St. Stephen's Memorial Episcopal Church

TIME. Time is a gift. It is a blank check. We can maximize it, minimizes it or even ignore it all together. However, our outcome or success is as a result of how we use the gift. Whether we move our clock forward or backward, we all have twenty four hours a day. We ought to know our priorities. Our loyalty determines our priorities. You will allocate time for whatever you are committed. If we are loyal to God, we will create time for Him. Even when every minute is being competed for, we will create time.

Moses was so loyal to God. He went from being prince of Egypt to a shepherd. For forty years he was in the desert. He must have had lots of questions. While he may have felt he was doing nothing with his life, God was up to something. God was preparing Moses to know what life was in the desert. After forty years Moses sees a strange site in the desert, a bush on fire, but the fire does not consume the bush. When Moses investigates more closely, he encounters God, speaking to him through the bush. God has a mission for Moses. Moses is to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and take them to Canaan, the land God had promised their ancestor Abraham.

In deed, time led Moses' success in the wilderness with the Israelites. Had he not been mentored, it would have been a different story. Joshua chose to be mentored by Moses. He did not want to be left out. He was able to be the leader to take the children of Israel to the Promised Land. Joshua was able to build an incredible inheritance of leadership through time. This tells us how much more can we accomplish through God, when we give Him our time. To be Christ's disciple, we have to invest our time with Him. -- Christopher Kanyua Karware

KENYAN CHOIR COMPETITION JULY 26. The Kenyan Choir competition moves to Quincy this year. Choir Director Bruce Beecroft has been working hard with our Kiswahili Choir and they hope to do well in both the traditional and the church music divisions. Hold our choir in your prayers as they join others in praising God and building community through music. If you can make it to Quincy on July 26^th, cheer loudly for our choir to win.

KENYAN ANGLICAN CHOIR COMPETITION IS A GREAT SUCCESS
While bishops met in indaba groups and Bible Study at Lambeth to strengthen the Anglican Communion, we hosted the First Annual Kenyan Anglican Choir Competition.  Hundreds of people from six congregations came to St. Stephen’s on Sunday, August 17 for an afternoon of singing, dancing, fellowship and refreshments.  Theological differences carried no weight as we gathered to praise the Lord and meet our brothers and sisters in Christ.  While competition was fierce and our well-rehearsed choir clearly excelled, there were no winners and losers on that day.  There was only the body of Christ.

Jesus loves all

Today, we members of the St. Stephen’s Kiswahili service are celebrating our 5^th anniversary.  It is a celebration that honors our commitment to the East African immigrants who live in Lynn and surrounding cities.  Five years ago, many immigrants living in Lynn had to travel many miles away to find a place of worship where they could use their own “style and flavor.”  It required the courage and determination of some people who tirelessly searched for a place where they could worship together as a community.  Led by the Rev. Joseph Ngotho together with the Rev. Paul Gitimu, they approached the Rev. Jane Gould, who, with open and welcoming hands of Episcopal Church, gave them a place within the church where they could meet and worship.  Since that time, many people have met every Sunday for worship.

Today, we are not only proud of our numerical growth, but also how we have won many souls for Christ.  Many young men and women have found our church to be a place of spiritual guidance and support.  Many of them have started and sustained their marriages within the church where they find care and support.  With our two pastors, Rev. Joseph and Rev. Frances, the church is now committed to move on to greater heights in all matters of growth and development for the church’s members, families and especially the children who endlessly need the spiritual guidance.  We highly thank all St. Stephen’s community and the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts for their continuous support and encouragement.  And to all our friends who are gathered here today, we thank you for coming to celebrate with us and we trust that we will continue to get your support and cooperation for the glory of God.  Thank you and may God bless you.

We the Pastors of Kenyan Churches and on behalf of the Kenyan community members resident in the greater Boston area, concerned about the grave situation in our beloved homeland reiterate our thanksgiving to God for upholding Kenya as one country since we got our independence. We have co-existed as a people through various trying times in the history of our nation irrespective of our diversities culturally, ethnically, religious, economically, and socially.

The current events awakens us all to a reality that we have always taken for granted; that peace is not just to be cherished, it should also be deliberately cultivated. In this defining moment in the history of our country, we as patriots join in solidarity with our loved ones within and without to implore our leaders to give peace a chance. Our leaders should wake up to the realization that peace is a virtue given to us by the Almighty God.

            Let us all put the interest of the country before our own. Let each one of us, from politicians to church leaders, electronic to print media, calculate our words and gear them towards unifying rather than dividing the country. We all have a moral obligation from God to leave Kenya a better place than we found it. It is the duty of each one of in concerted efforts, in a deliberate and pro-active approach to pursue and preach peace.  For and on behalf of the Pastors, Karimi Mumbui Secretary.

THANKS FOR SUPPORT OF RELIEF WORK IN KENYA.  Many thanks to everyone—children and adults-- who through Lenten offering boxes, quarter cards and other contributions supported relief work in Kenya.  Although we don’t yet have a final count of our offering, the outpouring of support is greatly appreciated and desperately needed.  Checks still can be written to Episcopal Relief and Development.

QUARTER CARDS AND MITE BOXES
SUPPORT RELIEF WORK IN KENYA 
The Lenten offerings of young people and adults will be dedicated to relief work in Kenya through our Kiswahili congregation, Diocesan Jubilee work and Episcopal Relief and Development.  Please give generously through your mite boxes and cards as well as checks payable to the Diocese, ERD or St. Stephen’s with Kenya in the memo.

(dated: early March 2008)
My brothers and sisters, I cannot believe that we are about to celebrate our fifth anniversary. The date for the occasion will be on March 30th 2008.  Please mark the date because this is an important day for our Kiswahili community. This is a day to reflect our minds back to see what God has done for us.  It is a day we proudly say our God is Ebenezer for He has brought us this far.  We all know how the year started in Kenya. The political quagmire that has hit our country has left us with no other choice but pray and pray.  This is the time to fast and pray for peace in Kenya.  We are grateful to our brothers and sisters in the English service for joining us during this difficult time in Kenya. It is true that some of us have lost relatives and friends but we believe that God will save this nation.  Amefanya maajabu before and I know he will still do it this time. I would request our members to dedicate the anniversary day to be a communal day for prayers and a day to give our offerings to the displaced families in our country.  May God bless you.  Rev. Joseph Ngotho, Pastor Kiswahili congregation.