About ACK

The Anglican Church of Kenya regrets to announce the demise of Ms. Grace Wambua who was the Manager of ACK Guest House Nairobi.

Ms. Wambua was fatally attacked by her farm worker on Saturday 8th June 2013 in Machakos, on the outskirts of Nairobi. The assailant fled and is still at large.

She served as the Manager of the guesthouse for over 10 years and had envisioned the ongoing expansion of the facility.

Friends and family are meeting at the All Saints Cathedral Nairobi for the funeral arrangements. A memorial service will be held at the cathedral on Monday 17th June and the burial will be at her rural home the following day, Tuesday 18th June 2013.

Contributions are being sent to the ACK provincial office to support the family as they plan for her send- off.

What happens when an Archbishop is enthroned?
The modern term would be inauguration, but 'enthronement' remains appropriate: this ceremony is all about the Archbishop of Canterbury 'taking his seat' - in fact, two seats.

First, the Archbishop is installed on the Diocesan throne as the Bishop of the see of Canterbury, the oldest diocese in the English church. He is then installed on the chair of St. Augustine as Primate of All England – the ‘first bishop' in the country. This latter enthronement represents the Archbishop's inauguration as the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Three knocks on the door
While Archbishop Justin waits outside the cathedral's west door, the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, Robert Willis, is inside reading out a letter from the Queen, Supreme Governor of the Church of England. This letter authorises the Dean and cathedral community representatives to go to the church's west door to greet the Archbishop.

In the famous tradition, the Archbishop then strikes the door three times with his pastoral staff, and the Dean opens the door to greet him. The Archbishop is then led up to the nave altar, where he swears an oath of faithfulness to the statutes of the Church of England and an oath of faithfulness to the Queen of England. The Dean then presents the Archbishop with the ancient Canterbury Gospels, brought to England by St Augustine in 597, on which he swears faithfulness.

Two Seats
The Archbishop is then enthroned on his seats, marking the core of the ceremony. First he is led to the Diocesan throne and installed by the Archdeacon of Canterbury as Bishop of the See of Canterbury. He is then led to the chair of St Augustine where the Dean installs him as Primate of All England. Having been installed, Archbishop reads the Gospel and preaches a sermon from St Augustine's chair.

The Archbishop's robes
Archbishop Justin chose to wear robes originally designed and made for the late Bishop of Peterborough, Ian Cundy. These were bought as a gift for Ian from the students and staff at Cranmer Hall, Durham where the Archbishop was a student. Archbishop Justin wore them in gratitude to a teacher and bishop who had a formative impact on his ministry. The robes' design is based on the first miracle that Jesus did at the wedding in Cana. The blues and purples represent water changing into wine, as well as baptismal waters. The three fish suggest the Holy Trinity, while serving as a reminder to Christians to be partners in mission as fishers of men. The robes were designed and made by Juliet Hemingray.

The date of the ceremony resonates in several ways: March 21st is the feast day of St. Benedict of Monte Cassino, a significant figure for both Canterbury Cathedral and Archbishop Justin himself, who is an oblate of the Order of Benedict. A thousand years ago, the cathedral was a Benedictine monastery.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's public ministry commenced on Thursday 21st March 2013, when he was enthroned - or 'installed' - in two special seats in Canterbury Cathedral.

The Anglican Church of Kenya(ACK) set aside the week of 18th to 24th February 2013 as a Prayer and fasting week for the elections.

Bishops, the Provosts, all the clergy and those that were trained by the Province during the National Prayer Conference spearheaded the initiative in ensuring the prayer points were circulated within the Diocese and are used as a guide for prayer. The prayer guide was used instead of Prayer for the Day for all the Sundays preceding the election date – 4th March 2013. Clergy in charge of Parishes/congregations opened churches for intecessory prayers for the entire Prayer Week.

The ACK also released a press statement addressing various issues on the state of the nation, calling upon Kenyans to uphold peace in the lectioneering period and accept the election results. "We are emerging from an experience where violence was triggered by disputed presidential election results. Our prayer is that free and fair elections will be held and that political aspirants and their supporters will accept the election results. All Kenyans should give room for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision to conclude its task of announcing results. Judicial means must be our only recourse in settling any disputes that may arise," remarked ACK Archbishop Eliud Wabukala as he read the statemement after a Bishop's consultation in Nakuru.

The decision by Church of England to allow clergy in civil partnerships to serve as Bishops has drawn debate from all over the world.

The Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Eliud Wabukala denounced the stand citing it as completely contrary to the clear and historic teaching of Scripture, as reaffirmed for Anglicans by the 1998 Lambeth Conference. In a letter to the Church of England's house of Bishops, he said that bishops have a particular responsibility to be examples of godly living and the requirment that bishops with Civil Partners to be celibate is clearly unworkable.

Archbishop Wabukala referred to Mark 10:6 ‘from the beginning of creation God made them male and female’ as the reference on God's model of marriage that should be adhered to without compromise. He further said that the move will create confusion about Anglican moral teaching and make restoring unity to the Communion an even greater challenge.

The provisions of the UK’s Civil Partnership legislation mimics marriage for same sex couples.

Archbishop Dr. Eliud Wabukala gave a message of hope in the new year service held at All Saints Cathedral Nairobi. The theme of the message "Arise and shine for your light has come" called upon all Christians to take proactive actions to participate in the change they desire to see in the new year. He relayed hope to the nation and the church echoing that the transitions taking place will only help shape a better future.

"As we read the newspapers we find some commentators are optimistic and some are pessimistic. Both views can find evidence to support their position, but I want today to say that we Christians should be people with a strong hope in the promises of Scripture and the power of prayer" he remarked.

The second Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON 2) has been scheduled to take place in Nairobi in the month of October later in the year, hosting Anglican leaders from around the globe. This will be a strategic moment in the reshaping of the Anglican Communion to fulfil the vision for global mission and a time to experience a foretaste of that glorious gathering of the people of God which Isaiah prophesied.

Archbishop Wabukala urged Kenyans to conduct the campaigning period with dignity,respect for one another and a willingness to take responsibility for the outcome, with those who loose accepting defeat, as the country prepares for the 4th March 2013 General elections. The New Year Message

The Venerable Joseph Kibuchua has been elected the new Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kirinyaga in a peaceful process held on Friday, 12 th October 2012. Ven. Kibuchua will succeed Bishop Daniel Munene Ngoru who is retiring at the end of the year after serving for 15 years.

Archdeacon Kibuchua has been the Provost of ACK St. Thomas Cathedral and also served as the development coordinator in the diocese. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Theology Degree and a Masters' Degree in Conflict Resolution. He is married and blessed with two children.

Other aspirants were Rev. Benson Kimaru and Rev. Samson Mwendia. The electoral college of 23 members participated in the elections.

Although I realise many will be very frustrated that the Church of England's General Synod failed to pass legislation to admit women to the episcopate by such a narrow margin, I believe that this result will come to be seen as a positive turning point.

The key issue at this stage was the maintenance of proper safeguards for those who as a matter of theological principle could not accept such a fundamental change. I am therefore heartened that the Church of England has stepped aside from following the path of the Episcopal Church of the United States which has progressively marginalised and excluded those who seek to hold to historic Anglican faith and order in good conscience.

Now that legislative pressure has been removed, it is my prayer that there can be a period of calm reflection in which the biblical understanding of calling, for both men and women, will be prominent.

The Most Rev'd Dr Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Kenya and Chairman, GAFCON Primates Council

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has announced the appointment of the Right Reverend Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, following The Queen's approval of his nomination.

Bishop Justin already has rich knowledge and experience of the Anglican Communion, and brings great pastoral and intellectual gifts to this position. He is a gifted communicator, deeply committed to the engagement between the Christian faith and an increasingly challenging secular society. He is a person of deep prayer and spirituality, with a passionate commitment to furthering God's mission.

The current Archbishop Rowan Williams announced his acceptance of the position of Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge with effect from January 2013. He will therefore be stepping down from the office of Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of December 2012. Rowan Williams has been the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2002.

ArchbishopEliud Wabukala chaired the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA) Primates Council, 22-25 October, in Dar es Salaam.The delegates were welcomed by the Primate of Tanzania, the Most Revd Valentino Mokiwa, who is also a member of the Council.

In June 2008, 1,200 delegates representing the majority of practising Anglicans around the world came together in response to a spiritual crisis and held the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem. It formed a fellowship, the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), and committed to supporting the Anglicans who had been forced out of their spiritual homes by church leaders who had denied the orthodox faith, either in word or deed. “We believe the doctrinal foundation of Anglicanism which defines our core identity is expressed in the words that the doctrine of the church is grounded in the Holy scriptures, and in particular such doctrine is to be found in the thirty nine articles of religion, the book of common prayer and the ordinal,’ notes GAFCON Statement 2008.

