What does it take to have a thoroughly exciting and absorbing Sunday worship service? Well, two or three gathered in His name, that’s all it takes. But it doesn’t hurt to have, along with the two-or-three, a thousand-plus others, HOPE Youth Corps (HYC), a multi-national choir singing in different languages, two dance routines, great news sharing from the Triangle church, Lord’s Supper message from a Philadelphia evangelist, an evangelist and women’s ministry leader appointed, powerful preaching made practical, super singing made spiritual, a new disciple being introduced having been baptized hours earlier near the town 180 kms away where she lives, and Father’s Day as the setting for the occasion, as the church celebrates and revels in its relationship with our Father on high. That were the ingredients for wonderful worship and fun fellowship on Sunday 17 June at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.

In the afternoon, for good measure, disciples gathered at the University of Nairobi playing fields for basketball and volleyball involving the HYC, HOPE Volunteer Corps, HOPE worldwide Kenya staff and the Nairobi Church youth ministry. The East ministries support group of disciples living with HIV had an inspiring session with a visiting speaker about confidence and self-esteem.

HYC is a program in which groups of youth from congregations around the world, in numbers of about 30, spend two weeks in a given city and work with the local HOPE worldwide programs and fellowship with the local congregation. Each year several cities are visiting each by a separate HYC group. The group that was in Nairobi was made up of individuals mostly from the USA, together with one from Burundi, one from Rwanda, and two from Kenya.

Many a disciple undoubtedly went to bed that night tired and inspired. It was a long day that will long live in the memory of many.

“In Triangle we love you,” Kevin Broyles declared as he addressed the church. Looking into the congregation he added, “I wish all the brothers and sisters in Triangle could see what I see today.” Kevin then shared about the on-going HOPE for Kids Kenya program through which members of the Triangle church support needy children from the Nairobi church. “So far,” he announced to the excitement and appreciation of the congregation, “3 million shillings [42,860 dollars] have been contributed.” The Triangle church has also recently assisted the Nairobi church by providing funds for the church to buy land.

Evangelist Walter Evans (right) from the Philadelphia church, who spearheads HOPE Youth Corps, shared, in the Lord’s Supper message about how he was once separated from his daughter when, while on a missionary trip to Scotland, he was informed that his daughter was seriously unwell back in the United States. Comparing that to God, Walter, who immediately rushed back home when he got that news, said, “While I was separated from my child inadvertently at her hour of need, God was separated from his Son deliberately, because of our sins.”

The day also marked Walter and his wife Kim’s 24th wedding anniversary.

Members from the HYC sang a moving medley of songs in English and Swahili, after which a joint HYC and Nairobi church dance troupe brought the gathering to its feet with a powerful routine, before leaving the stage to the SWAT (Singles With A Touch) dance troupe from the Nairobi church to electrify all with a routine of their own.

The dancing done, there was more celebration in store, as Mike and Liz Odwallo (couple in the rear on the left of picture) were appointed as evangelist and women’s ministry leader. Their great humility and hard work have been instrumental in their inspiring leadership of the Far East region and in deputizing for George and Anne Irungu whenever they are out of town. The church honoured this wonderful couple with applause and a prayer led by the deacon Anthony Mwanza.

Evangelist Stephen Mukenya preached passionately about prayer, reminding all that Elijah was a man just like us and had a prayer life that moved mountains. Sharing from 1 John 5:14, Mark 9:28,29 and Acts 9:40-43, John 17:20-24 and Matthew 9:35-38, Steve called all to have confidence and conviction that God hears us when we pray. “Some things in our lives will change only through prayer and fasting,” he declared, adding that singing is prayer and if we need to pray but don’t feel up to it then we can sing to God.

“While feel-good and positive-living books and talks help, depth and endurance come only through prayer,” Steve exclaimed, and called each disciple also to be in the habit of praying specifically for others.

Jennifer, who lives near Kibwezi town, 195 kms from Nairobi, and had studied the bible for 8 months, was baptized the day before the service, and was introduced to the church.

It was honours even in the afternoon sports, with the hosts winning the volleyball and the visitors reigning supreme on the basketball court. But on the day, everyone was a winner as the disciples, local and international, celebrated the fellowship, the family and our Father.