THE TEST OF INCLUSION IN A FORMERLY EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF FAITH-REFORMED CHURCH OF EAST AFRICA FINALLY ORDAINED WOMEN

Since the Dutch Reformed Missionaries arrived in Kenya and worked among the communities around plateau area in Eldoret Town, the debate of inclusion of women both lay and trained appeared in several synods of RCEA-Reformed Church of EAst africa till 2017. in November 2017, the 54th synod endorsed the ordination of women as ministers of word and sacrament alongside their male ministers. in 2018, RCEA admitted the first 6 women ministers into the ministry of word and sacrament, namely; Rev. Edith Chemorion-Lecturer at Moi university, Rev. Beatrice Siraly-RCEA sunday school coordinator, Rev. Priscah Chirchir-teacher in a special school for children who are mentally challenged, Rev. Dinah Tuwei-RCEA women coordinator, Rev. Lydia Tuwei-Chaplain in a high school, and Rev, Phillister Keter-Chaplain in a high school.

Language shift: address ordained as brothers

brothers of the collar, oh sorry with sister now

how they are addressed; rev. mrs, /Rev.mrs/madam/ ,mrs   Rev. not sure how to address

Pastors wives -previously not ordained-pastors wives but now reverends

sitting arrangements: 

Front seats meant for ordained ministers who were men now ordained women ministers sit-discomfort for the men anti-women ordination

Remuneration struggle:

women ministers entry into ministry challenged men clergy and this led them to wonder what women will be paid since they are more educated than majority of the men. insecurity over finances was a reality.

some women ministers were advised not to ask for posting in the church since they would exhaust the finances, but were advised to get better jobs outside the church to strongly support the church, as they bring fat tithes to be blessed by the male clergy,

negative imaging:

Now that women are ordained, the men who are anti-women ordination are  coining stories that women are not being felt, yet they are highly qualified.

Leadership:

Being an electioneering year, some people have started speculations of which women minister could contest for which position in the leadership of the church.this comes hardly five months since they were ordained. having said that, it is for a fact that the ordained women ministers have the capacity to take leadership in the church.

prediction of doom

anti-women ordination sections of the church said there will be a mass movement of women ministers since they will make it hard for women to function.

APPEAL TO WORLD LEADERS & FORUM WORLD PULSE

• Let us help women in the Reformed church of East AFrica to thank God and all those who facilitated the process that culminated in the ordination of the first 6 ministers. and pray for other ordinations of women scheduled for this year 2019.


• hold our sisters in prayer as they  walk the journey of faith with the help of God


• support the leadership of RCEA TO SOLICIT FOR FUNDS to train more men at both graduate and postgraduate level 


• continue to stand with women in the test of inclusion in the formerly exclusive church

Thank you world pulse community for support and prayers

Rev. Edith K. Chemorion