The History of ST. PETER’S CATHEDRAL CHURCH, NYERI
It was on Sunday August 12, 1913 when the Church of England began to hold regular monthly services in Nyeri, with the first preacher, the Rev B. Laight
HISTORY
It was on Sunday, August 12, 1913, when the Church of England began to hold regular monthly services in Nyeri, with the first preacher, the Rev B. Laight
The history of St Peter’s Cathedral Church Nyeri cannot be complete without a brief mention of, among many other things, Saint Peter himself; the founding of the Anglican Church; the fellowship between the Church of Scotland and the Church of England; and building of the actual Cathedral Church, as we know it today.
SIMON PETER
Simon Peter was the second-born son of Mr. Jonas and Mrs. Leah Jonas who lived in Bethsaida. He was named Simon or Simeon by his mother as a sign of an answered prayer from his parents, for the name “Simon” or “Simeon” means “to hear”. Peter’s elder brother was named Andrew. Both Simon and Andrew in their early lives took ‘fishing’ as their profession, which was their father’s apprenticeship.
Simon and his brother moved from their Bethsaida home to Capernaum, a fast-growing business town. Married and his wife’s mother living with them (Mark 1:29-30), he continued to ply his trade from there. The Lord Jesus also left Nazareth and dwelt in Capernaum
(Matt 4:12-16) on the shores of Lake Galilee, after hearing that John the Baptist was dead.
Education of Simon:
Unlike his elder brother Andrew, Simon did not receive formal Rabbinic education, The education he received was one related to his trade, “fishing”. He learned all the tricks and methods of preparing the fishing nets, and also the periods of the time of day when the big catch would likely be caught. Thus a favored man in his trade as a fisher was called to stop his trade and be taught to become a fisher of men.
His Call and Change of Name
The giving of a new name by God is always noteworthy in scripture. As with Abram, Sarai, and Jacob, the new name incorporated something from the divine name and signified a new relationship with God, new responsibility to God, and a new reflection of God.
Simon was introduced to the Lord Jesus by his brother Andrew. The Lord Jesus gave Simon the name Kephas. This is a Siro-Chaldaic word which when interpreted into Greek is Petros, (or PETER in English), meaning a “piece of rock”.
The Lord Jesus confirmed him as PETER when he asked “who do men say that I the son man am? (Matt:16:13b), and hearing the rest of the disciple’s responses called for personal testimony or confession. It was Simon who answered for them all: Thou art the
Christ the Son of the Living God. Of which in return the Lord Jesus replied to him:
“And I say unto thee, that thou art PETER (Petros), and upon this rock (Petra = > i.e. Jesus) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt16:18).
ST PETER’S CATHEDRAL CHURCH
Founding
It was on Sunday, August 12, 1913, when the Church of England began to hold regular monthly Services in Nyeri, and the first preacher was the Reverend B. Laight. The Church of Scotland had held its first Service one year before on Sunday, November 6, 1912, when the Reverend James Youngson BD, from St Andrews, preached the first sermon. Thereafter the services were held regularly every month, the Scottish one on the first Sunday of the month, and the Anglican on the third. The Services were held first in the old Court House, and later in the office of the senior or Provincial Commissioner. The latter building now still standing housing the offices of the Nyeri Police Prosecutor’s Offices and District Education Teacher’s Advisory Centre, is just across the road from the Cathedral Church.
In 1913 both churches were allocated sites in Nyeri Township by the Land Office on which they might build a church, but the outbreak of the First World War prevented any building from being erected. When the war was over a joint meeting was held of the members of both churches in 1919, to discuss the building of a church in the Township. Those present included, the Bishop of Mombasa (Bishop Heywood), the Revs Dr. J.W. Arthur and H.J. Butcher, Dr. Philip of Tûmûtûmû and Mr. Tate, the Provincial Commissioner. After some discussion, the meeting passed unanimously the following resolutions:-
1. That the population of Nyeri did not justify the erection of two churches.
2. That the Church of Scotland should proceed with the building of a church on their plot since they already had some money available.
3. That the Church of England should have the joint use of the church for five years.
4. That the members of the Church of England should be invited to subscribe to the building of this church on the understanding that, should they desire it, their subscriptions would be refunded at the end of the five years to the Church of England Chaplaincy Fund to be used for the building of an Anglican Church.
The foundation stone of the new church, which was to be called St Columba’s Church was laid by the Very Rev J.N. Ogilvie, DD in 1920. Dr. Ogilvie had come out to Kenya as the Commissioner of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. For several years the building progressed no further than the foundation stone. This was due to post-war’s economic depression and difficulties with labor.
