted disciple for the Mission of the Savior to be accomplished. And so, Christmas reminds us that we have the God who intervenes in the affairs of men.

Therefore, as the church, we must renew our resolve to love and serve the Lord with all our strength, soul, and mind and to deal with all men with sincerity and the love of the Lord.

We urge you then to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you so that you will be more effective in your service to the Lord. We must stand tall and committed to our mission against every distraction.

This season so, as you adore the incarnate God, and trust in him. May you enjoy His guidance and protection. May His power lift you up whenever you fall. May the joy of the Lord remain your strength. And May none of your labors, done through the life and ministry of Church Of Nigeria North American Mission (CONNAM), ever be in vain.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.

And to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you spotless before His throne; to the only wise God be all glory honor and majesty now till the end of the age. Amen.

Your Brother and Bishop,

+Nathan, Aba Ngwa North.

CONNAM Interim Coordinating Bishop Christmas 2022