Kenya: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd update

August 2017

The following update was provided by John and Kaye Corner, Advisors to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in East Africa. ABM have supported this program for many years, through our partner The Anglican Church of Kenya. You can read the full report here.

John Corner sitting with CGS children. © CGS, 2016. Used with permission.

“The East Africa Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is now in four nations; Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. And it is likely that soon the Holy Spirit will open doors in Tanzania, Burundi, the Congo and Zambia. There are now about 40 atrium centres (where CGS is held) in churches and schools, with many more expected as the wonderful reality of this program becomes more widely known. 

“Eight of these centres are also regional training centres for teachers, and four colleges are now building the CGS program into the training of their teachers and ordinands.   This includes the Anglican Church Army Evangelist training centre in Nairobi, Kenya. 

“South Sudan has become a major Holy Spirit motivated initiative for the East Africa Association. A Malek training centre has been started and currently 14 young Sudanese are beginning preparation to be trained as Formation Leaders. They are passionate about the work, and are very determined that many South Sudanese children are able to fall in love with the Good Shephard in atriums. They also realise that the atrium experience provides healing by the Holy Spirit of the children’s inner hurts.

CGS children learning in their atrium. . © CGS, 2016. Used with permission.

“A third training mission is scheduled to fly to Malek in early November to start the development of Level 2 there. The trainers have to fly because the roads are too dangerous and we don’t mean as in road conditions, but from rebel killings that are happening all the time. Missionary Aviation Fellowship help with air travel but the cost is still substantial.

“We feel that the Holy Spirit is deeply honouring the CGS work in East Africa. In April earlier this year we were at St Crispin’s in West Kenya where atriums have been operating for 9 years. I felt very privileged to be able to lead the Holy Communion service, and both Kaye and I participated with the distribution of the Communion.  

We were absolutely amazed at the large number of teenagers coming up for Communion! This is testament to the impact CGS has had on St Crispin’s where the number of children has gone from 200 to over 1000, and the number of committed adults from less than 1000 to over 3500. To us, seeing this makes us feel that the Holy Spirit is honouring the atrium approach that has been taken to accommodate the more evangelical expression of liturgy.”

God bless

John and Kaye Corner
Advisors to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd East Africa

 

During October, ABM will host the coordinator for CGS East Africa, Canon Kistos Khisa, along with John and Kaye Corner. Canon Kistos is the vicar of St Crispin’s Anglican Church in the west of Kenya, where CGS first started 9 years ago. We will provide an update following his visit, for all our generous supporters of this program.

 

 

 

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