Sadly, the response to GAFCON by the Western leadership of the Communion has been to systematically use its ample financial resources to focus on dialogue – the so called ‘listening process’ or ‘continuing indaba’ – and issues of aid and economic empowerment without any clear biblical framework.

This means that the work of the GFCA and its Primates Council continues to be vital for the future. At Dar es Salaam, it was agreed that ‘GAFCON 2’ in 2013 would take as its theme the declaration of the gospel ‘In the midst of much conflict’ (1 Thessalonians 2:2).This is a global reality for many, where the church and her leadership seeks to promote biblical values amidst a secular culture.

The conflict we are in is not of course a struggle against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle for which the church needs to be equipped by faithful teaching which nourishes the soul and fortifies the mind, so it was therefore very encouraging that the Primates reaffirmed their commitment to resource the GFCA through a Theological Commission.

At Dar es Salaam, the Most Reverend Henri Isingoma, Primate of the Anglican Church of the Congo, was welcomed as a member of the Primates Council and a new regional Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans is being formed in Australia. The Council meeting closed with a service of Holy Communion in St. Alban’s Cathedral and it was very encouraging to see how strongly the congregation expressed their desire to stand with the GAFCON movement.

Many commentators have noted that the centre of gravity of global Christianity is now to be found in Africa. The Anglican Church of Kenya supports the quality of discipleship and witness matters as never before.

Story by: Revd Charles Raven, Archbishops Officer for Anglican Communion

One child died while eight others were injured when unknown assailants hurled an improvided explosive device at Anglican Church of Kenya St. Polycarp Parish on Juja Road in Nairobi.

On the fateful day, 30th September 2012, the church service was going on when the explosion occurred at the Sunday school building.

"My son wheeled me to the church service then left for Sunday School," recounts Mr. Maina who lost a nine year old son in the blast.

ACK ArchbishopEliud Wabukala, and Bishop Joel Waweru of Nairobi Diocese visited and prayed with four of the six children admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital, Children's Ward.

“This is a cruel provocation, but I appeal to Christians not to feed violence with violence, either in word or deed, because we are called to overcome evil with good,” remarked Archbishop Wabukala in a press statement condemning the attack.  

Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Mr. Njoroge Ndirangu and Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims Secretary General Sheikh Adan Wachu gathered at the scene and expressed their disapproval of the of the heinous act.

Bishop Waweru  and Provincial Commissioner Ndirangu later visited the bereaved family who lost a nine year old son, Ian Maina. Ian succumbed to injuries after the improvised explosive device was hurled at their Sunday school class blowing the roof off. The assailants escaped on foot in a nearby path.

Photo: Archbishop Eliud Wabukala and Bishop Joel Waweru pray for Ian Muchiri (7years) at Kenyatta National Hospital Children's Ward, Nairobi

Canon Rosemary Mbogo, the Provincial Secretary of the Anglican Church of Kenya has been elected the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Chair.

The position is significant as the Rev. Rosemary is the first woman chair person elected in that capacity since the history of NCCK. Rev. Rosemary will serve in the post for three years. Archbishop TImothy Ndambuki of Africa Brotherhood Church was elected as the Vice Chair. The elections took place during the 61st General Assembly at the Jumuia Conference and Beach Resort, Kanamai in Mombasa. Hundred of delegates from all over the country represented their respective member churches.

Currently, NCCK has 26 member churches, among them Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church of East Africa, Africa Brotherhood Church, Episcopal Church of Africa and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya.

Kenya Anglican Youth Organization (KAYO), on 14th August 2012 celebrated the Golden Jubilee to mark the 50th anniversary since it was started in 1962 by the late Bishop Obadiah Kariuki. The celebrations were held during the annual KAYO conference at Senior Chief Koinange Girls' High School in Kiambu from 13th to 18th August 2012.

During the celebrations, Wajibika Initiative, a civic campaign programme was launched aimed at mobilizing one million youth across Kenya to register as voters and cast their votes in the coming General Elections. Focused youth trainings and civic education is ongoing in a number of dioceses to empower them to elect capable and trustworthy leaders who will contribute to the growth of our country pegged on the reform agenda that the ACK supports.

