Kenyans in Springfield open a Multi-Cultural Church and Community Center
Kenyans joined by worshippers from other races congregate outside the new Tumaini church building on 700 Main street, Springfield , at the start of a church dedication ceremony held on Sunday, last week, Mass.. H.Maina/Ajabu |
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29_ There was pomp and style last Sunday as Kenyans in Springfield Mass. officially dedicated a new church that will also serve as a community center and aim to touch the lives of all races, in this popular but dilapidated and recession hit city.
The church plans to establish a community center that will cater for several community needs like baby sitting, a children learning center and other general services to be offered to all members of the Springfield community regardless of their racial background.
During the opening ceremony last Sunday, Kenyans were joined by hundrends of worshippers from other races including white Americans, Black Americans, Haitians and scores of excited Spanish people, who have a neighboring church.
Situated in the far side of Western Massachusetts, Springfield is a city that attracted hordes of Kenyan immigrants looking for a quiet life where they could buy houses and raise their children cheaply, while others sought investment properties during the now gone housing market boom.
When housing bubble burst and home prices tumbled, dozens of Kenyans in this city lost their homes but did not loose their minds.
Worshipers in a procession at the start of the church dedication ceremony |
A few left back to other places like Lowell, but most staid put and looked for ways to survive, and pretty soon, the resilient Kenyans were again on the go, this time purchasing an old dilapidated building with two floors for the purpose of building a house for worship.
The building, conveniently located right off interstate 290, on 700 Main Street, in downtown Springfield, was consequently renovated with the able help of a Spanish man by the name Papu and his son.
It was this new looking, state of the art church that was the center of attraction last Sunday as hundreds of people from different races joined together as one in festivities not recently witnessed in the area.
“ We have decided to open this church and community center in the middle of this city so that we can touch the lives of many races “, said Rev. Joseph Kimatu, the pastor of the new Tumaini Church.
Rev. Joseph Kimatu, pastor of the new PCEA Tumaini church |
Tumaini is a Swahili word that stands for Hope, a fact that amused Judy Babcock, the moderator of the Presbytery of Southern New England to which the new Tumaini church is affiliated.
“ I did not know that Tumaini meant hope. Our church is on Hope Street, so we have a connection there”, said Babcock causing wild cheer from the attending congregants as she addressed them later during the service.
Jovial looking Kenyans arrived at the new church location as early s 9.30 am, most of them having traveled over 90 miles all way from cities like Quincy, Nashua New Hampshire, Lowell, Boston , Worcester and many others, to join their friends, brothers and sisters in the unique service.
Worshippers promptly broke into song and dance as over a dozen church leaders from many different churches and races, fully dressed in their colorful pastoral robes, descended slowly from the community center hall situated on the first floor of the new church, walking towards the front main entrance of the church to cut the fresh ribbon, signifying the opening of the church.
Evangelist Peter Nyaga from the new Imani PCEA church in Lowell, led men of God in the procession, as he read from an open, huge bible in his hands, as excited worshippers followed suit.
Once outside and facing the closed main doors, pastors lined up with small scissors pointed to the intact ribbon, as Rev, Joseph Kimatu recited opening prayers.
When the signal came to simultaneously cut the ribbon, the pastors were swift and the Kenyans broke into more song and cheer.
A few minutes later, the pastors made their way to the front of the new sanctuary, which rapidly filled to capacity by guests, forcing many who came later to stand in the aisles.
“It is with great joy that we welcome you to Tumaini church”, said James Ndungu, the mcee as he welcomes the guests.
Spectacular performances ensued with the Tumaini children’s Sunday school choir and the main Tumaini church choir exciting guests with their unique performances.
A Spanish singer Rosalio Zapata from Springfield performed a moving worship song in Spanish while other choirs from visiting churches also entertained.
Spanish singer Rosalio Zapata, entertains worshippers at the Tumaini church dedication ceremony |
Two members of the new saint Stephens Gospel live band in Lowell, Barnard Mutua and James Gitau, popped into the church and easily slid into their positions at the choir equipments area.
During the spirit filled service, Manfred and Hildah Karori of Springfield, presented their new baby girl , Bridget Karori for baptism.
Reading a brief church history, the secretary of Tumaini church, James Ndungu, described how Tumaini church just started in 2006 at one lady’s house (Mama Wachira) , where Kenyans scattered all over Springfield received phone calls to invite them to start a church.
