Kenyan Pastors Seek Change of Direction,blast Media for Woes
About 20 members of the of the newly renamed Kenyan American Pastors' Fellowship line up for introductions during the Easter celebration and marathon prayers event at St. Stephens church in Lowell. H.maina/Ajabu Media |
Story and pics by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted April 30, 2011
LOWELL, Mass._“No more mess!”, declared Bishop David Karaya, chairman of the former Kenya Pastors Fellowship, the embattled organization of a section of pastors ministering at Kenyan community churches in new England, now renamed to Kenyan America pastors Fellowship (KAPF).
The Bishop spoke while seeking to use the Easter holiday celebrations to chart a resurrected direction for the Kenyan men and women of God in the Boston area.
However, Bishop Karaya and a few other other pastors were quick to blame the media’s coverage of the social ills, powered by relentless social bloggers for their woes that have uncovered previously unheard of situations involving sexual abuse, financial misappropriation, power struggles over hosting of national patriotic events and using churches as trading platforms which has necessitated massive manipulation of the clergy and faithful alike in an effort to cover up and make things look normal.
The surprising developments happened last week, Sunday April 17, during an event to mark Easter celebrations and prayers for the Kenyan athletes who were in Boston at that time to take part in the just ended 115th Boston Marathon held the next day, Monday April 18th.
The event took place at the saint Stephens church, where a scandal had just erupted involving banning of three former pastors of the church from attending the community event held at the same church.
It was attended by about 300 Kenyan faithful and a handful of government officials from Kenya led by Brand Kenya CEO, Mary Kimonye.
The 19 Kenyan marathon athletes in town to represent their country, who were previously expected at the church, did not attend, with organizers citing restrictions from marathon officials and athletes agents in an effort to protect the runners from unforeseen developments that could happen before the race and derail their efforts.
The Kenyan Ambassador to the US, H.E Elkanah Odembo who was also scheduled to attend the event did not make it due to what organizers termed as conflicting schedules.
While leading in a brief preaching session to mark the Easter celebration before the local marathon runners at the event were summoned up for prayers, Bishop Karaya encouraged Kenyans who may be going through problems and hardships that a time will soon come when the tribulations will be over and peace will return.
 Bishop David Karaya,chairman of the Kenyan American Pastors' Fellowship during the Easter celebration and marathon prayers event at St. Stephens church in Lowell. |
He said that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins on a Friday but when Sunday came, He resurrected, ushering a new path to eternal life for anyone who confesses and believes in him.
“We are surrounded by different lifestyles here. Whatever you are going through, I have a message for you. It may be Friday but a Sunday is coming for you”, said the man of God in a charged sermon.
“Men can say this about you today, and say that tomorrow. But what Jesus says does not change,” he added saying that “even if enemies join hands together saying that you will not be blessed, it does not matter because Jesus will bless you as He has already decided that.”
Parading about 20 Kenyan pastors present at the event for introductions, Bishop Karaya asked Kenyans to respect them and know that those were the anointed men of God serving the community.
Among the notable pastors present for introductions included Mumbui Karimi, the defrocked former pastor of Kenyan Presbyterian church (Ushindi) who has disregarded the defrocking order by church authorities and continued with business as usual at the badly divided church in Lowell.
Mumbui is also facing several court proceedings involving church funds and church governance irregularities as well as a criminal probe for a 2008 alleged sexual abuse violation against a young church member.
He was convicted by a church based tribunal of the 3 counts related to the charges, after which he was defrocked for violating terms set forth. Mumbui has since denounced his membership with the church authorities that oversaw the proceedings, catapulting himself, the church and the presbytery of Northern New England into several ongoing court battles.
As the pastors took turns to introduce themselves, the absence of the three pastors banned from the meeting was hard to ignore even after Rev. Samuel Kimohu, pastor of Saint Stephens church issued a statement through the media the previous night indicting that the pastors were welcome to attend the event.
Speaking to Ajabu Media after the event, Rev. Horrace Kamau said that he and his two colleagues, Rev. Gerald Wahome and Rev. John Gathogo felt it was not appropriate to attend the event based on a media report while Rev. Kimohu and Bishop John Herzog, the overseer of the church did not bother to write them a documented email or letter lifting the ban.
