My friend has for a while been inviting me for her church’s monthly worship night and I have been coming up with excuses not to attend.
My friend fellowships at All Saints cathedral, Nakasero. And when she said ‘worship night’, I imagined my sleepy self in the wee hours of the morning still flipping the hymnbook, and swaying to Nsanyuse or What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
I love those hymns – don’t get me wrong – but would I manage to pull off those hours without thinking about my bed once, being used to the more groovy Pentecostal worship at my church?
Yet in all fairness, I had invited this friend to my church a couple of times and on all occasions, she had honoured my invite. So, on May 10, I dressed up after my Zumba class and told Jesus we had a date at All Saints cathedral and prayed I would resist the urge to sleep through the gentle Anglican service.
And what a shock All Saints served me! It was a worship night like I have not experienced in a long time – if ever. The hymns were saved for Sunday service; we were grooving away to regular praise and worship songs I often dance to at my church and this congregation was on fire.
During praise, one man stepped into the aisle and danced ekitaaguriro with such abandon, never mind that the praise song was in English. Sorry, if this sounds even a bit condescending, but I never expected what worship night turned out to be.
Never in my life have I seen an Anglican priest in collar burst into tongues, sweating and his ministry shirt turning a dark shade due to sweat patches from all the dancing for the Lord, as Rev Moses did that night.
Three Pentecostal preachers from Nakuru, Kenya shared the word during the intervals, with the blessing of the church’s provost, another thing that made my eyes well over with wonder. A Pentecostal pastor preaching and leading praise on an Anglican church pulpit? There is still hope that one day the body of Christ will see true unity.
One of the Kenyan pastors put my awe in words: “Wait a minute; and this is an Anglican church?!”I was totally blessed. I retired at 4am, never having dozed once during the night. Lord forgive my ignorance and prejudice.
The Observer (Kampala)