More than 100 delegates from provinces in the Global South (comprising Africa, Asia, the Pacific and South America) gathered together in prayer, fellowship and listening to the teaching of the Word in Bangkok, Thailand on 16 th - 20 th July 2012.

The Global South Conference on Decade of Mission and Networking brought together Global south leaders who are committed to the apostolic-historic faith and were also joined by a number of mission partners from other parts of the Communion and various mission agencies.

Insights were drawn from the Book of Romans where participants were challenged to see Mission as “calling people from among the nations to the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5 cf., 15:18, 16:26).

Christians individually and the Church corporately need to witness holistically in the expanding spheres of community, nation and the world at large hence the choice of the Conference theme “to offer our sanctified bodies (churches) and renewed minds as living sacrifices” for our Lord's glory.

A resurgence of traditional religious-cultural groups on the one hand, and hardened secularism and materialism on the other are some of the serious challenges that the global church is facing. In the face of these challenges, the way forward is to equip our churches with an emphasis on discipleship and character formation. There were intensive discussions on the need for theological and economic empowerment and establishing constructive partnerships to encourage each Province to be self-reliant.

Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, sent a note of greeting and affirmed his support for the work of the Conference.
Photo: Archbishop Dr. Eliud Wabukala during the conference Story Courtesy: Anglican Communion News Service

ACK Archbishop, Dr. Eliud Wabukala with the host Bishop Beneah Salala laid foundation stones for three schools for girls in Mumias Diocese.

Koyonzo Mixed secondary school is planning to open a separate wing for girls while Lubinu Girls Secondary school new classes built by the board and Constituency Development fund were opened. The Archbishop also spent time with pupils of Koyonzo Primary School and prayed with them. (photo left)

The purpose of constructing schools and expanding existing facilities within the locality is to encourage parents to enroll more children. At the moment, the schools have over 1,500 pupils.

The engagement of churches in the education sector started with the early mis-sionaries who integrated education with church planting as an evangelism strategy.

Kenya Vision 2030 under the social pillar, plans to reduce illiteracy by increasing access to education at a proposed school enrolment rate of 95%.

Delegates from various parts of the country attended the Divine Conference at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. The revival conference was held from 24th - 27th May 2012, hosting renowned local and international speakers. Among them is the ACK Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi Jos, Nigeria and other bishops from Kenya. The conference entails Bible expositions and teachings while the evening sessions incorporated sessions of prayer and worship.

In his keynote address during the opening ceremony, Archbishop Wabukala described revival as the awakening that the church needs to accomplish her purpose in God. "We cannot plan for revival. It's an act of God meeting a willing heart that is ready for a new dimension," he said.

"I'ts a refreshing experience like never before. It reminds us of the East African revival. God is doing a new thing among the willing vessels," said one of thedelegates.

More than 200 delegates from 25 countries and 30 Provinces of the Anglican Communion gathered in London from 23rd to 27th April 2012 to build on the work of the Global Anglican Future Conference ( GAFCON) in Jerusalem.

The conference was preceded by The Primates Council of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) meeting for over three days, April 19th- 21st 2012 in London. The leaders met at St. Mark's Battersea Rise in London for five days of prayer, planning and plenary sessions.

With the theme, “ The supremacy of Christ over all creation, including his church and our very lives ,” the leaders, clergy and laity, committed to the preaching and defence of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in and through the Anglican Communion. Seminars ranged over key topics such as evangelism, family, economic empowerment, the Gospel, church and spiritual leadership under pressure.

The five days of the conference included daily worship and testimony, Bible studies and plenary sessions to strengthen the worldwide churches in delivering the Christian message to the world. The interactive seminars include explorations of spiritual leadership, family, evangelism, development and aid, the nature of the gospel and the theology of the church to equip the churches to defend and sustain the faith.

In his keynote address at the GAFCON/ Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) the GAFCON Primates Council Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya, termed the event as a key moment in following God's guidance for the Anglican Communion to overcome challenges and continuing crisis. Drawing from Micah 6:8, The Archbishop outlined the extent of unbiblical teaching in the communion and declared “The heart of the crisis we face is not only institutional, but spiritual.”

“ After some 450 years it is becoming clear that what some have called the ‘Anglican experiment' is not ending in failure, but is on the verge of a new and truly global future in which the original vision of the reformers can be realized as never before,” he remarked.

The delegates including bishops, clergy and laity, committed to mission and mutual support of GAFCON 2008 and to the goals of the FCA.

