| Background History of Holy Family Catholic Church Utawala |
| -Started as informal families gathering as jumuiya for prayers in May 1999, with 4 families.
– Official formation of the first official Jumuiya(Holy family Jumuiya) was done in June 2000 as a jumuiya of APTC church. The inaugurate meeting was done at the house of Mr. &Mrs John Osano. The first families behind Holy Family were: Mr. & Mrs. Osano Mr. & Mrs. Oyaro Mr. & Mrs. Masaka Mr. & Mrs. Mwakio Mr. & Mrs. Kaunda -The Holy Family Jumuiya was officially launched and the first elected officials of the Holy Family jumuiya were; Chair – Denis Radonji Vice Chair – John Osano Secretary – John Masaka Ass. Secretary – Treasurer – Hellen Mwakio -Holy Family jumuiya continued to be one of the APTC church jumuiyas with Utawala Christians attending Sunday masses and holding jumuiya meetings. -In June 2001, the idea of starting Holy Family Utawala church was conceived in a jumuiya meeting attended by Fr. Noel and Fr. Benjamin, held at the house of Mr. & Mrs. Kaunda. Fr. Noel contributed 20,000/= as the first cash towards buying a church plot. Holy family jumuiya members organized several fundraisings and identified Embakasi Ranching plots as the most suitable for future church location. -Fr. John Joe took over from Fr. Noel and pushed the idea of buying church plot The jumuiya negotiated for a 2 acre plot with Embakasi Ranching Company and agreed on an installment payment mode. -In April 2002, the first Jumuiya meeting was held in the open air church plot. -On 20th October 2002, the first open air mass was celebrated on the church plot. -Awareness campaign was launched within Utawala and the environment around the church plot to sensitized the upcoming church. This resulted in a spiritual growth with the formation of St. Teresa jumuiya. -Since the day of the first mass on the church plot on 20/10/2002, we never missed celebrating a Sunday mass in the plot, several of the open air. -The first structure to be put on the plot was the pit latrine. Then started a small church structure that was all iron sheet both roofing and walling.
Spiritual growth of the church. -Started with one jumuia (Holy Family Jumuia) -Joined by an existing Jumuia, St Teresa from St Peters Church, Ruai Parish -First Church Pastoral Council Elections -Leadership seminars -Church groups formations -Infants Baptisms -Catechism classes -First Holy communion -Christian formation Activities -Church marriages -Holy Family operating as autonomous outstation of Embakasi Parish. St. Patricks Community Priests who have served at
Fr. Noel Fr, Benjamin Fr. John Joe Garvey Fr. George Marete Fr. Niel Fr. Sean Fr. Joseph Bosco Kamau Other visiting priests….. Development growth of the Church: -First mabati church structure -Pit latrine -Nursery school started in the mabati structure -More land purchased to make 4.5 acres. -Purchase of two church plots 0.25 acres each near AP camp -Church building structure expansion done ( Mabati structure) -Facilitation of land purchase for the Apostolic Carmel Sisters 6acres. -Change of change building structure from Mabati to stone wall structure -Building of Dispensary -Septic Tank and sewerage system -Building of Fathers residential house -Main Church foundation started ( Nyamweya Era)
Holy Famaily Church Leadership 1stCPC Executive:
Other CPC members in the attached photo. 2nd CPC Executive:
Some Important Memories of the Church History -Church peaceful protest against church plots grabbed by AP -Four (4) church officials locked in Ruai police cell for fighting for land injustice – church grabbed land: The Ruai Four were: Mr. Denis Radonji Mr. Charles Kahoro Mr. Stanley Kareithi Mrs. Sophie Kahoro -The four together with James Nyamweya were charged with criminal offence, malicious damage to property and the case went on for 3 years at Makadara Law Courts, defended by lawyer James Mangerere. The four were later released with no conviction. -Fr. John Joe was charged but never taken to court. |