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The Licensing of John Kimani Nyagah
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016 was a beautiful day at PCEA Imani church, Lowell. History was made at Imani as one of their own was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel. Ululations of joy, loud praises and awe filled the air as Eva. John Kimani Nyagah was licensed as a probationer for the Holy Ministry. If you next meet John and call him a pastor, you would not be mistaken. He’s now a pastor amongst others in our community. Thank you PCEA Imani Church for making this happen! May God take you to even greater heights.
The service started at 3: 45 pm and was graced by many ministers of the Gospel from New England amongst them the President of the Kenyan American Pastors Fellowship in New England (KAPF). The occasion was presided over by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Kimatu assisted by Rev. Geoffrey Kamau Wanyoike, all the way from Seattle, WA. The service was begun after the ministers and elders present formed an adhoc Presbytery to carry out the licensing.
The church was full and people were happy. Cell phones were on steroids as those present looked for opportunities to take snap shots of the occasion. In this worship service John was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel and will soon be ordained into the Holy Ministry. Advance invitation is extended to you.
Those present had come from several churches, CCF Lowell, Neema Church, Ushindi church, St. Stephen’s church, Grace International church, Calvary Evangelical church, St. John’s church (Sutton), All Nations’ Presbyterian Church (Worcester), to name but a few. Thank you for attending this function and your showing of support to one another within our community, a thing that is unique to us. Let me also not forget to mention there were a couple of visiting pastors, Dr. Wangenye from Britain and Bishop Dickson Njoroge (visiting with Ushindi Church) all the way from Kirinyaga, Kenya.
The word of God was shared from Joshua 1: 1-6 and Matthew 18: 15-20. The focus was on “What we loose here on earth, will be loosed in heaven (Matt. 18:18b)”. That was a mandate given to the community of believers who followed Christ. What we do for the glory of God as a church is accepted in heaven. That’s a mandate that the church need not ignore. Joshua was assured by God: God had chosen him, God had a purpose for him, God had found him worthy of carrying out God’s work and so he was told by God, “Do not be afraid, be strong and courageous (Jos. 1:6, 7, 9)”. Note that this phrase is repeated several times in one short passage. God promised Joshua that he will be with him, the same way he was with Moses, something Joshua had seen as he was an aide to Moses in all his years as leader of the people of Israel. The message brought us to Christmas and what happened at Bethlehem. The Angel told the shepherd, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born; he is Christ the Lord (Luke 2: 10)”. God is with us; Bethlehem reminds us of three things; God is always near us, God is for us, and God is in us. We should be strong and courageous always. That in spite of what happened early this week. God is in control.
Thank you all who took time off to be physically present. Thank you all who worked tirelessly to make this happen and that is what made it a success. Thank you all who were with us spiritually; those who prayed, supported and stood with our brother. May God bless you and May God ensure success to the future ministry of our brother, Pastor John Nyagah.
