Kenyan Pastor to face Criminal probe for Sexual Abuse Ushindi church members during a lengthy praise & worship and prayer session that diffused a tensions that flared up when the former pastor, who still claims be the current pastor, failed to answer a question by a member addressing the bitterness that has engulfed the largest Kenyan Community church in Boston. pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Media
by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted March 12, 2011
LOWELL, Mass.,_The Kenyan Pastor of Ushindi Presbyterian church in Lowell convicted of 3 counts of sexual abuse charges by a church based tribunal and a resultant defrocking after violating the terms set out for restoration, will now face a civil court probe for the heart breaking charges.
The former pastor is expected to appear soon in a court of law to answer the charges being investigated by detectives in the Lowell Police Department.
At the same time, more financial anomalies came to the fore when it was revealed that it Ushindi church received $10,000 in flood disaster relief from the Presbytery of Northern New England (PNNE), to help members of the church affected by the flooding problems in their properties during the 2007 flooding disaster in Lowell when the Merrimack River bust its banks.
The money, it was revealed, was not announced to the congregation, and only a few people are known to have received the aid.
The new developments emerged on Sunday during a meeting between the Presbytery of Northern New England (PNNE), and members of the Kenyan community Presbyterian Church (Ushindi) held at Eliot Presbyterian church in Lowell where Ushindi church first started.
Earlier during the same day, drama erupted at the embattled church when a fed up parishioner in the congregation stood and challenged Dr. Mumbui during the church service to explain why he was preaching love in church while it was obvious that members were treating each other with bitterness depending on what side they were perceived to be on the money and sex abuse scandal.
“What love are you preaching to us here if we are being told to go around the church singing Geithia Mundu na Umwire Niumwendete (a popular Kikuyu gospel hit titled Greet a Someone and tell them you love them) but some people are refusing to greet some who don’t agree with but are seated next to them, swerving around to greet those who they like”, asked a man furious with the situation.
Circumvention of the question by the pastor claiming limitation by court proceedings on the money issue enraged other members in the congregation who stood up in defiance demanding an answer or no service would take place, raising tensions a notch higher.
It was at this point that several women in the church erupted in loud praise and worship songs to drown the argument that almost regenerated into a serious altercation.
Soon, the entire church joined the lengthy singing and prayers, which helped restore calmness, allowing the preacher for the day, Joseph Njonde to head to the pulpit.
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