Upbeat and uplifting music begins to play from the speakers as the screen comes to life. A variety of names for God appear on the screen, each one disappearing into the background to make room for the next. God. Father. Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and myriad others. This transitions into a request to get involved and "join the revival." The video cross fades to close ups of the praise band as they take the dais and begin to play. Worship leaders dance their way up and begin to lead the congregation in song.
Several songs later, the congregation settles down as a pastor and worship assistant take over. This is no North Atlantic, formal service. The two people now leading worship do not merely take turns reading prayers or from scripture, but engage in a dialogue with each other, and periodically pause to encourage the congregation to turn and discuss things with each other. They joke and laugh, but through it all, they guide the congregation toward deeper understanding of God. This is worship at Nairobi Chapel. Intermixed with the dialogue are videos and a rousing introduction of three representatives from the recently completed "Plug In" class--as best I can tell, a sort of new member course. These three each share 10 verses they have memorized. One even memorized her verses in Kiswahili, although English is the primary language of worship.
Later, the entire class, which includes members of several different churches come forward and together lead the congregation in several songs. They are all dressed in red and black, and collectively are quite striking. We learn that a new class is starting shortly, and new members are encouraged to sign up.The service concludes with the sermon. In all, the service has lasted about 2 hours, but owing to the vibrancy has felt quite a bit shorter.
Following the service, I step into their Karibu tent, where first time visitors are served tea and light snacks around several tables. Each table has one church member to answer questions and to seek to make the visitors feel welcome. There is another space set aside for second-time visitors. We introduce ourselves around our table, but I struggle to hear most of the names. We chat for a bit, and are encouraged to come again, and to look into the Plug-In class--we could even begin next week with the new class. A few minutes later we take our leave, and I go to find my host family.
That was my first worship experience in Nairobi, and the beginning of my first hunt for a Church home. I grew up and went to University in the same town, and so kept going to the same Church. When I served in Northern Ireland, I was working in a church, so that was also my church home. In Richmond, I consider the Seminary my church home. Thus far, every place I have lived has had a community ready built for me. This has led to my really having to think about my church community for the first time. Fortunately, this is generally true of YAVs in Kenya, so our month of orientation included visits to several different churches in order that we may get a sense of what the spectrum is.
On my second week, several of us went to one of Nairobi Chapel's daughter churches, called Mavuno (which means 'harvest' in Kiswahili), with one of last years YAVs who had not yet returned to the States. Mavuno looks and feels very much like it's parent, Nairobi Chapel--very youth focused, very vibrant, and a similar dialogue based approach to conducting the service. It is slightly smaller, but still quite large, and is also under a pavilion. Nairobi Chapel was in the middle of a sermon series on leadership, Mavuno has been focusing on Kenya. Both sermons were very outspoken and neither shied away from addressing political issues or challenging, sometimes quite directly, the members of the congregation.
On our third Sunday, we went to Loresho Presbyterian Church, a PCEA congregation which was an interesting blend, combining aspects of the style of worship represented by Nairobi Chapel and Mavuno with some more North Atlantic elements. The sermon here was less focused on politics and current events, and while there were some theological points and emphases with which I disagree, it was underpinned by some excellent work with the Hebrew of one of the Old Testament passages.
Our fourth weekend was spent in the countryside, where we stayed in the village home of one of Phyllis' co-workers (you can see photos in my last post) who also oversees several congregations in the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa. On that Sunday, we went with him to one of those churches. On this particular Sunday, one congregation was hosting several others, because immediately following the service was a fundraiser to buy transportation for the pastor. This service was almost entirely in Kikuyu, one of Kenya's tribal languages, and so while it was aesthetically interesting, I can't really comment on the service because I don't really know what was going on.
On our fifth Sunday, three of us went to hear our site coordinator preach (the Tanzania ladies, who had already left for their placements were very disappointed to miss that, and are going to be upset with me for not talking about it at greater length here) at Christ Church, an Anglican Church of Kenya congregation which is just around the corner from my flat. The service is much like the worship at Loresho, with the addition of the frequent references to a prayer book which seems common in Anglican churches.
I am still searching, still trying to decide what factors are important to me, and how to weigh them, but for now Christ Church is looking pretty good.
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