Sunday

Ah, the Sabbath. I don’t really get to experience it at home, because it is a work day! Not today. It’s a beautiful day here in Nairobi, and I’m enjoying sitting in Alice’s garden – in the shade – where there is a nice breeze and it feels around 70 degrees – more like 80 or 82 in the sun. Just awoke from an afternoon nap for an hour or so. Still getting used to the time change and I’m getting sleepy at odd times. We got home from church around 3 pm. The service let out a little after 1 pm, and we had to stop by the supermarket for some groceries.

The experience at All Saints’ Cathedral this morning was very interesting. It is a fairly grand, Gothic revival building, made of cement block and masonry. It is nicely appointed, very low church in the CMS tradition. We got there at 11 am and waited outside until the previous service ended. We went to the 5th and final morning service which began at 11:30 am. Only the first two services early this morning had been Holy Communion, so we were there for Morning Prayer with hymns, choir (a pretty good one) and sermon (a very long one). The service was in English, and the hymns were very traditional. The congregation was very full at probably 1000-1200 people. Tom and I stood to be recognized as visitors and felt very welcome. We were the only two white faces in the congregation, apart from one elderly white man in the choir. The liturgy was officiated by clergy and was solid if not terribly inspired.

The sermon was a very entertaining, often funny, eloquently delivered rant on "the facts of Christianity" including "the observable fact of the bodily ascension of Jesus." This fact (so went the argument) is based on the fact that there is a literal, actual place called the Mount of Olives where the Bible says it took place – a place that you can go to yourself (as some in the congregation had recently done) and see, just as the Bible says. It is not just an idea as some people think – not just a spiritual idea. And therefore (the argument continues) neither is the Ascension – or Christianity in general. And it’s all “a fact” because it was all predicted in the Old Testament – “just as it happened.” That’s pretty much how the homiletical argument went. (I would have preached a very different sermon on the Ascension – but then who am I? I wouldn’t have had over a thousand people at each of the two services where I was preaching there to hear me either!). The preacher was Mr. John Ng’ang’a, a layman, perhaps a seminary professor or teacher at a Bible College?? – someone obviously well known to the congregation, in any case. It gave me a real feel for what we hear at home about the hermeneutical method of many of the Anglican churches in Africa, though not all, of course.

When we got in the car (after I had gone around taking some pictures of the beautiful grounds), Alice said to Tom and me, “Wasn’t that a great sermon?!” I said something like, “he was a very good speaker – and so funny and entertaining.” (sigh) I’ve got to learn to be more entertaining. Apparently you can get away with saying just about anything if you are.

The sermon had a theological point, too. Because Jesus ascended back to the Father we also shall be raised (a point made in Ephesians 4, I believe, yes) – AND, so when the 2nd coming happens, our bodies will rise right from these seats (or wherever we happen to be), right through that ceiling and into heaven to be with the Lord. (double sigh) I found some consolation in the “News and Views” bulletin insert in an article about Peace in this post-election climate of violence and mayhem that Kenya has just been through. At least they’re not saying that what happens here doesn’t really matter “cause this world ain’t my home.” I’m banking on the fact that I just caught All Saint’s on a bad Sunday.

Supper is smelling really good – Alice has been at work for a while in the kitchen, and it seems to be paying off nicely. Looking at the time, the folks at Christ Church in Andover are gathering about now for the 10 am service. I offer a prayer that God be present to them and they to God.

Meanwhile the sun is going down, and the dogs have begun their nightly howling.

At supper, Tom, Alice, Joshua (Alice’s son) and I enjoy the meal together – the first we have shared around this table. Lots of fascinating conversation about African ethnicities and cultures both within Kenya and throughout the neighboring countries. And about the kinds of food I’m likely to find myself eating in the coming weeks! Alice warned about the monkey in Congo. Last night’s crocodile, ostrich, and camel were about as far as I go.

Well, that’s my story for now anyway, and I’m sticking to it. :)