Meantime, since the Church of England had not begun to build on their plot by 1921, the Land Office withdrew its offer of a plot of land on which they could build a church.
In the year 1924, another joint church meeting was held. Plans for the new church were produced and it was estimated that the building would cost £450. It was hoped to begin building in June of the same year. Building began with the fund standing at £125. This money was soon expended and a new appeal was issued in 1925. This time the members of the Church of England felt that they could not help for they were planning the erection of a church, on Capt O’Hagan’s farm about five miles from Nyeri on the way to Nanyuki. Also, they were looking forward to sharing the services of the new Thika Chaplain, the Rev W.A Pitts.
However, the plans for the new Anglican Church fell through and in 1926 the Church of England Committee decided to join the Church of Scotland Committee in completing the church building on the Church of Scotland plot. Their main condition was that the name of the church should be St Cuthbert’s Church by the wishes of Mrs. Anderson of Leicester who had given most of the church furnishings which were to be used in the new Anglican Church, and which would now be used in the joint church.
The Scottish Committee readily agreed to the change of name and gladly welcomed the cooperation of the Anglican Committee. The building was resumed and was supervised by the Industrial Missionary at Tûmûtûmû, Mr. Nicholson, with the help of the Public Works Department (PWD) Engineer. The masons were all African who had been trained at Tûmûtùmû.
The Church building was completed in 1927 and was jointly dedicated by the Bishop of Mombasa and then the Moderator of the Church of Scotland in Kenya. An agreement was drawn up for half the cost of upkeep of the building and grounds, and in which the rights of both churches were safeguarded.
Since the completion of the new St Cuthbert’s Church, various additions to its fabric and furnishings had been made. In 1948 the fabric of the church was strengthened and a small vestry was added. The latest addition to the furniture was the provision of pews instead of the chairs, previously used. The pews were jointly dedicated by the Bishop of Mombasa, Bishop Leonard Beecher, and Scot’s Chaplain, the Rev A.D Lamont, BD, on January 10, 1954.
For some years the Church of England had a full-time Chaplain for Mt Kenya Chaplaincy Area and he had been responsible for the Anglican Services in the church. The Scottish services have mainly been the responsibility of the members of the staff at the Tûmûtûmû Mission and the first full-time Scottish Chaplain to work in this area, the Rev Denis Warnock was appointed at beginning of 1954.
For the next seven years, 1954-1961, the number of the Church of England congregation increased and demand for a church building continued to be sought. Several places associated with the Church were sought which included some institutions like Nyeri Primary School before this ground was made available when the present Provincial General Hospital was relocated and moved from here to its present more prominent sight.
The plans were drawn afresh and approved and the construction of the vicarage and the church started and was completed on schedule. Parishioners and friends bore the cost.
This Church was consecrated and Baptised Church of St Peter on Saturday 21st July 1962 by the Right Reverend Obadiah Kariûki, the Bishop of Fort Hall, one of the first two African Bishops in Kenya, the other being Rt Rev Festo Olang, and a tablet on the North wall near the entrance records this.
St Peter’s Church Furnishings
The money for the furnishings of the church was provided by many friends. A worldwide appeal was sent to all churches dedicated to St Peter, with some 1400 letters being sent out which resulted in raising £1,000 from friends in many countries. Plaques with the names of the donors are attached to the pews.
When the new Anglican Church was built, the furniture belonging to the Anglicans was transferred and extra pews were given by the Presbyterians in memory of the many years of shared fellowship in St Cuthbert’s. The dark-colored pews in the North Transept (the Chapel), the prayer desk in the sanctuary, the lectern (with eagle), and the dark seat in the South Transept, were all part of the furnishings of St Cuthbert’s Church which lies across the road and which was shared by Anglicans and Presbyterians for many years.
THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH
After the foundation stone was erected and dedicated, the Parish of St Peter was inaugurated and launched in February 1962, by the Bishop of Fort Hall, Rt Rev O. Kariûki. The boundaries were set. The inclusion of the Northern Chaplaincy which extension was, to the West bordering the Diocese of Nakuru, to the East bordering the Parish of Mûtiira, in the present Diocese of Kîrînyaga; to the North to go as far as beyond Dodol and to the border of Ethiopia, and North of Mount Kenya into Meru. To the South was Kagongo Parish. The Parish aimed to extend and reach the Good News of Jesus Christ and His services to the unreached.
Since the consecration of the St Peter’s Church on Saturday 21, July 1962, the Ministry of Jesus Christ expounded, and the Word of God was preached in the new settlement farms among the farmers; to schools and institutions, like Kagumo College, Kagumo High School, Nyeri Primary School, Kiganjo Police College, GK King’ong’o Prison and Open air meetings in the suburbs of Nyeri Township among settled communities of Rûrîng’û, and Government homes at Ring Road known as Mount Kenya Residential areas.
