About PCEA Elijah Wathika Memorial Church
Rev. John Kiriungi — Parish Minister
Githunguri, Kiambu County, Kenya
pceaelijahwathikachurch@gmail.com
English Service: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Kikuyu Service: 9:40 AM – 1:00 PM
Our History
Foundation (1922)
In the year 1922, the late Mr. Elijah Wathika and the late Reuben Ngure welcomed the late Dr. Arthur and Samuel Gitau Kangugi to Kahunira (kwa ngoma-hwai) where they built a grass-thatched mud-walled church. The first believers were:
- Reuben Ngure Gichuru
- Elijah Wathika
- Abednego Kagunya (who was a teacher then)
Resistance (1929)
On 13th September 1929, the church prohibited female circumcision. A song Muthirigu was composed to ridicule the believers. This led to the closure of Kahunira church.
Rebirth (1942)
In 1942, Elder Abednego Kagunya Njuguna was sent from Thogoto as an evangelist. In 1946 a tin-roofed mud-walled church was built and Kahunira Primary School was started. In 1952 the church offered refuge after a state of emergency was declared.
Construction (1963–1998)
In 1963, Rev. Charles Muhoro Kareri laid the foundation stone. The church was completed on 16th August 1964. In 1988, the foundation stone of the new church was laid by Rev. Ibrahim Kamau. PCEA Kahunira was renamed PCEA Elijah Wathika Memorial Church and dedicated on 27th December 1998.
Expansion (1998–Present)
In September 2012, Kahunira Parish was inaugurated together with Githunguri and Gathanji Parish. In 2015, the Kirk Session decided to plant a new church at Ngeteti, with land donated by the family of Elder Isaac Mburu Wathika.