Dr. Karimi Mumbui (with mic), together with other members of the Kenyan American Pastors Fellowship during introductions at he Easter celebration and marathon prayers event at St. Stephens church in Lowell. |
“We had no way to know what to expect without a written note. We have been misled before by Rev. Kamuhi based on mere spoken word and this time, we wanted to be careful in case something came up after we attended the event, against the express written orders of the Bishop”, said Rev. Kamau.
He added that they also felt it would be good to respect the significance of the Palm Sunday day and the following Easter Holiday by adhering to the right order of conducting church affairs according to set rules as opposed to instant human emotion that can change any time.
“It was on palm Sunday that Jesus went to the church in Jerusalem and got very angry with people using the church to conduct their personal and business affairs. He beat them up, overturned tables that held various merchandise and threw everyone out of the church so as to clean it up”, said the humble man of God.
“Therefore it would not be good for us to just show up to attend the event so as to please man while we know things are being manipulated in the background”, he added.
The pastor regretted that there was too much manipulation and business done at the st. Stephens church which distracts many people from the true teaching of the word and resulted from them getting kicked out.
Among the commonly known regular businesses that are conducted at the church includes a tax man who sets shop at the church premises every tax season. The well known tax preparer from Atlanta Georgia has conducted the business in the church many years, preparing taxes for church members and friends, while paying a small stipend to the church in return.
Many other businessmen have used the church as their platforms to conduct business with the help of the pastor who have been accused of misusing the pulpit to advance business interests.
Various Kenyans who spoke to Ajabu media about the issue said that that were concerned that a taxman from Atlanta Georgia is always given unfair advantage over other local Kenyan tax preparers, some of whom are members of the same church and others in the neiborhood who pay hefty office and business expenses to do business, while the man from Georgia conducts business with minimal expenses under the cover of the church in undisclosed terms.
Tribal Animosity and tolerance
Speaking after the sermon to introduce the marathon runners, Bishop Joshua Wambua of Rapture Harvest Church based in Wakefield MA asked Kenyans to let the curtain that was brought down by Jesus Christ when he died and resurrected for the sake of our sins be same curtain to help Kenyans tolerate the diversity among the various tribes that make up Kenya. Continue here >>
Pages 1 2
Other Recent Top Ajabu News
GOP Blows it with Official's Animal Depiction of Obama
Kenyan Marathon Fans Wow Americans in Boston
Black Legislators on Frontline against AZ-Style Immigration Bills
Trump Singlehandedly Revives Birther Issue
A New President, More Uncertainity For Haiti?
Kenyan Woman in Iowa weds US Bride in Same-Sex Union
Kenyan Runners in Marathon Swoop as Diaspora Fans Conquer streets
Boston Restaurant to host Kenyan Fans after Marathon Race
Pastors can Attend Community Event, says Rev.Kimuhu
Raila Odinga Honors Kenyan Athletes, Promises voting rights for Diaspora Kenyans in 2012
Uganda Opposition Leader Shot
Kenyan Pastors Banned from Easter, Marathon Community Celebrations
Kenyan Woman Murdered in Florida
Kenyan Church to take a Pilgrim's Visit to Israel
Aristide Returns as Haiti Seeks a New Course
African migrants abandon the American dream
Tax-Payer Beware-Predatory Lenders Want Piece of Your Refund
Kenyan Premier, Envoy and Mass. Governor to attend Marathon Celebrations in Honor of Kenyan Runners
Little Known High Court Case Could Help Beat Deportation
Violence in Ivory Coast Strikes Fear Among Liberians Here
Amazing Music at Amazing Grace Orphanage Benefit Concert
If you have Someone you Love, tell them to Buy Life lnsurance, Pst. Ramos
SB 1070 Casts Shadow on Arizona's New Anti-Immigrants Bill
We’ll fully implement new Constitution, President Kibaki reaffirms
Nigerian Woman Flees After 4 Babies Die in her Day Care Business, Now Arrested
The Price of Somalia Wars for Somalis and Neighbors
Former Ushindi Pastor to face Criminal Probe for Sexual Abuse
The Black Soldiers Who Fight For Libya
Judge Orders PNNE to Hold Ushindi Church Funds
Ushindi Church Sues Former Board Members, BofA
All Nations PEFA Church Opens New Sanctuary in Malden
Grace International Church to Launch New Sanctuary
Ushindi - PNNE Struggle to find Solution amid Church crisis
Haiti- Annul the Elections
Ushindi Pastor Denies Relationship with PNNE, Threatens Legal Action
Kenyan Priest Jailed for Sexual Battery
Back to Home Page >>
Return to Home Page
|
