Thursday, 17 December 2015

Role Of The Church In Respect To Churches Homa-Bay, Kenya

By Marci Nielsen


Over the years man has been attracted to higher forces. There are a number of things that go beyond simple science and human explanations. We have had to bow to the fact that there is a power that controls all things. This is where beliefs and worship of deities come in. As humans; we have made many ways that we deem fit for worship. There are many places that people gather and unit as one to glorify and praise their god as they prefer. Let us examine a few aspects about churches Homa-bay, Kenya and the roles they play in that society.

The old days saw missionaries come to Homa-bay Kenya to preach the gospel to the people. The Homa-bay people were beneficiaries of these visits. The Catholic Church was a part of this mission to bring light to the part of the world that was yet to see it. The church was successful as it has quite a substantial following. There are many people in the area who are staunch in the ways and teachings of this church. Every weekend on Sundays, man people head to their local church to celebrate the holy mass.

At times, the holy mass is conducted by a parish priest. This is not always the case as there are times that one of few chosen parishioners are left in charge when the parish priest cannot make it to the service. This is mainly due to shortage of clergy with large areas to be served. Other than the parish priest, other people are not allowed to administer sacraments to the congregation. Their roles are not the same as those of priests as they are not ordained as priests.

There are members of the seventh day Adventists in the Homa-bay Kenya region. The christian church was also started by missionaries in the early 1900s. The followers of this church are fewer than the Catholics. It could be attributed to the fact that catholic was already dominant when the Adventists got here.

Another church that can be seen in many parts of Homa-bay is the full gospel church. This can be termed as a protestant church. These are the churches that formed as a result of a disagreement in the ways of worship that the Catholic Church advocated for. The full gospel church in the region has been of great influence to society.

The churches are many in the region, with there being other minor sects that are formed every waking day. Some centres that have been there for a long while have been of great influence to the society. This can be seen through various initiatives that have been established by the hand of the church.

The Homa-bay children home is an of the initiative of the full gospel centres here. Established in mid 1960s, it was to help shelter the children who had lost their parents. With the high numbers of people in this area succumbing to HIV, the children home is of great help even today.

Most centres here aim at rebuilding the society through creating a morally upright society. Here the church has been of great influence to the society. Most people here are tied to certain religious sect. Though still struggling; the church has held the society together and even created order and harmony in the community. This is an important role in any human society.




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