At the dawn of Kenya’s Independence, to be celebrated one year after St Peter’s Church was consecrated and the Nyeri Parish was launched, a lot of changes were experienced. For instance, there were proposals by the majority of Parish Councilors to demolish this Church, and Nyeri Primary School because the majority European Settled parishioners had relocated and left the country, fearing that the structures would be of no use to ‘Christian Natives’, among many other proposals. The Bishop of Fort Hall, Rt Rev. Obadiah Kariûki defended all the institutions and property within his diocese, which included St Peter’s Church.
There were transitional changes in the political atmosphere in Kenya. June 1, 1963, Kenya’s Self-Rule Government, Madaraka Day, which came with minimal changes. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the KANU Party which had majority members of the Legislative Council, (Legi.Co.) in Kenya Parliament became the First Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, he prepared Kenya for Independence Day on December 12, 1963, which we celebrate after fifty years this month of December 2013 as Golden Jubilee, led by Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, the 4th President of the Republic of Kenya, son of the 1st President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
The KANU Government encouraged people to form Land Buying companies for the purpose of buying out the European Settled chunks of land in Kenya. At the Resettlement Schemes of Mweiga and Naromoru, many Christians bought land and settled there.
1962 to 1993 Transition
The Diocese of Fort Hall transitioned to become the Diocese of Mount Kenya, in 1962 with Rt Rev Obadiah Kariûki as the first Bishop of the new diocese. The Diocesan Missionary Association (DMA) was formed.
The Church of St Peter was consecrated and the Parish of St Peter was inaugurated in 1962. Therefore, the development of St Peter’s Church is the development of the Diocese of Mount Kenya, and potentially it had the human resources and security to preach the gospel to Reach the Unreached.
Within 30 years, the Nyeri Parish grew rapidly. The population increased, and many Churches were built by parishioners near their settlement areas. The first Churches were: St John’s Kamuyu, Amboni Church in Mweiga, Emmanuel Church in Nanyuki Township, St Geoge,s Church within the suburbs of Nanyuki, and St Philip’s Church in Naromoru. Many of these Churches grew into congregations eventually becoming parishes: with Evangelists, Church Councils, and Parish Ministers. More Mission work established congregations in Karatina, in Mathira District, Doldol in Laikipia County, and Endarasha in Kieni District.
Within this period many people who served in St Peter’s Church went for further training as priests at Weithaga Bible School, and St Paul’s United Theological College (today St Paul’s University), and some others as evangelists and Captains trained at Church Army Institute, Jogoo Rd Nairobi. Some who came back served within DMA-established areas of Karatina, Mweiga, Naromoru, and Doldol; while others served in many other parts of the Diocese of Mt Kenya. Some of these people were Capt Nguu, Capt J. Gatambo, Capt James Mugwimi, Capt. Julius Kimaru, Evangelist Jessee Waraki, and Capt S. Wanjohi; among many others. Of these many went for further studies and became priests, and served at St Peter’s. The list of those who served in St Peter’s from 1960 to date can be found in the table within this history page.
In 1993, there were 31 established parishes and 14 trained clergy in the area which was the extent of St Peter’s Parish by 1962. This area was the Northern Archdeaconry under the Diocese of Mount Kenya Central. The need for a diocese comprising the Northern Archdeaconry and its environs became evident. The Archbishop of Kenya appointed the then-serving Archdeacon Ven Domenic Mûthoga Ndaî, his Commissary, to prepare the ground for the election and enthronement of a new Bishop. This was successfully done between January and June 1993. The Diocese of Mount Kenya West was curved out of the Diocese of Mt Kenya Central, and the first Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt Rev Alfred Charles Chipman was consecrated and enthroned at St Peter’s Church on July 4, 1993, by the Archbishop of Church Province of Kenya (CPK), the Most Rev Manasses Kuria DD. Bishop Alfred Chipman decided that his SEE and SEAT (Cathedral) would be at St Peter’s. Thus, St Peter’s Church was elevated to St Peter’s Cathedral Church. The Bishop’s office recruited and welcomed clergy, new and retired ones to work with him in the diocese, particularly where there were Parishes with vacancies.
The Cathedral Church of St Peter (or St Peter’s Cathedral Church) housed the Diocesan Offices, and the Diocese of Mount Kenya West operated from this center. All Departments and Missions of the Diocese created and constituted had their offices, within the Cathedral’s infrastructure, which were well shared between the Cathedral and the Diocese and there were no conflicts of interest whatsoever. The infrastructures include the Baden Powell Christian Community Centre (BPCCC), the Vicarage, staff houses within, and other facilities.
