DEDICATION
This Church History is dedicated to the pioneer group of men and women who helped to shape this wonderful church of what it is today. Many of dedicated members have gone to be with the Lord. There are others who are still laboring in the Master’s vineyard through prayer and counsel when they are able to. The church’s valuable heritage also owes its gratitude to the Ministers and Pastors who gave themselves to the furtherance of the Gospel and expansion of this Church and have left a lingering legacy.
They have fought a good fight, they have finished the course, They have kept the faith, There is laid up for them a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give them on that day. (2 Tim. 4:7-8)
THE THOGOTO CHURCH CHAPTER (KIMURI CHURCH)
On 11th September 1898, PCEA Thogoto Church was started by the African Scottish Mission from Scotland, and on 19th August 1900, the first Kiswahili service began. Henry Scott took over after the death of Clement Scott. He cycled from Thogoto to Nairobi and soon started a church at St. Andrews. PCEA Langata was initially an outreach area for St Andrews. In 1965, Otiende Estate Phase 1 was occupied, and a few Christians from PCEA, AC, Catholics, and AIC started holding prayers together in their houses. Later on, each denomination started going its own way, with the Presbyterians going to the Bahati church. Transport to Bahati was difficult, and therefore, the group, led by three elders, Mr. Stanley Ngethe, Mr. Habil K. Kimingi, and Shadrack Ndegwa, reverted to holding prayer meetings in their houses and tirelessly made pastoral visits around Otiende, Lang’ata, and Kibera areas.
These early Presbyterian Christians started searching for a place for worship on Sundays. They approached the officer–in–charge of Langata Women’s Prison, who allowed them to use a small house in the Prison. Some problems arose, and the group moved to a temporary structure where St. Barnabas Church now stands. After a while, the group moved yet again to Mr. and Mrs. Ngethe’s house for Sunday prayers. They were later allowed to use a small house that was used as a nursery school for the Lang’ata/Kibera community on Sundays.
However, the house was destroyed by heavy rains, and the group had to look for their own premises on which to build a church. In 1969, the area chief allowed them to select a plot for the Church and the Bahati Kirk Session, and granted them Ksh. 500 to start the church. They contributed money and materials and constructed a corrugated iron sheet structure where Langata Secondary School now stands. Sub-chief Njau Githara and his children were baptized in this church, and later on, others received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
In 1970, the group had grown both spiritually and in number. They therefore formed various church groups as follows: Elders, Women’s Guild, Church School, Youth group, and Choir. In 1971 the several members became deacons at the Bahati church administered by Rev. Boro. The church continued to grow under Bahati Parish until 1976, when it fell under St.Andrew’s Parish after the church boundaries were revised. The transfer was formally achieved in 1977. In June 1977, the first Women’s Guild was dedicated. A sub-branch made up of Langata and PCEA Silanga in Kibera was formed. During the same year, the two elders were introduced by Miss Charity Githinji and G. Njenga to Mr. Ashton Kanyarati, who was willing to help the church to secure a permanent plot. Mr. Ashton Kanyarati, Mr. Francis Mwithukia worked with Rev. George Wanjau and Rev. Geoffrey Ngare, and through prayers, a plot was allocated to the Church. The church committee, with the help of Mr. William Gacengo, put up a temporary Church on this plot. The first Church was a green iron sheet-clad structure.
THE FIRST DEACON COURT
The first Deacon Court was inaugurated by Rev. Dr. George Wanjau on 2nd March 1986. The first English service, with about 15 members, began in 1980 in the “green” church under the leadership of Elder Stanley Kebathi, Joyce Kebathi, John Nganga (the son of Elder S. Ngethe and others). Grace Kamau and Charity Githinji developed the Sunday School service for the children. Kikuyu Service at this time had a membership of about ten adults. The Youth service is the one that has now become the English service, while the Kikuyu service has become the Swahili service. The congregation grew tremendously, and the first session was formed when Rev. Jason Nyaga was Parish Moderator. Tim and Poppie Stafford, who started STEP magazine, and Rev. Garry Fredrick, then Principal of Nairobi Institute of Theology, joined and contributed a lot to the growth of the English service.
A fund-raising event was organized with Mr. Udi Gecega as the Chief Guest and raised a total of Kshs. 120,000. It was time to construct a permanent building with Mr. Stanley Kebathi as the Architect and M/s S.S. Mehta as the contractor, and the present Church building was put up. The first stones were donated by Mr. Samuel Mochu, and the construction started with Isaac Gicheru as the first stone dresser. On 17th March 1983, the breaking of the ground was done by the Rt. Rev. Dr. George Wanjau and on 8th April 1984, the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Gatu laid the foundation stone. The congregation had a membership of about 10 people and mostly conducted a Kikuyu/Kiswahili service, but a youthful membership had started emerging, and in 1983, a Youth English Service was started with a membership of 15 members. The congregation grew very fast as new English-speaking members continued to join with the new estates developing in the Lang’ata area. The first Deacon Court was inaugurated by Rev. Dr. George Wanjau, and the first meeting was held on 2nd March 1986.