"A short while later, Rev. Dr. Karimi Mumbui of PCEA Ushindi church in Lowell came to the church with a guest pastor who was visiting from Atlanta, Rev. Kimatu, who was later requested to serve as the pastor of the new church", said Ndungu.
Rev. Kimatu accepted the request and in 2007, he relocated from Atlanta to Springfield, Mass. , to start the hard work of building a house of worship.
Since then, Rev. Kimatu has guided the members of the church into building a united church culminating into purchasing and subsequent renovation of the new building.
“We are a church that will accommodate all the people of this city as w e are in the middle of the city”, said Ndungu, a seeming confirmation of the plea by a visiting renown pastor, Dr. Rev. Wilfred Lai who asked Kenyan community churches in America to conduct their affairs in a way that will open their doors to touch the lives of the general public where they are serving.
Anne Wachira, and elder of the Tumaini church thanked Dr. Karimi for introducing them to the Presbytery of Southern New England and Rev. Kihiko of Calvary evangelical church for presiding over the first salvation that happened in the new church.
James Ndungu, chairman of the new Tumaini church |
Rev. Kimatu thanked the members of the Tumaini church and their sister churches, Ushindi and Imani PCEA churches, both in Lowell for all the assistance they have extended to Tumani church.
He also thanked many other individuals who contributed immensely to the establishment of the church, including Papu, the Spanish carpenter and the city of Springfield who issued them with the certificate to operate.
"Papu and his son have been dear friends, and the city has been with us".
"This building is now a third paid for, and we hope to pay off everything in the next few years.This church is for you”, added the cleric.
Delivering a sermon during the celebrations, the chairman of Kenya pastor’s fellowship in America, Bishop
David Karaya, asked Kenyans to go back to the drawing board and look at what they have put as priorities in their lives.
“Let us put our priority to God even in our giving. Let us give God what is due to him and in return, he shall bless us more”, said Bishop Karaya .
He said that Kenyan churches in America now have people from different backgrounds and faiths, like Catholics, Arotestants, Anglicans and many more, making it necessary for them to adapt to the things of America in order to serve the faithful better.
“This is a church in America and has to adapt to the things of this place”, said Bishop Karaya.
“Don’t bring the polluted to the alter but bring the fat and the strong unto God, so you can leave a legacy to be adapted by those who come after you”.
The Executive Presbyter at the Presbytery of Southern New England, Dana Lindsley, thanked Kenyans for the hard work they did for building the Tumaini church, a third of which has already been fully paid for.
“It is holy work to build a house of God”.
Dana Lindsley, the Executive presbyter at the Presbytery of Southern New England |
He compared Kenyans in America to the ancient exiles in Babylon who learned to be creative and used their energies to develop ways to worship God in difficult circumstances.
“You have sacrificed yourselves to follow the footsteps of the ancient great saints”, said Rev. Lindsley ."This is a house of God but you now need to make it God’s home where you belong", he added.
Many leaders of different churches took turns in a well organized format to lead short prayers to sanctify and dedicate different artefacts of the church that will be used for worship including the sanctuary, alter, the tables, the cross and pretty much everything inside the new church.
Visitors were later treated to a sumptuous lunch of traditional Kenyan dishes.
AjabuAfrica.com write observed many guests take down the available Mukimo, Chapatis, Nyama Choma and other Kenyan delicacies as if they have been eating them forever.
“This is awesome food. I love chapatis", said Jenny Surgenor, an American lady from the providence Presbyterian church in Rhode island as she ate chapattis and Mukimo. "It was a great celebration and we look forward to more connections with the Kenyan people as we worship together".
Surgenor visited Kenya in 2002 on a church mission.
Guests enjoy a meal of Chapatis, Mandazis, Mukimo and more during the Tumaini church dedication service |
In another post event interview, Gayle Lewis, of the Martin Luther Community Presbyterian church in Springfield, said that she looked forward to see the Kenyan community establish more roots and connections with the general community in the city.
“It is very exciting that that this church aims to connect us all here and I look forward to seeing that happen”, said Gayle of the new church that strictly uses English language during their services in order to accommodate different people from different backgrounds, thus living up to it’s name, Tumani - Hope.
Other the pastors who came to witness the event included Jackton Macbero from Kenya, Rev John Wesonga from Springfield, the pastor of the neighboring Spanish church, Pastor Joshua Lisanti from Haiti , Rev. Charles Kihiko of Calvary Gospel church in Lowell and many others.
As guests left at their own convenience, there was great feeling of hope that Tumaini church will bring hope to many hopeless youths in this the dilapidated city.
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