In 2008 the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) was held in Jerusalem, drawing together more than 1100 Anglicans from around the world, including bishops, clergy and laity. The GAFCON conference held in Jerusalem established a Primates Council representing the majority of the world's Anglicans and set up a global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans as a movement within the Communion. The gathering in London is the first leadership conference since the landmark GAFCON meeting in Jerusalem in 2008.

The next Global Anglican Future Conference, with invitees including clergy and lay people, as well as bishops is scheduled for May 2013.

Photo Courtesy: GAFCON website

The Archbishop, Bishops, Regional Development Coordinators and Heads of Departments & Institutions of the Anglican Church of Kenya, met at the ACK Mombasa Guest House from 20th to 22nd March 2012 and deliberated on the progress of constitutional reforms and the state of the nation.

The consultation aimed at discussing the ACK advocacy agenda in the run up to Kenya's first general elections under the new constitutional dispensation, discussed the political scenarios emerging in the nation and the role of the church in national cohesion.

The ACK leaders called upon Kenyans to respect the rule of law and support the institutions delegated to make laws regarding the disputed poll dates. “The debate regarding the date for elections must not distract Kenyans from focusing on the process that will lead to free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections. The process is more important than the date. However, elections must be held as close as possible to the end of the term of the current parliament,” said the Archbishop in statement released during a press conference held after the meeting.

Full Press Release link

The Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative Core Group was invited and welcomed to St Julian's retreat centre, Limuru, by the Most Rev Dr Eliud Wabukala, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya. He presided at the first Eucharist and issued a challenge that in mission Jesus should be at the centre. Each morning's session began with a biblical reflection and discussion on how Jesus went about his evangelism, and what should be learnt from his approach.

The core group began their meeting by visiting St Jerome's and the Church Army Africa Urban Mission Centre in Kibera, Nairobi.  Kiberais the biggest informal urban settlement in Africa. St Jerome's, which has planted five new congregations in recent years, is the fastest growing parish in All Saints Cathedral Diocese. This visit introduced the group to an exciting context from which to inform and enrich their discussion.

Archbishop Eliud also invited  the ECGI Core Group to join the clergy and mission practitioners from All Saints Cathedral Diocese and Nairobi Diocese for a workshop on the theme of ‘perfect balance in mission and ministry'. During the workshop practitioners from Kenya and the core group reflected on prioritising  evangelism (fishing for people) as well as pastoral ministry and discipleship (feeding the sheep) within our different contexts.

ECGI is now in touch with over 500 people with its bi-monthly newsletter, Witness6.7 , being distributed by posted hard copy, web-link, email, and its facebook group Anglican Witness . In discussing how people communicate  within the Communion, the group became aware that for young people, and generally in an increasing number of countries, the preferred means of communication is through the smart phone rather than the computer and was challenged to consider using Twitter and explore the use of mobile web sites .

The group received a report on Unreached People Groups and had a fulsome discussion on the urgent yet complex way for Anglican engagement. In discussing future directions for ECGI,the group agreed to further develop: regional collaboration; gathering, collecting, categorising, and highlighting evangelism and church growth resources; support conferences; encourage prayer; establish  stable representation on the core group; advocate for the language of evangelism to become owned and understood by the whole church; promote  a closer relationship between evangelism and discipleship. It was agreed to recommend that ECGI be renamed after its facebook group as Anglican Witness, so that its purpose is more obvious.
Story Courtesy: Anglican Communion News Service

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Dr. Eliud Wabukala gave the lent mesaage for the year at All Saints Cathedral Nairobi on Wednesday 22nd February 2012.

Addressing the congregation during the Ash Wednesday service which is marked annually at the beginning of the lent season, he called upon the people to take personal responsibility to create the desired change in the community and nation at large. "The good news of the gospel is that transformation begins with ordinary men, women and children, however sinful or insignificant we may feel. It is not a responsibility we can leave to governments and agencies, but a challenge to fulfil the purposes of Almighty God in our place for our time", he remarked.

To the nation of Kenya, he urged all Christians to model what it means to live in peace, practicing tolerance and forgiveness in this election season.
Click on the link for the full lent pastoral letter: Lent Message 2012

The Council of the Anglican Council of Africa (CAPA) is held the 11th Council meeting in Bujumbura, Burundi. The meeting which was hosted by the Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi took place from 4th–8th February 2012.