In 1985, with more elders ordained, deacon courts were formed in the three other congregations in Nairobi West, Muteero, and Kuwinda through the help of Rev. Geoffrey Ngari. Lang’ata Church became a Parish in 1987 with these three young congregations, and on 17th March 1991, the then Rt. Rev. Dr. George Wanjau, the then Moderatator of the 12th General Assembly, dedicated Langata Church. The Parish was under the Presbytery of Milimani. These congregations developed very fast, all started nursery schools, with some developing to primary schools. Rev. Stephen Kariuki initiated the subdivision of the parish. All arrangements of the sub-division took place under Rev. Samuel Kinyua, who was the Parish Minister of the larger Langata Parish. The sub-division committee was chaired by Mrs. Damaris Ndegwa. Rev. Geoffrey Ngari helped in organizing the Church Sunday school and is credited with starting Nairobi West Church, and regularly made visits to institutions around the Church.
In 1986, the congregation, together with others (Nairobi West and Muteero), under the Ng’ong Hills Presbytery, was given a Deacon Court status. Rev. Geoffrey Ngari became the first Moderator in-Charge of the Deacon Court and Rev. Jason Nyaga the Minister in-Charge of the Lang’ata congregation. Rev. Gerry Fredrick joined the congregation as an Associate Minister, waiting to be fully integrated into the church as a Presbyterian Minister in 1987. Later in 1987, a Parish called Lang’ata was formed with the four congregations: Lang’ata, Nairobi West, Muteero, and Kuwinda, called Lang’ata Parish. In line with the Presbyterian tradition and focus, each of the congregations started an Early Childhood Class (Nursery).
BIRTH OF LANG’ATA PARISH
1991 also marked a fundamental milestone for the Lang’ata Parish as it was subdivided into three Parishes. Rev. Stephen Kariuki, the then moderator of Lang’ata Parish, officiated the ceremony. The Parish was inaugurated on 25th January 1998 by The Very Rev. Dr. Jesse M. Kamau, the Moderator of the 15th General Assembly. This became the birth of a new Parish called Lang’ata Parish with Rev. Joseph Wakaba as the first Minister and Moderator of Lang’ata Parish. Elder James K. Githaiga became the First Session Clerk of Langa’ata Parish, while Elder Stanley Kebathi became the First Chairman of CMB (The Congregation Management Board) of Lang’ata Parish. The Parish had a total of 14 (fourteen Elders) which translates into 14 Districts.
Rev. Stephen Kariuki was posted to Lang’ata Parish on July 30th 1988, and ministered for 6 ½ years, having taken over from Rev. Jason Nyaga, who left for further studies in USA. During his ministry, Diverse talents were identified in the church, and many members were given appropriate responsibilities in the Parish activities. Mr. Josiah Njuguna (Nyoro) helped in building construction, Mrs. Damaris Ndegwa worked tirelessly in Evangelism, Mr. James Wainaina guided in matters of finances, Mr Stanley Kebathi helped in planning since he is an architect, Mr. Habil Kimingi (Dr. Wood) helped with all the woodwork, Mr & Mrs. Geoffrey Ware gave money for fencing the compound, while Mrs. Sylvia Wandeto, a policewoman woman gave a gate. The late Mr. Isaac Mwangi did all the electrical wiring, while Mr. James Mageria helped in teaching administration. James Wainaina has helped in matters of personnel and finance, while several doctors have guided the church in matters of health. Many other professionals have all contributed to the growth and welfare of the church. A tour of the Holy Land and London took place in 1990, made of a group of 19 people with seven from other denominations.
In the early 1990s, a new building was completed, and in March of 1991 the newly constructed Church building was dedicated by the then Moderator of the 12th General Assembly, The Rt. Rev. Dr. George Wanjau. The congregation grew tremendously, and the first Kirk Session was formed in the same year 1991. On 25th January 1998, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Jesse Kamau, Moderator of General Assembly, inaugurated the sub-division. The Parish was sub-divided into the following Parishes: PCEA Nairobi West & PCEA Lang’ata stood as single Parishes, while Kuwinda and Muteero were combined and became Karen Parish. After the subdivision of the larger Lang’ata Parish, Rev. Joseph Wakaba remained in Langata while Rev Samuel Kinyua moved to PCEA Nairobi West, and Rev. Jane Kashorda (mother of Rev. Dr. Calvin Kamau) moved to Karen Parish. Membership was estimated at over 600 persons.
Rev. George Kahuho Ngatia served in Lang’ata Parish from May 2006 to July 2009. A Youth Coordinator, Mr. John Calvin Kamau, was appointed to help the Youth, which rapidly grew in numbers.
Lang’ata Parish enjoys membership from unique sectors of the community, which makes the Parish establish unique Groups to take care of special needs: The following represents the uniqueness of the Parish:
- Presence of the 5th Battalion Army Barack
- Presence of Kenya Wildlife Services and its staff residential area
- Presence of Kenya Women Prisons and the staff residences
- Presence of Kenya Police Dog Unit and staff residences
- Part of informal Kibera Settlement (Raila)
- Presence of Lang’ata Men’s Prison on Lang’ata road
- Presence of St Mary’s Hospital and staff residences
The Parish’s proximity to Lang’ata Cemetery allows the Parish to serve other Presbyterian congregations who may wish to hold church services in the Parish sanctuary when burying at the Cemetery.
The Parish has a unique Ministry: LAFEM, which caters for special needs as follows: –
- God’s beloved
- Single and blessed
- Senior citizens-60 years and over.
- Amazing Grace
- Couples: married between 1-10 years, 10-25 years, 25-30 years and married over 30 years
- Youth
- Church School children
The growth of Membership of the church was one of the indicators used to measure the growth of the Parish since its subdivision. By 2005 the membership of the church stood at 852 which included members in the diaspora and other associate members