Coast Methodist Church members seek independence

Methodist Church in Kenya Coast Region Conference President Wellington Sanga informs breakaway faithful about their future plans, at St Thomas Wakefield Memorial Church in Ribe, Kilifi County, on January 27, 2019. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Bishop Sanga said the church faithful from the region will now get development through the resources they own.
  • He asked all the community churches under the MCK church to submit minutes of declaration of being official members of the Coast conference.

A section of Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) members from the Coast region have controversially formed their own conference.

They defied a court injunction by ordaining Bishop Wellington Sanga as their regional “President”.

Also secretly installed were six pastors who are to head the church’s synods in the six coastal counties.

The new leadership will be operating under auspices of the Methodist Church in Kenya Coast Region Conference.

The mother church had moved to court to stop the region from inaugurating its own leaders.

INDEPENDENCE

On Sunday, three police vehicles had parked outside MCK Ribe Thomas Wakefield Memorial Church in Rabai, Kilifi County, to stop the ceremony from taking place only to be met by a surprise “inaugural” speech from Bishop Sanga.

“They brought a court order at my home seeking to stop us from conducting the ceremony on January 27, and we are not going to do that because we did that yesterday (Saturday). We created our bypass and reached our goal and we have made it,” Bishop Sanga said.

He said the court matter is being dealt with by their lawyer George Kithi.

During his maiden speech dubbed “The Ribe Declaration”, Bishop Sanga said the Coast conference will be in charge of all resources owned by the church.

MANAGEMENT

Bishop Sanga said all funds that would be collected from the churches in the region will now be sent to their treasurer. He said a bank account has already been opened for that purpose.

“Today, I want to say that what we have done is not (abandoning) MCK but (devolving church functions)...all parcels of land owned by MCK will be under our new conference,” he said.

Bishop Sanga, who took time to parade all the reverends in charge of each county, said that they will soon launch the process of getting official ownership of the lands across the region.

He said the church faithful from the region will now get development through the resources they own.

“We understand that our church leaders across the country have been undermined for long, but for us as Coast region we are going to set an example to put an end to this oppression,” he said.

RESOLUTE

Bishop Sanga gave an example of a decision made by Americans to visit the moon, saying despite it not being an easy task, “they did it because they were committed. We also know as faithful that the path we have chosen is a hard one but I believe in God and He will help us through.”

He asked the faithful to stand firm in their churches across the region and not capitulate in their resolve.

“From now onwards, behave and act like bees. Anyone who dares you, sting them. Under my leadership I am ready for anything. Our stand will remain firm. I know I am old but I will show the younger leaders the way,” he added.

He asked all the community churches under the MCK church to submit minutes of declaration of being official members of the Coast conference. This, he said, should be done by the end of next month.