The new Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau (middle) and (left) Deputy Bishop Dominic Onsongo Nyambisa with (right) Bishop Dr Msafiri Mbilu, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Photo: LWF/Erick Kinyanguli
Thousands attend festive consecration and installation of new leader of Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church
(LWI) – It was a historic day for the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (KELC) as Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau was installed on 24 May, becoming the first woman to lead the church.
The festive consecration and installation service on Pentecost Sunday at the Jerusalem Cathedral in Nairobi was witnessed by thousands from KELC’s congregations across the country, representatives of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and its member churches in Africa, Europe and North America as well as ecumenical organizations.
“We are delighted to welcome you as a new leader among the LWF member churches,” General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt said in a congratulatory letter to Musau. She extended the Lutheran communion’s prayer “for God’s abundant grace for your ministry” and protection “so that you may continue to be a blessing for others.”
Addressing the congregation following her installation, Musau declared her commitment to serve the church with humility and strengthen leadership that upholds integrity, inclusiveness, and accountability. She expressed the desire to listen to people, nurture them, and build together a Christ-centered community that brings about transformation in society. “The office of bishop is not merely an honorable title, but a sacred trust and covenant calling to serve God and the people,” she said.
The new bishop especially thanked KELC’s leadership for recognizing women’s contribution to ministry, service and leadership. “Your investment and dedication have strengthened important pillars of the church,” she said. Musau was installed alongside the new deputy bishop, Rev. Dominic Onsongo Nyambisa.
The office of bishop is not merely an honorable title, but a sacred trust and covenant calling to serve God and the people
Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau, Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church
A prophetic voice for healing
Referring to some of the urgent challenges of the 21st century, Musau called on the church of Christ to “respond with a prophetic voice of clarity and pastoral compassion to the realities of our time,” that cause so much suffering to individuals, families and entire communities. She cited moral decline and loss of human dignity “with people being killed like animals,” corruption and injustice, family instability, despair among young people, and mental health illness leading to anxiety, depression and suicide. “The church must raise its voice so that society may heal,” she said.
She urged Christians to “build bridges instead of walls, preserve unity amid diversity, serving one another in love.” The growth of KELC, she added, should not merely be about numerical progress, “but also about spiritual maturity, depth and contribution to transforming society and nurturing future generations.”
ELCT Bishop Dr Fredrick Onael Shoo and KELC’s retiring Bishop Johnes Kutuk Ole Meliyio, during the installation of Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau. Photo: LWF/I. Toroitich
Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau, at her consecration as the new leader of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church. Photo: LWF/Erick Kinyanguli
Regional and global celebration
Leaders of the Lutheran Communion in Eastern and Central Africa (LUCCEA) presided over the installation service, led by Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Presiding Bishop Dr Alex G. Malasusa, KELC’s retiring Bishop Johnes Kutuk Ole Meliyio, ELCT Northern Diocese Bishop and LUCCEA President Dr Fredrick Onael Shoo, and Bishop Dr Msafiri Mbilu of the ELCT North Eastern Diocese.
Shoo, a member of the LWF Council, emphasized that all women and men are called to serve in the church, while expressing “sadness” over Lutheran churches that oppose the ministry of ordained women. He affirmed that “churches that have embraced women’s ordination have done that after prayerfully and very carefully studying scriptures, doctrine, theology and other related materials.” Bishop Musau’s consecration, he added, “stands as both a spiritual milestone and a prophetic sign of hope for the church and society.”
LWF Regional Secretary for Africa Rev. Dr Samuel Dawai and Head of Global Advocacy Mr Isaiah Toroitich represented the Communion Office at the installation and consecration of the new KELC Bishop. They participated in a tree-planting ceremony and blessing of the bishops’ vestments on 23 May. Presenting a replica of the Lund Cross to Musau, Dawai said, “this cross represents the ecumenical spirit of the LWF and that Lutherans around the world are praying for you.”
Members of the congregation during the installation of the KELC Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau. Photo: LWF/Erick Kinyanguli
The installation was preceded by a tree-planting ceremony. Here, Bishop-elect Catherine Ngina Musau, LWF Communion Office representatives Rev. Dr Samuel Dawai and Mr Isaiah Toroitich, and South African Bishop Naledzani Josephine Sikhwari. Photo: Khader El-Yateem
LWF member churches in Africa with women bishops include the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA), Moravian Church in South Africa and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). Bishop Hilja Hamukwaya (ELCIN Eastern Diocese) and Bishop Naledzani Josephine Sikhwari (ELCSA Northern Diocese) were among dozens of ordained women who attended Musau’s consecration service. LUCCEA General Secretary Ms Loe Rose Mbise led a delegation from the sub-region's churches including women pastors and leaders of theological institutions.
Bishop Catherine Ngina Musau succeeds Bishop Johnes Meliyio, who has led the church since 2020. KELC, which grew out of ELCT mission efforts, joined the LWF in 1992 and has approximately 15,000 members.
