Big Party in Lawrence, MA as Kenyans Celebrate Grand    Opening of New Church

The Clergy of the Kenyan Anglican Churches in the USA pose for a picture inside the Church sanctuary during the dedication ceremony of St. Paul'sCommunity Church in Lawrence last Sunday. In the middle is Bishop william Murdoch, who was recently appointed to lead the Kenyan Anglican Churches in America .                                     H. Maina/AjabuImages

By Harrison Maina
AjabuAfrica.com
Lawrence, MA

There was romp and pomp on 112 Andover St in Lawrence, MA Sunday , August 31, 2008 as hundreds of Kenyans congregated to celebrate a major feat in their quest for spiritual nourishment; the Grand opening of a Kenyan dominated Church  that they purchased recently.

With a bright sun, clear blue sky, and temperatures hovering in the mid 70’s, the elements converged to create what could be dubbed as the best end of 2008 Summer Kenyan Churches Gospel Party.

 Great speeches by top ranking Kenyan Anglican Church leaders in USA and community leaders led by the Bishop of the American Anglican church, Bishop Bill Murdoch and Roger Tshumi, Councilor-at-large in the City of Lawrence, gave the event an official and highly visible edge.

Anglican Church leaders from out of state who attended the occasion included

Rev. Paul Gitimu from Delaware, Rev. Peter Mwangi Mwaura from Harrisburg, PA. Venerable Joseph Ndungu Kirathi from Kenya, who had been visiting the US together with his wife, also came in from Delaware.

The wife of the Anglican Church Bishop of Mt. Kenya South, Mrs. Ranji also addressed the congregation.

This was followed by the abundance of great Kenyan ethnic foods ranging from the highly chelished Nyama Choma (barbequed goat meat), Mukimo, Njahi , Chapati, and  pilau rice, steamy beef stew with peas and carrots, as well as  cold drinks .  People could also be seen gulping down chunks of water melon to keep things cooled down after the heavy feasting.

The event was the culmination of months of careful planning by the organizing committee and members of the St, Paul’s Community Church  in Lawrence MA , led by their Pastor, Rev. Peter Gachathi.

The Saint Paul’s Community Church recently purchased a church building that was up for sale in the city of Lawrence, after the previous church was abandoned by most of its members, a common trend nowadays in the USA where more and more Christians are increasingly turning away from Christian principles and moral values.

Prior to relocating to the new Church in Lawrence, Kenyan worshippers of Saint Paul’s Community Church used to worship in a small dining hall of a Church in Malden, MA.

 “I heard about this event from a Kenyan couple who live next to my house”, said Mr. Roger Tshumi , “I therefore decided to come and be part of this event. I   welcome you all to the great city of Lawrence”, added the Councilor-at-large who was flanked by his wife.

Kenyans enjoying tradsitional lunch buffet during the grand opening of the St. Paul's community church in Lawrence, MA                                                                      H, Maina/Ajabu Images

Kenyan men , well known as barbequed goat meat lovers, swarm around the man in charge of cutting up the tasty delicacy                                                                         H.Maina/Ajabu Images

Addressing the worshippers, Bishop Murdock said that it is now one year since he was consecrated at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi by Arch Bishop Benjamin Nzimbi as the leader of the Kenyan Anglican Diocese in the USA.

 “The faith of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) and the teaching of the Gospel has come to help me with the rest of the communion to hold together this truth and this teaching here in the United States”, said Bishop Murdock..

He was very excited for what he termed as great strides made by Kenyan Anglican churches in USA as they are expanding and purchasing abandoned Churches. He said that as the representative of Arch Bishop Nzimbi here in the US, he would work together with the Kenyan Churches to build the new Diocese

Bishop Murdock advised the Church leaders present to strive to integrate young children in their churches to the American culture while striving to keep the good things they brought from Kenya and teaching them the way of the scripture.

“This is the only way you can ensure continuity of the Church since your children and grand children will continue to attend your churches”,   said the Bishop.

Lawrence MA Councillor At -Large, Roger A. Twomey congratulates Rev. Peter Gachathi and Rev.Dr. Samuel Muturi during the dedication of St. Paul's Community Church                                                                        H. Maina/Ajabu Images

The faithful from various backgrounds inside the outdoors tent set up purposely to handle the large crowds who turned up for the St. Paul's Community Church dedication in lawrence, MA last Sunday                                                 H.Maina/AjabuImages

He added that lack of continued Church attendance by young people is what has led many American churches to close down. “That is what happened to the Polish Catholic Church which used to own and worship in this church you purchased”.

The event also marked the enrollment of new members of the Mothers Union who sat in the front row dressed impeccably in white, confirmation of young church members and the licensing of St. Paul’s Community Church.

Thanking everyone who came to attend the event, the secretary of the Church, Mr. Kibai Gikuyu said that it was an honor for St. Paul’s Church to have reached that milestone they had just marked and have so many people come to witness with them.

 “We are grateful to God that we have achieved so much within a short period of time. We even won a trophy at the recently concluded Kenyan churches music festival, said Mr. Kibai , pointing  proudly to the shiny trophy displayed at the head table.

The same sentiments were expressed by Mr. Karanja Kimani, the Chairman of the Church Development Commitee and Rev. Peter Gachathi, the pastor of the church.

Rev Gachathi closed the ceremony with final prayers before the clergy advanced for photo ops and the worshippers descended on the tasty food and cold drinks.

Edited by Peter Gaitho for AjabuAfrica.com

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