MPEKETONI, KENYA (September 11, 2008) \u2013 An eight-member delegation representing the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) participated in a celebration marking the tenth anniversary of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Kenya (ECCK) August 29-31.
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\nMpeketoni is located about 40 miles inland from Lamu Island on the northeastern coast of Kenya.<\/p>\n
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The North American delegation was led by Curt Peterson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission. Others included Pete and Cindy Ekstrand, regional coordinators for Africa; Alberto and Lisa Zepeda, former short-term missionaries to Kenya; Jeff Anderson, superintendent of the Canada Conference; Marc Murchison, pastor of Lanyon Covenant Church in Lanyon, Iowa; and Paul Macharia, pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Florissant, Missouri.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was significant for the church to note this event and celebrate what God has done by remembering the past and looking to the future,\u201d says Pete Ekstrand, who contributed details for this news report.<\/p>\n
Following the opening service on Friday (August 29), a group of young people completed a service project by cleaning up garbage in the town\u2019s central market area (top photo), using large converted oil drums to serve as permanent garbage collection cans positioned in several areas. Friday afternoon was spent in conversation \u2013 ECCK pastors and national council members talking with delegation representatives and sharing ministry challenges. A large community revival meeting capped the day\u2019s events.<\/p>\n
Three women speakers kicked off the big celebration day on Saturday – Mama Jennifer Mburu, head of the ECCK Covenant Women; Lisa Zepeda, and Cindy Ekstrand.<\/p>\n
Mburu used Isaiah 41:10 as her text in sharing her personal testimony, reminding listeners that God is our God regardless of our respective weaknesses or strengths. \u201cGod is our help and has promised to sustain us by his righteous right hand,\u201d she said in quoting her key passage. \u201cWe should come out of our carnal nature and be firmly established in our faith,\u201d she encouraged her audience, noting that the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) is our best defense against the enemy\u2019s schemes.<\/p>\n
Zepeda encouraged listeners to run a strong race through to the finish line \u2013 \u201cto give our all, and to give all of ourselves.\u201d Ekstrand reminded everyone that God promised to be faithful, even in the tough times.<\/p>\n
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Cutting and sharing a special birthday cake was one of the highlights of the afternoon session, which also included greetings from delegation members and the reading of a history of the ECCK by Duncan Ngoima. Murchison spoke during the evening service.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am encouraged by your hope and your worship,\u201d said Anderson in bringing greetings (shown in lower photo with Dickson Mwati interpreting). \u201cYour worship demonstrates hope. Do not settle in. Often after 10 years, the passion and vitality of a new church plant (in North America) can begin to wane – they can begin to look inward and be self-focused. Don\u2019t let it happen.\u201d Anderson said he was also impressed with the youthfulness reflected in the congregations. \u201cI am impressed with the youth of your churches,\u201d he said. \u201cAllow them to move into leadership. Train and mentor them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have allowed the Holy Spirit to move, and when the Holy Spirit moves, things happen,\u201d Macharia told the audience. \u201cWe are at the end of the beginning – this will be a memorable occasion for many years to come. You here, the ECCK, are the pioneers.\u201d He reminded them that they have a good heritage in Africa and encouraged them to seek the vision of the Lord and follow it (Proverbs 29:18).<\/p>\n
Peterson brought greetings from Covenant churches around the world, in particular the Evangelical Covenant Church in the United States and Canada. \u201cThe words of our new president Gary Walter are to \u2018grow deeper in Christ and further in mission\u2019 and \u2018love the things that Jesus loved.\u2019 God has blessed us to be connected together in a fellowship called the Covenant. We are brothers and sisters in a movement of God to bring the Good News to the world and to love one another.\u201d Quoting Ephesians 3:16-19, Peterson offered this encouragement: \u201cMay you be strengthened in your inner being. May you know the height and width and depth of God\u2019s love in all difficulties and struggles and joys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ekstrand brought greetings from the other Covenant churches in Africa, the Evangelical Covenant Church of Sudan, which is also 10 years old, and the Congo Covenant Church – the Evangelical Community of the Ubangi-Mongala (CEUM).\u00a0 \u201cI spoke to CEUM President Mossai Sanguma recently and he asked that I pass on greetings. They are proud of you and pray for you. I am encouraged by what I see, by your passion for Christ and your love for the Gospel, by your passion to reach the unreached and plant churches. That is outstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Sunday\u2019s closing service included stirring choral music from choirs representing each of the participating congregations, each in their own language. Peterson brought the message centered on a theme of \u201cRemember \u2013 Forget \u2013 Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember your first love \u2013 Jesus,\u201d Peterson began. \u201cRemember also your history and mission. Do not forget those.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cForget – we celebrate today that God forgives and forgets our sins. God is a God of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation.\u201d He encouraged everyone to \u201cforget our sins and live a new life in Christ. Forgetting comes at a great cost. As God has forgiven and forgotten, we are called to forgive and forget, to be reconcilers, a people of reconciliation. The sad thing is that in many places, the church is divided against itself. The ECCK will die if it does not forgive and forget.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDream – if we look only at the circumstances around us, we will forget how to dream. We have Christ in us, so we see the world with different eyes, with eternity in mind. God says \u2018put your eyes on me as I see the world and dream.\u2019 \u201c Referencing 1 Peter 2 he noted, \u201cWe have been given a purpose – so we can dream. My dream for you is that God\u2019s grace will become known through changed lives, a people living for Christ every day, in homes and neighborhoods that impact others for Christ. God\u2019s dream for the ECCK and Kenya is that Christians would live in unity . . . unity in the body of Christ so the world may know Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The service concluded with communion. A goat roast followed at the home of John Kirika for all ECCK pastors and delegation members. To see additional photos from the three-day event, see Anniversary Celebration<\/a>. To read reflections from members of the delegation, please see Delegation Reflections<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 10th anniversary was a great achievement for the ECCK,\u201d said ECCK Moderator Dickson Mwati. \u201cWe reflected on the strengths and the weak points that we have experienced in the last decade. For the positive areas, we are prepared to do it even better with the Lord’s help. My primary school teacher once said to me almost 30 years ago, \u2018There is always room for improvement.\u2019 Our past mistakes and failures create an avenue for us all to learn. Having the occasion graced by the presence of Covenant world Leaders, the ECCK is now assured that there is an existing fellowship and partnership with the Covenant churches all over the world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe sincerely appreciate all those who attended and even the greater number who though they couldn\u2019t attend, prayed for us and with us. Without each one of you, the celebrations wouldn\u2019t have been such a success.\u201d<\/p>\n