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By:
HARRISON MAINA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted:
Jul,26-2016 18:17:02
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(AJABU AFRICAN NEWS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016), BOSTON,---Shocking drama ensued at the troubled Kenyan All Saints Community church in Quincy near Boston Sunday when the pastor, Rev. Fredrick Thanji locked out dissenting members from entering the church for Sunday service by serving them with "No Trespassing" orders and placing a Community Police officer at the gate to enforce the order.
Enraged with the unexpected development, about 59 congregants who have been locked in a bitter dispute with the pastor for more than one year decided to excersise their freedom of speech rights guaranteed under the First Ammendment of the US Constitution by staging a a protest demo--replete with Anti-Pastor chants, banners messages and loud Praise and Worship songs led by Rev. Dorcas Abreletch--an assistant pastor who was also kicked out-- that attracted the attention of several citizens in the quiet neighborhood. The development came as a stunning defiance of a warning by a Norfolk Superior court judge to Rev. Thanji against preventing dissenting members from pursuing their grievances using church channels--when he dismissed a lawsuit brought by the members against the pastor--on the basis of limitations by the First Amendment and Misnomer of Parties. (Recap Here:Judge dismisses case against Kenyan pastor in Boston, stops pastor from kicking out suing parishioners)
Feeling energized by the ruling, and in an effort to turn the tables on the dissenting group that had taken over the church service last Sunday, Rev. Fredrick Thanji moved to expel the group forthwith. Donning yellow and orange t-shirts, the opposing group arrived early (around 10am) for the usual another Sunday service they had vowed to take over once again. However, this time around, the members were met by rude shock when they found Rev. Thanji, together with the church secretary, George Gichimu and Treasurer, Joseph Njuguna had arrived much earlier before in a bid to lock them out under the watch of a lone officer from the Quincy Community Police. "He told us we were banned from entering the church by a no trespassing order filed by Thanji's attorney. The officer said he was hired by Thanji's attorney to prevent us from entering and that the only way for us to get in would be to go through the court to sort out the matter," said John Bret Giathi while speaking to Ajabu Africa News at the church. Several neighbors gawked from their windows and doorways as Rev. Thanji emerged from the church, cutting through enraged protesters to consult with the Community policeman on guard.
Shouts of "Thanji must go", "This is our church too", "Shindwe"(Kenyan term to curse and chase out devil) and more rent the air as the pastor made his way back into the church leaving part of his own flock and their children stranded at the gates as the friendly looking policeman stood guard with strict orders to let in only those who support him. Deciding against of entering the church in violation of the trespass notice to avoid possible arrests, the protesting members resorted to holding up protest banners while at the same time singing praise and worship songs led by Rev. Dorcas Abreletch, the All Saints Quincy assistant pastor who was also among those served with the No trespass warnings. The ensuing melee attracted more neighbors who came out of their houses to inquire what was going on. Among those who popped out to take a look was Hellen Warshauer, an elderly woman who said she had been attracted by the sweet praise and worship songs only to be met with by the banner holding protesters and police presence. "I came out of my house when I heard the sweet worship songs.The music was so good that i decided to come closer and hear some more.I am very surprised and disappointed with what is going on,"she told Ajabu Africa.
Washauer revealed that together with her husband who passed away one and a half years ago, they had been long time worshipers at the All Saints Church back in the day when it was a Jewish Synagogue. She said that the board of the directors of the Synagogue together with the surviving members decided to donate the building to a Jewish school located in Newton, Massachusetts when membership declined and the few left could not maintain it any longer. "We lost a lot of membership as most worshipers became too old while others passed away. The board decided to give the building and all the money left over to a Jewish Children's school in Newton. I think then that school sold off the building to the Kenyan community. The Kenyans agreed to let a commemorative stone remain here at the grounds in remembrance of our Synagogue. It is very sad what is now going on now and I hope all involved can come together and find a common solution," she added. All Saints congregants siding with the pastor were met jeers and taunting words as they made their way into the church pas the protesters at the gate. Ajabu Media was also locked out of the building and served with a No Trespass order, in a bid to keep the developments away from the wider Kenyan community and general public's eye. However, Rev. Thanji and a group of about 10 members continued with their own counter- Praise and Worship session being heard coming out the windows. Not ready to relent, the protesting congregants continued with the protest until around 1.30pm when the inside service ended and the pastor emerged together with his wife and supporters.
