Jul 13, 2010

ANGLICAN CHURCH OF KENYA: "Making LGBTI Pastoral Care a Priority" Thanks to Bishop Josiah Were and the "qualified intentions" of Archbishop Wabukala

Is the "Listening Process" finally beginning in parts of Central Africa?

Bishop Josiah Were, Nambale diocese, Kenya

Kenya’s Anglican Bishop Calls For LGBTI Pastoral Care

The Flag of Kenya

A Kenyan Bishop has called on the Anglican leadership in the country to make pastoral care for the LGBTI a reality.

"Bishop Josiah Were of Nambale diocese of Western Kenya said continued discrimination of the gay community will not help in addressing problems of homophobia facing the community inside and outside the church. We appreciate the fact that they human beings but we do not want to promote their life styles. We want them to understand the teachings of the bible and the gospel of Jesus.

“ It is true that the church does not support this lifestyle, but we have a moral obligation to serve all members of the church with dignity they deserve without secluding them or ridiculing their way of sexual orientation. After all they are also human beings. We are calling for their inclusivity in our church programs,” Bishop Were noted.

Anglican Archbishop Eliud Wabukala

The cleric called on the head of Anglican church in Kenya, Arc-bishop Eliud Wabukala to honour on his pledge of starting the church pastoral programs for the gay community saying this will ensure that the community is not left out of the church’s doctrines and believe.

Late last year, Arc – bishop Wabukala while responding to a plan by the government to conduct a national survey on the gay population in Kenya, said there was need for his church to be steady fast in taking care of the LGBTI community and preach to them so that they feel they are part of the church“I don’t believe chasing away gay community out of the church is the solution." .

The way out is,us talking to them through pastoral care. They are part of the church and we cannot afford to pass a verdict that they are not worthy.

Lets reach out to them and share with them our thoughts as the Anglican. They are my floack,” The Kenya’s Anglican church leader explained then. However, he was quick to point out that church doesn’t not advocacy for the existence of gay lifestyle insisting that this is on record.

But speaking to The Mask last week, one of his diocesan bishops, Rev Were said church has to fast track gay pastoral and physiological social programs as soon as possible.

Bishop Were confirmed that gay community membership is alive and big in our congregations across the country and this cannot be washed a way .

“In fact, we have several cases of homosexuality in schools, which are sponsored by our very church. This are areas where pastoral care have to reach. We need to talk with our young boys and girls whose sexual orientation is different from the normal lifestyle. This is how we shall help the society also understand all about sexuality and emerging challenges associated with it as we promote each one’s right to live,” Bishop Were noted.

Four years ago the Anglican church in Kenya ex-communicated one of its senior cleric’s who openly announced his support for gay rights within the church.

Former Anglican Archbishop, Benjamin Nzimbi, GAFCON extremist/exclusionist and LGBTI demonizer "The Devil has clearly entered our Church", read the whole of the +Nzimbi poisoness grandstanding, HERE

Rev Michel Kimindu was expelled by the then Arc-bishop Benjamin Nzimbi whose said the church cannot embrace ‘unbiblical and unchristian culture among its flock’.

The Reverend Micael Kimindu, excommunicated Anglican Priest who now ministers OPENLY to LGBTI in Kenya

Rev. Kimundi is now the coordinator of the Other sheep East Africa,a Christian Gay Community Coalition in the region." HERE

Thanks to Ken Were
Thanks to The Reverend Michel Kimindu, Kenya
Thanks to The Most Reverend Wabukala, Kenya
Thanks to The Rt. Reverend Josiah Were, Nambale diocese, Kenya
Thanks to Behind the Mask, Africa
Thanks to Other Sheep, East Africa

2 comments:

Lynn said...

Someone should tell Benjamin Nzimbi that a sage-green jacket doesn't work with any the purple shirt.

Sage green does, however, look fine on my kitchen garden sage plant.

Wicked, wicked me.

Leonard said...

I like ALL greens but I too believe Benjamin Nzimbi´s lack of colorful, or otherwise, spiritual radiance clashes with ANY purple shirt...Nzimbi is nonrepresentational when it comes to good taste (like many instigators of hate, it´s hard to dress it up).