The St Peter’s Cathedral Church extended its DMA mission to Kabaru in Kieni, Ihururu and Nyeri Hill, Chaka and Kîganjo, Aguthi, and Marwa areas to reach the parishioners and with one aim, establish churches within their reach. There were also Education developments, where the Mother’s Union established and run a Nursery and Primary School. The Sunday Services were maintained and the three main services: English, Kiswahili, and Gîkûyû, with accompanying children attending Sunday school, became popular and convenient among the Christians. The congregations increased in number and in some services, people would stand outside the church listening via audio public systems. The Youth Church attended their services in the BPCCC hall. The Cathedral Choir maintained the liturgical singing with organists playing hymns in all services. The thought of a bigger Cathedral was ripe and the Parish Council finally decided either to extend the existing church or build a new one. The decision was made to build a new one. The site was surveyed and agreed upon, and the plans were presented to the congregation and approved. The initial estimates were made and fundraising was done in Cathedral, the foundation stone was laid and the construction started in the year 2009. The new St Peter’s Cathedral Church is likely to be consecrated on the schedule next year 2014.
It was on July 17, 2004, after the early retirement of Diocesan Bishop Alfred, that Ven Joseph M. Kagûnda was elected the 2nd Bishop of the Diocese of Mount Kenya West. The Rt Rev J.M. Kagûnda was consecrated and enthroned as the 2nd Bishop of the Diocese of Mount Kenya West at the Cathedral grounds, by the Most Rev Benjamin Nzimbi, the Archbishop of Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), on Sunday, August 8, 2004.
With Bishop Joseph M Kagûnda, the Cathedral has progressed with experienced senior clergy posted to serve diligently the ever-increasing complex congregations, and parishioners of all walks of life. Many people have changed their lives for the Lord Jesus Christ, and have become prosperous in their businesses and professions. The services offered within the Cathedral Parish include Sunday School, Home based fellowships, East African Revival Fellowship, Bible study groups, Choir, Ushering Ministry, Building committee, Praise and Worship Teams, Christian Welfare, Youth Ministry, Mothers Union, KAMA, Health Facilities, and seminars, DMA, Christian Community Services and Sports, and, School Education, among others.
Some Important International Landmarks
Within the Cathedral Parish boundaries lies the famous “Treetops” where the then Princess Elizabeth spent the night during which her father King George VI of England died and she became Queen of England. Royal consent was given for the tablet commemorating this to be placed on the South wall of the Cathedral near the door date 6th February 1952.
Outside the Cathedral Church is the Bell Tower, containing a bell given by Lady Olave Baden-Powell in memory of her husband Lord Robert Baden-Powell, and consecrated in her presence by Bishop Obadiah Kariûki in January 1963. Lord Baden-Powell, the Chief Scout of the World was a resident of Nyeri and he died in 1941, in his little cottage on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel. His grave with the simple tracking sign on the tombstone meaning “Gone Home” is in the adjoining Church Cemetery (burial ground) facing Mount Kenya, as he wished.
The Parish boundaries are widespread. Services are also given by visiting people in their homes, and the sick in hospitals, for example, Provincial General Hospital, Mount Kenya Hospital, and Outspan Hospital among other health facilities. Spiritual Ministry is also offered at Nyeri Prison, at King’ong’o, and Nyeri Primary and Secondary Schools, where weekly services and teaching periods are held services are also provided at the Kenya Police College Kîganjo, Kagumo College, Kagumo High School, and World Organizations of Scouts and Guides Movements, among others.
We welcome you to this Cathedral Church. Before you leave please offer a prayer for the ongoing witness of the Christians here, pray that this building will become a center from which the Good News will spread in ever-widening circles.
CONCLUSION
Simon Peter provided great lessons during the three years he was a disciple of Jesus Christ, which we can say are attributed to us who worship in this Cathedral. He learned to trust, to unquestionably believe, and to be practical in his faith. Through faith he caught a lot of fish (John 21:6, Luke 5:5-6); through faith, he walked on the water (Matt 14:28-29); through unquestionable obedience to his master and teacher, he paid tax with money from a fish he was ordered to catch from Lake Galilee (Matt17:27).
Great privilege brings heavy responsibility, and Peter was given “the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven”(Matt 16:19) – Not the keys of heaven, but the responsibility to unlock the treasures of truth to all people in the world, and particularly you and I, that they might enter the obedience of faith that realm of heavenly rule, where Christ is Sovereign Lord.
AMEN.