"My main prayer to you is that you don't get discouraged and stop going into a house of Worship just because you have been chased away from your current church. Even if it becomes impossible to go back to your church for any unforeseen reason, there will always be another house of God you can worship at," she comforted the disappointed Kenyans. After exchanging some documents with the Community police detail, now accompanied by another officer who had arrived from the Quincy Police Department, the pastor rushed to his car escorted by the police amid more jeers and taunts from the enraged members. "This is very sad. This should not be happening in this day and age, all because the pastor would not agree to even give a chance to voice our grievances," said Nick Kimani of Quincy. The protesting group then left for a meeting and prayers at one of the member's house in nearby Randolph. A formal church service was led by Rev. Dorcas who told the bitter and disappointed men, women and children that it was very necessary to hold the service so they can feel as if they also attended church that particular Sunday. Rev. Dorcas encouraged the group that despite the unfortunate developments taking place at the church they have built know and grew up in, God will never abandon them as long as they keep up their faith and trust in God.
According to several protestors, Rev. Thanji made the move in an effort to prevent them from pursuing grievances they presented to him last Sunday but he ignored, choosing to call the police in an effort to kick them out.(Recap Here:Police rush into feuding Kenyan church in Boston as opposing group takes over Sunday service) The grievances include a request for an urgent Special General Meeting to discuss recent developments at the church, as well as voting for a new church council, claiming the existing one is compromised and was no longer representing the wishes of the majority of the congregants. They said that Thanji should heed Judge Locke's warning from preventing them to pursue their grievances using the laid out church procedures and hierarchy at the church which whose alleged affiliation with the Anglican Church of Kenya has become a matter of contention. The judge further said that the dispute should be solved within the church under the guidance of the Anglican church of Kenya whom Rev.Thanji claimed affiliation through the Thika Diocese led by Bishop Julius Wanyoike. Before the judgment was issued, Bishop Wanyoike had unsuccessfully requested the court to be allowed to fly into Boston to testify before the court in support of Rev. Thanji's position. The Thika based bishop has not yet responded to a request by Ajabu Africa News for comments on the way forward to resolve the ugly dispute in the Diaspora church where he has visited before.
It is not yet clear whether the newly elected leader of the Anglican Church of Kenya communion, Archbishop Jackson Ole- Sapit will step in to adjudicate the simmering dispute that has cast serious confusion among many Kenyans in the Diaspora who identify as Anglicans on how to relate to the denomination in the future in the wake of the apparent power struggle between individual dioceses and the mother ACK body. "It's very unfortunate that the pastor did not want to listen to our grievances. We have built this church together over a very for a long time and this is not the time to kick us out. Rev. Thanji is trying to kill a generational vision that we have been having here. We were hoping to bring up our kids in the fear of God here but it seems like Thanji does not care about them at all. We can't leave this church under any circumstances," said Jacob Thuo, a father of three and a long time congregant. The group said that there were no signs of trouble during all the years before they acquired the $1.5 million church property, and during the time of mortgage payments. "Before the mortgage was paid off, the pastor was very friendly. He made us commit to pay $300 per member, and $600 for a family for the church building fundraisers held twice a year as towards purchasing this church. That does not include the money we would contributed at the actual fundraisers, and the money we would invite other Kenyans in the community to bring us. Now that the church is fully paid for, the pastor is trying to kick us out. This is very unfortunate and we will not relent. This situation is very embarrassing and sends the wrong messages to our children and the entire Kenyan community who are witnessing what is going on," John Giathi, the former chairman of the Church Development Committee who led congregants to purchase and renovate the church.
Giathi urged other members of the Kenyan community fed up with the situation to come to their aid with prayers and financial support to pursue the matter in legal channels in an effort to save the church. "We urge all Kenyans in the Boston region who helped us buy this church with their donations to come in again and help us save the same church. We need your prayers and financial support to continue efforts to solve this matter amicably for the sake of the Kenyan community here, their children and future generations." The group blasted a few members of the church council that are supporting Rev. Thanji to deny them the right to worship at their own church. "It's very wrong for a few of our friends who we built this church together and are now claiming to be the church council members to gang up and sign a letter authorizing to expel us form the church. This is very disingenuous and is the height of hypocrisy," said George Kamau, members of the group demanding change. Kamau added that among 11 church council members who signed a petition to expel the group includes: Rev. Fredrick Thanji, George Gichimu, Anthony Kabuga, Elizabeth Mbugua, Nancy Muiru, Martha Nguru, Joseph Njuguna, Samuel Mwai, Simon Kamoni, Anastasia Kamau, and Job Kariuki. Grace Mbogo, 12 the member of the disputed council, did not append her signature. According to the Secretary of State website, the church board of directors include: Fredrick Thanji (President), Joseph Njuguna (Treasurer), David Maina (Clerk), Mary Kinyanjui (Director), Anthony Kabuga( Director), and Elizabeth Mbugua(Director).
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Source:
AJABU AFRICAN NEWS
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