With the theme “Harnessing our unity to unlock our potential and secure our future” the 11th CAPA Council meeting brought together Primates or their representatives, clergy and lay people from the 12 Anglican Provinces of Africa along with partners and other observers from around the world.

The Council that is held every four years opened with a vibrant welcoming service of Holy Communion in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Bujumbura at which the Dean of the Cathedral, Rev. Canon Paul Ntukamazina; the Bishop of Bujumbura, the Right Rev. Pie Ntukamazina and the Archbishop, the Most Rev. Bernard Ntahoturi welcomed the delegates and other guests.

The Minister of Home Affairs who represented the Government of Burundi remarked that the meeting was held in the year that Burundi is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Independence and establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He commended the Church's contribution to Burundi's peace and sustainable development.

In his preaching, The Most Rev. Ian Ernest, Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean and chair of CAPA said that as the Body of Christ in unity we must reflect Christ in word and actions, through proclaiming the Gospel and reaching out in service to the world. Archbishop Ernest took the opportunity to congratulate the people of Burundi for rising to the challenge of consolidating a spirit of unity and thanked the Church of Burundi for its hospitality.

A sense of unity marked the service as Archbishops from different Provinces joined the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Burundi in prayer for the Church, the world and the CAPA Council meeting and released a communique and resolutions that will guide work in future.

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Dr. Eliud Wabukala attended the meeting.

Story Courtesy: Anglican Communion News Service Photo Credit: Anglican Church of Burundi

After the peaceful process held on Saturday 26th November 2011, Canon Joseph Kamwati Muchai was elected the new Bishop of Nakuru Diocese. On the same day, Rev. Gadiel Katanga was elected as the new bishop on Kajiado Diocese.

In a colorful ceremony held on Sunday 8th January 2012 in Nakuru, he was consecrated and enthroned as the new bishop of the diocese. Bishop Muchai is a holder of Masters degree in Theology from Queens University in Belfast . He is married and blessed with two children. Bishop Kamwati succeeds Bishop Stephen Njihia Mwangi who has served in the diocese for 21 years.

Kajiado Diocese also welcomed the new Bishop Gadiel Katanga Lenini in a consecration and enthronement service which was held on Sunday 15th January 2012. A graduate of St. Paul's College in Limuru, Bishop Katanga has been the provost of St. Emmanuel Cathedral in Kajiado. He is married and blessed with three children. Bishop Katanga succeeds Bishop Daniel Taama who has served in the diocese for 14 years.

The Provincial Synod of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) meeting at the All Saints’ Cathedral Trinity Centre on 30th September 2011 expressed concern about the calamities experienced in the recent past in our country.

In a press statement released, Archbishop Dr. Eliud Wabukala, spoke a message of comfort to those who have lost loved ones in the several cases of road carnage, the Sinai slum and Busia tanker fires, deaths caused by the consumption of lethal local brews, collapsing of buildings under construction and the inhaling of poisonous chlorine fumes in Shauri Moyo. "Some of these disasters are preventable, if only individuals and corporate institutions would be more proactive in protection of human life," said the Archbishop Wabukala.

As the cost of living escalates, the church urged the Government to consider eliminating some of the taxes temporarily until the economic crunch is over to show solidarity with the majority of Kenyans who are struggling to make ends meet. They also called upon the Parliament to respect the decision of Kenyans to vote in the Proposed Constitution and refrain from piecemeal amendment to alter the election date of general elections from August to December of every fifth year. Instead, it was recommended that Parliament awaits the outcome of the Supreme court ruling on the issue.

Kenyans were also urged to remain calm and let justice take its course as the hearings for confirmation of charges continue in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. The pursuit of justice for the victims of the post- election violence experienced in Kenya in 2007, has been one accompanied with controversies on the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators."The church will continue in prayer as we trust for peace and solidarity of Kenyans during the upcoming elections and a common desired future," said the Archbishop.

Over 70 Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) development actors from various regions in the country congregated in ACK Imani Guest and Conference Centre in Nakuru for a two- day consultation to review ACK work in social transformation. The ACK Archbishop, Provincial heads of departments, Provincial boards' chairmen, Board of Social services, representatives from various regions and Directorate of Social Services (DOSS) staff were among the participants.

The ACK has been doing development work around the country for over 35 years with great success and impact. The operational context and landscape has changed tremendously over the years thus necessitating the consultation to discuss ways of improving the work.

