Kenyan Service of Holy Communion: Kings Family CMS Link Letter 13, Mar 1990
by Graham Kings
Date added: 13/01/2026
Minister Is the Father with us?
People He is.
Minister Is Christ among us?
People He is.
Minister Is the Spirit here?
People He is.
Minister This is our God.
People Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Minister We are his people.
People We are redeemed.
Thus begins the Prayer of Thanksgiving of the recently published Kenyan Service of Holy Communion. It continues later:
From a wandering nomad you created your family;
for a burdened peopled you raised up a leader;
for a confused nation you chose a king;
for a rebellious crowd you sent your prophets.
In these last days you have sent us your Son,
your perfect image,
bringing your kingdom, revealing your will,
dying, rising, reigning, remaking your people
for yourself.
Bishop David Gitari was asked by the editor of the Church Times to write an article introducing the new liturgy. The following are some extracts from that article:
We believe that this new rite is both thoroughly biblical and authentically African, both faithful to Anglican tradition and contextually creative. It is not a modern translation or even adaptation of the old, nor an importation of liturgical revision from the West, but rather a new liturgy which has grown out of recent developments in African Christian Theology and liturgical research.
The Prayer of Humble Access has been transformed into thanksgiving for wonderful forgiveness:
Thank you, Father, for forgiveness. We come to your table as your children, not presuming but assured, not trusting ourselves but your Word; we hunger and thirst for righteousness and ask for our hearts to be satisfied with the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
The Blessing is based on an ancient litany of the Turkana tribe.
Traditionally, with dramatic sweeping of their arms, they sent all their problems, difficulties and the devil’s works to their enemies, the Maasai or Karamajong. This curse has now been Christianised, but the congregation still accompany it first with a sweep of their arms to the cross behind the Holy Table and then with the raising of their hands towards heaven.
Minister All our problems
People We send to the cross of Christ.
Minister All our difficulties
People We send to the cross of Christ.
Minister All the devil’s works
People We send to the cross of Christ.
Minister All our hopes
People We set on the risen Christ.
Minister Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path and the blessing of God Almighty…
Perhaps one way to build on our link would be for your church to buy some copies of the new liturgy and experiment with it – partnership in worship! The booklets are available from SPCK (London) or from Grove Books (Nottingham). Also, the 14-minute video, To Canterbury with a Camel, mentioned in our link letter No 10, is now available from CMS – partnership in TV!
Last month the diocese was delighted to welcome to Kabare Bishop John Waine, of Chelmsford, and his colleague, Canon Michael Proctor, Director of Mission and Unity. Chelmsford is my home diocese and happens to be the official link diocese of Mount Kenya East. They stayed for an eventful two weeks visiting many different areas, surviving four-hour services, enjoying new food (‘more goat, Bishop?) and perceiving underlying issues.
Bishop John is also ‘Clerk to the Closet’, which is, in effect, senior chaplain to the Queen: he was pleased to be at ‘Treetops’, the game lodge, on the anniversary of her accession, for it was there, in 1952, that she learnt of the death of her father. The Bishop was treated royally!
Alison and I recently had a glorious weekend climbing Mount Kenya to 14,500 feet with some friends; but one of them had altitude sickness so we had to bring her down, instead of reaching the top. Miriam and Katie enjoyed staying at a friend’s house and Miriam greeted us with the words, ‘Next time you climb the mountain, make sure you do stay away for three days!’
May the crucified and risen Lord, whose Spirit is bringing life out of death in Eastern Europe and South Africa, be with you all this Easter. I enclose a recent poem, ‘Mandela – Beyond Imagining’.
