Breaking New Ground

Last week there was a breaking-the-ground ceremony for the new Church Army Centre in Nairobi, which Emmanuel are helping to fund. The bishop of Nairobi, the Rt. Rev. Jonathan Kabiru, wielded a pickaxe on the first trench for the foundations. It is expected that the project will be completed by this time next year. Meanwhile we hope to visit and see it progresses and then be on site for the opening ceremony. Church Army Africa (CAA) have decided to call the new building, the Emmanuel Centre. It will provide conference and training facilities for those in the ministry of evangelism, and for those working in community development in the newly emerging informal settlements – which are coming up just behind the high-rise buildings in the photo.

Alongside this project in Nairobi, Emmanuel has established a parish link with St Monica’s Church in Thika. A number of Emmanuel members will be visiting both Nairobi and Thika in February 2026. We’ll visit the CAA building project and explore possible links with the CAA Primary School. We’ll also visit St Monica’s and share fellowship with the congregation, and explore how our children’s and youthwork can connect with theirs. Alongside this we’ll visit some slum contexts and learn about the challenges Christians face as they minister and reach out to people in these settings. The aim of the visit is to make friends with Christians in other parts of the world, to learn about other people’s contexts and to be encouraged in our own mission engagement in Plymouth.

Rt Rev Tim Dakin

Chair of Mission Committee