After serving for 12 years as the Bishop of the ACK Diocese of Nakuru, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph K. Muchai is set to retire at the end of this year. His retirement service took place yesterday, November 26th, at the Rift Valley Sports Club in Nakuru County. The service was led by the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Dr. Jackson Ole Sapit, flanked by over 15 bishops; clergy and attended by thousands of Christians from across the Diocese.
Reflecting on his 34 years of ministry in the Diocese in various positions including as a priest and later as a Bishop, the outgoing Bishop remarked that “it has been an honor to serve in an extraordinary journey filled with joyous celebrations, touching moments, and experiences of growth in faith.”
“It has been my sincere endeavor to uphold the values that underpin our faith – love and compassion, an unwavering commitment to the service of God and one another.”
Serving as the 5th Bishop of the Diocese which was created in 1961, Dr. Muchai thanked his predecessors for their contribution in creating a strong foundation. He also expressed gratitude to all Christians for the support extended to him in “ensure the flourishing of their shared ministry.”
“May the journey ahead be filled with peace, joy, and the enduring presence of God.”
The Rt. Rev. (RTD) Stephen Njihia, the 4th Bishop of the Diocese shared the following:
“Of the five bishops who have served this Diocese, none has worn the shoes of the other. Each has come with his own, and Bishop Joseph has ably continued that legacy and kept the fire burning.”
The Archbishop delivered the sermon, praising the outgoing Bishop for his faithful service to the Church. He drew from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Bishop Muchai and his wife, Canon Mary Muchai, have held various positions at provincial and global levels within the communion. Bishop Muchai chairs the Children’s Ministry Committee of the Provincial Board of Mission, while Canon Mary Muchai is a trustee in the Global Mothers’ Union Council representing Zone D, consisting of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Jerusalem, and the Middle East.
Bishop Muchai is credited for spearheading the growth of the Dioceses to ensure both spiritual and physical growth to be able to respond to the dynamic needs in the modern mission field. These include increasing the number of clergy within the Diocese as well as ensuring their continued capacity building, infrastructural sustainability development projects which have contributed to an increase in the Diocesan resource base, investment in modern technology such as the Imani Portal to enhance administration and imbedding conservation efforts in Mission activities through scaling up green Anglicans activities; among other initiatives. To mark his Retirement, a total of 65 trees were planted (equal to his age)- 12 of which were planted at the Diocesan headquarters in Nakuru.
Since its creation in 1961, the ACK Diocese of Nakuru has had 5 Bishops namely The Rt. Rev. Neville Langford-Smith (1961-1976), The Rt. Rev. Manasses Kuria (1976-1980), The Rt. Rev. Laadan Kamau Mbiu (1980-1990), and the Rt. Rev. Stephen Njihia Mwangi (1990-2011). The Diocese has been subdivided over time, creating Nyahururu (1998), Eldoret (1983), Kericho (2008), and Baringo (2018) Dioceses.