ACK Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, called upon the development agents to familiarize with the new constitution in order to contextualize and make relevant the social transformation approaches in future. Archbishop Emeritus David Gitari, drawing from Matthew 9: 35- 38, challenged the participants to reach out to the needs of the communities they serve since development is the bridge to evangelism.

ACK's re-engineering of the development work design seeks to give it a new lease of life and vigor to keep it efficient, relevant and competitive in the coming years. As regions displayed their work, it gave an opportunity for stakeholders in ACK development to meaningfully interact with the ongoing work in the communities, with a view to re-direct the strategic direction of this work.

ACK hopes to make the consultation an annual event where local stakeholders in form of owners and doers of development work can get together to showcase their work, identify gaps and deliberate on how to sustain and grow the development agenda of ACK.

The annual Provincial Kenya Anglican Youth Organization (KAYO) conference dubbed “Tuvute Pamoja” was held at St. George's Grassland Academy in Nakuru Diocese from 8th to 13th August 2011. The theme “Together for Christ” was drawn from Amos 3:3 that says, “How can two walk together unless they agree?” The conference was officially opened by the Archbishop of Kenya, The Most Rev. Dr. Eliud Wabukala during a Holy Communion service in which he launched the KAYO Strategic Plan 2010-2013.

Various bishops and clergy were present among them the host Bishop Stephen Njihia of Nakuru Diocese and the Provincial KAYO chairman, Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit of Kericho Diocese. The Military Episcopate Diocese provided their army band that led the conference in praise and worship alongside regional worship teams. Bishop Dr. Joseph Wasonga of Maseno West Diocese was the conference main speaker. He became a ‘wounded healer' delivering God's word with utter simplicity bringing many young people to faith in Christ. The program included interactive workshops with various topics among them “sexuality” that was led by a professional counselling consultancy team from Kenya Youth for Christ.

Among the highlights of the event was the “Talent Night” where the young people expressed their talents and creativity through folk songs, solo and group songs, poems, dances and skits. The clergy and other church leaders were urged to effectively use the talents for holistic ministry of the Church especially for reaching out to the youth who are not in the Church.

In the cultural night, the youth dressed in different attire representing the rich cultural heritage from various tribes across the nation. The salient message underlying this gesture was an invitation to accept and embrace all cultures and celebrate what they bring to the body of Christ, for the purposes of national cohesion and peaceful inter-ethnic co- existence, especially as the nation of Kenya moves towards 2012 General elections.

The Tuvute Pamoja conference integrated sports activities including swimming in an Olympic size swimming pool, football, netball, basketball and volleyball. They equally enjoyed the fun of swinging, taking walks in the expansive school compound, and playing indoor games. This e provided the youth with an opportunity to build new friendships, learn from one another, show-case talents and share unique stories.

A total of 1500 trees were planted by the youth, with 1000 trees planted at St. George's Grassland Academy and 500 trees at Rohi School both in Nakuru. The proprietor of St George's Academy termed the initiative as “A creative and wonderful step by the ACK in engaging the youth in conserving the environment.”

The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) advocacy committee meeting at Mombasa Guesthouse on 3rd August 2011, called upon the Government of Kenya to urgently respond to the pertinent issues affecting our country, drought and the slow pace of the constitution implementation process.

In a press release, "A Call to Action," the church commended the efforts of Kenyans to raise funds to provide food in kind for their compratriots affected by drought and famine. They called upon the Government to consider long term intervention such as water harvesting and ensuring adequate food reserves are in stock to avert dire effects of drought in future. "What mechanisms are in place to ensure food harvested in productive areas is preserved in strategic reserves and distributed when need arises?" remarked the statement.

On the Constitition, the politicians were called upon to remain focused on drawing up and submission of crucial bills for debate to facilitate the implementation of the new Constitution, as the first anniversary of the promulgation draws near. That not withstanding, the Constitution Oversight Implementation Committee and the Constitution Implementationj Committee were lauded for their efforts and achievements in the process so far.

Archbishop of Kenya, Eliud Wabukala has played what everyone agrees was a key part in holding communities together in periods of violent conflict working tirelessly for lasting reconciliation and justice.

At grassroot level, this is a church with enormous energy and creativity. The emphasis on holistic ministry working both for spiritual maturity and for the regeneration of communities is visible at every level. We are priviledged to see it at work both in small rural communities and in the urban slums.

This visit has been very joyful and fruitful visit for me and I thank God for the great witness of this treasured part of the Anglican family.