Harvest Thanksgiving Service at ACK Mombasa Memorial Cathedral

On the occasion of the Mombasa International Show 2025, the Diocese of Mombasa held a Harvest Thanksgiving Service at ACK Mombasa Memorial Cathedral, led by the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Alphonce Mwaro Baya, assisted by the Cathedral clergy.

The Mombasa International Show is one of the most important events in the region, providing a platform for innovation, education, trade, and development across different sectors. Each year it draws together people from diverse backgrounds, reflecting the progress of our society and the potential of our communities. In recognition of this, the Diocese dedicated the event to God in thanksgiving, affirming that all achievements whether in agriculture, education, technology, or industry are ultimately gifts from His gracious hand.

A Theme Rooted in Scripture

The theme of the service was “Harvest Thanksgiving: A Telling of Our Story in the Context of Worship” (Deuteronomy 16:10–17). This Scripture passage highlights how ancient Israel’s worship was deeply woven into the agricultural cycle. Festivals such as the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles were not merely cultural events, but sacred acts of remembrance and gratitude.

The Israelites brought the produce of their fields and livestock to God’s altar—not only as material offerings, but as testimonies of their life story: the story of tilling the land, enduring hardship, celebrating harvests, and remembering God’s mighty acts of deliverance. Their thanksgiving was never abstract; it was the telling of their story in God’s presence.

Thanksgiving as Gratitude and Vocation

Preaching on this theme, Bishop Baya reminded the congregation that thanksgiving today is more than bringing produce or financial gifts to church. True thanksgiving, he said, involves presenting our whole lives before God—our struggles and triumphs, our labor and fruit, our failures and victories. Every Christian carries a story of God’s faithfulness, and harvest thanksgiving is an opportunity to tell that story in worship.

He emphasized that thanksgiving has two key dimensions:

Gratitude – recognizing that every harvest, every achievement, and every blessing is from God’s hand. Just as the farmer plants but relies on God for rain and growth, so too must we acknowledge our dependence on the Lord in all our endeavors.

Vocation – understanding that work, and especially agriculture, is a sacred calling. Farmers, like all who labor faithfully, participate in God’s ongoing work of creation and provision. Their toil sustains families, communities, and nations, and thus must be valued as part of God’s divine economy.

Challenges Facing Farmers

The Bishop also addressed the challenges facing farmers today. Despite their vital role in society, many farmers remain among the most vulnerable, struggling with low prices, poor infrastructure, climate change, and exploitative market systems. This, he noted, is a painful contradiction—those who feed the nation are often the ones most deprived.

He specifically pointed to the struggles of fruit and cash crop farmers in regions such as Shimba Hills, where produce like mangoes, oranges, coconuts, and avocados sometimes rots in the fields due to poor market access. These systemic failures, he said, break the intended link between production and consumption, undermining the very purpose of agriculture as a vocation of life-giving stewardship.

In light of this, Bishop Baya called upon both national and county governments to prioritize agriculture as a profitable, sustainable, and dignified sector. He urged leaders to invest in better infrastructure, market systems, and climate resilience so that farmers can thrive. By doing so, he said, Kenya can address food security, unemployment, and poverty while honoring the God-given dignity of those who work the land.

Worship and Witness

The thanksgiving service brought together members of the Cathedral congregation, representatives of the wider community, and participants in the International Show. Through hymns, prayers, and the preaching of the Word, the service reminded all present that worship and daily life are inseparably linked.

Thanksgiving is not just about offering gifts—it is about telling our story before God. It is about acknowledging His faithfulness in the planting and the harvest, in the work and the waiting, in both abundance and scarcity. It is also about committing ourselves to stewardship, ensuring that the blessings we receive are used responsibly, shared generously, and offered back to God in service to others.

A Call to the Community

The Diocese of Mombasa remains committed to supporting the spiritual life of the county and beyond. By holding this service alongside the Mombasa International Show, the Diocese underscored the importance of rooting progress, innovation, and development in faith and thanksgiving.

As Bishop Baya concluded, every harvest is both a gift and a calling. It is a gift because it comes from God’s providence, and it is a calling because it invites us into faithful stewardship for the common good.

The Diocese continues to pray for the people of Mombasa, the wider nation, and all who labor to build a future of hope. We remain grateful for God’s blessings and seek His guidance in promoting sustainable development, unity, and the well-being of all people.

Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” – Deuteronomy 16:17