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By:
HARRISON MAINA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jul,14-2017 14:06:04
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BRIDGEWATER, Mass.,__During his first ever visit to a Kenyan Diaspora church in the USA affiliated to the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) on Sunday at the Grace Anglican church in Bridgewater, a few miles south of Boston, the new leader of the 4 million strong denomination in Kenya, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, sought to comfort and encourage Kenyans who were displaced from the All Saints Quincy church during an unresolved dispute touching on the governance and inheritance of church leadership from the retiring pastor, Fredrick Thanji. During his speech, Ole Sapit started with updating hundreds of Kenyans and guests present on many issues affecting Christians back in the motherland especially during the current uncertain time of general elections slated for next month, August 8, 2017. "Kenya is fine in the Lord. We are in an election year so continue to pray for us. We are praying for peaceful elections. Kenya is a great nation and will be even greater after the elections," he told worshipers gathered. Ole Sapit credited the existence of the new Faith Anglican Church founded by the displaced worshipers to the persistence by Rev. Dorcas Albretch who was among those kicked out of the All Saints church in calling him over the phone seeking advice on how to resolve the dispute at a time when he (the archbishop) was new in this current position as the leader of all Anglican churches in Kenya. "I thank Rev. Dorcas for her many phone calls to me during that time when you had problems on the other side. I was a new bishop then and I did not what was happening. I did not know anybody so I was not able to offer much help. But I began communicating with Bishop Bill and that is how we are here today to celebrate the wonders that God can do."
Ole Sapit's Sunday visit coincided with his first anniversary celebration since being installed as the archbishop of the ACK at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on the weekend ofJuly 4, 2016. Reading from the book of 1 Peter 5:1-11, the archbishop thanked members of the new church for their resolute willingness to stand firm against the mistreatment and injustices the persevered when they were displaced from their previous church in Quincy, assuring them that the Lord will reward them for their Faith. "When we all stand firm against any discrimination,mistreatment, adversity or suffering, the result which is the total aim of the Christian gospel and mission is to receive four promises as set by the Jesus, that is the Lord will restore you, confirm you, strengthen and empower you, and the Lord will establish you." "It's all about being an effective a productive witness of Christ so that they can procreate to fulfill the mission of God. Procreation is the responsibility of the male and female in this world," clarified the ACK leader. The Anglican Church of Kenya together with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) which coordinated Ole Sapit's visit through the Anglican Diocese in New England (ADNE) led by bishop Bill Murdoch are part of the Anglican churches that broke off from the larger American Episcopal churches around 2008 over disagreement on the ordination of gay bishops and church leaders to serve as priests. They then joined other breakaway Anglican churches from other parts of the world to form a larger alliance known as the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON- Website:gafcon.org) that is opposed to the same sex marriage movement as well as working to reduce the influence of money in running and governance of Anglican churches worldwide.
Ole Sapit urged members of the new Faith Anglican church to do everything possible to become good witnesses of Christ anywhere they go. "The mission of each church is to be an effective witness of Christ and the Good News," he said. He thanked Bishop Murdoch and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) that is affiliated to the ACK for the commitment he had shown to enable worshippers on both sides of the world to continue growing their faith "together as people of God". He said that there is a great need to reorganize the Anglican churches in the Diaspora affiliated to the ACK through the existing structure of the Province of North American Anglican Church in order to reduce confusion among the flock. Ole Sapit said that there has been an ongoing plan to increase collaboration between the ACK and ACNA so as to increase mutual visits between members of both churches in Kenya where Bishop Murdock was consecrated as suffragan bishop to represent ACK in USA. He urged all those called to the leadership of churches in various positions, including those admitted into the mother's union, those confirmed, the new Lay Leader and the 15 men admitted into the new North American Anglican Men Association (NAAMA), to serve diligently and selflessly as good shepherds of the "flock" and overseers of the "Good News" without looking to gain material wealth from those they serve. "Today is a day we are focusing on those who have been given responsibility to be overseers of the word of God. Serve not because of dishonest gain you can get but because you are eager and willing to share witness as a Christ Ambassador," he urged.
He also urged church leaders to serve with humility and act as good role models in the community so that they can be effective in taking authority like Christ did. "We need to lead in humility like Christ did. That is how He was able to take authority over principalities and dominions in the world." Ole Sapit said that if church leaders and followers exercised the right faith in God, then they will be able to be well established in USA and wherever else they set their foot on. He thanked Bishop Murdock and Rev. Dorcas for the invitation extended to him and his wife to visit with the church in New England, as well as Mother Leah Turner and the leadership of the Grace Anglican church in Bridgewater for their selfless willingness to accommodate the displaced Kenyans for worship at their premises where the special service was held. Thanking Ole Sapit for his visit, Bishop Murdock said that he was pleased with the collaboration of the ACK and ACNA that saw the recent consecration of the All Saints church in Amesbury into a Cathedral which will further help in growing the Anglican churches on both sides of the world. "It is my joy to welcome to the diocese in New England and the Province in North America his Grace the Most Reverend Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit. This is his first anniversary as the Archbishop. It's also good to remember that I was there in Nairobi on the 4th of July last year when he was being consecrated and now he is here with us in New England. I am so blessed my brother," said Murdock before saying a prayer for Ole Sapit and his wife, Esther. Others who thanked the archbishop for accepting to visit the church were Rev. Dorcas and Mother Sarah Leah of the Grace church. "We thank your archbishop for visiting us here today. It means so much. We also now know that we have a father who we can check on when we go to visit back home," said Rev. Dorcas.
Many worshippers from both the Faith church and the Grace church as well as guests from elsewhere said the visit by the archbishop was a milestone and a turning point for many Kenyan churches in the area. "I came today to witness a revolution in the Kenyan community. It was a very beautiful and colorful service. For these people to have gone through the problems of being kicked out of the other church and they have been able to succeed like this is amazing. It shows there are people strong enough to stand against mistreatment, stand for the truth and still succeed," said David Mambo, popularly known as Jomo. Mambo added that the revolution started by Kenyans in Quincy is spreading to other churches in Boston and USA, citing the example of the St. Johns church in Worcester where church members resisted moves by their pastor to remove the church from the oversight authority of their local American bishop, a move that saw the pastor dethroned and license to preach under that church cancelled. The colorful event ended with a sumptuous lunch served outdoors in a pitched tent as Kenyans and Americans socialized and bonded to celebrate the new, unique milestone reached in both communities.
Later on Monday, the archbishop accompanied by Rev. Dorcas and a few members of the new church visited the scene outside their former church (All Saints Quincy church) in Quincy where the displaced Kenyans worshipped under a tree during the entire summer of 2016. More Pics
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Source:
AJABU AFRICAN NEWS
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