Wednesday 2 April 2008

SEVERAL ACTIVITIES (G) - 1 - SERVICES

Introduction: “Several Activities (G)” is not really an updated report. Some of the activities happened last year, in 2007. I received some reports late. And because of the post-election violence, the BLOG’s schedule changed too. So, sorry for some “old news”; but I think it’s important to record them at the BLOG and to share them with you as a testimony about what God is doing through His servants in Kenya.
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EASTER

EASTER 2008 was an ABLAZE EASTER again. We launched ABLAZE last year on Easter Sunday. We are working on a 50-Day Mission Outreach Journey, or, as we can say in Kenya, on a MISSION OUTREACH SAFARI. Between Easter and Pentecost we are highlighting how God uses His servants to spread the Gospel. The apostles were the first ones who shared the Good News about Jesus resurrection. We are God’s messengers to proclaim the Good News to people in our days, in our world.
The Gospel for Easter Sunday, Matthew 28:1-10, tells us that the angel and Jesus say to the women: GO and TELL that Jesus is alive!
The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter, John 20:19-31, reports us the words of Jesus: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you!” Outreach begins in the heart of God, passes through the cross and reaches our heart; and through us, reaches other people as we are preaching the Word and sharing the Sacraments, God’s Means of Grace to bring salvation.
The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter, Luke 24:13-35, reports the amazing experience of the disciples on the way to Emmaus: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Let us open the Scripture and the Word will be Ablaze!


The children sang before they went to the Sunday School Class on Easter Sunday. So, we celebrated Easter with joy and hope, because our Redeemer lives!
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GOOD FRIDAY


On GOOD FRIDAY, Bishop Obare gave us the Absolution and consecrated the bread and the wine – the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus.


People wrote Confession of Sins and Prayers on small pieces of paper and fixed them on a Torn tree during the service. After the service, the Torn Tree and the papers were taken out of the church and burnt. Our sins are forgiven! Jesus died for us and rose from the dead at Easter!


Good Friday Service was a joint service English-Kiswahili. The Swahili Choir presented “The seven Words of Christ on the Cross”.
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PALM SUNDAY


From January 13th to March 16th, on PALM SUNDAY, the Sermons were about the main doctrines of the Christian Faith according to Luther’s Small Catechism. Posters and Power Point Presentations were used to illustrate the Bible’s truth. Small Catechisms in English (with explanation and without explanation) and in Kiswahili (with explanation) were given to the families. (The Small Catechisms and other material related to were donated by: PLI group, LCMS WR-HC, LHF and Scrip. Mission; THANK YOU!)

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