Greetings! I'm Rev. Dr. Eve Mugambi! I'm married to George, and we are blessed with two daughters-Marianne and Prudence. I was born and raised in Kenya to a mother who was a social worker and a father who was a police officer. As the firstborn of six and with a father who was always working far from home, I naturally assumed care for my siblings at a very early age. I learned how to care for and manage our family at a very early age, but more so, how to connect with and love them despite occasional sibling rivalry and conflict. I found a way to help them both listen to me and follow my directions... except for an instance when I had to pour a full bucket of very cold water on one of my brothers because he refused to take a shower; he eventually did! In other words, I learned the power of family systems!
I have come to realize that in ministry, we are one big family. Although there may appear to be differences, as far as family systems are concerned, the dynamics of management and care may be similar. The power of family systems creates belonging. I find joy and fulfillment in touching lives in a way that enhances not only our well-being but also our sense of belonging.
My call into ministry began with a message preached from Joshua 1:6-9 at a large Christian gathering. This call of Joshua felt like a call to a 12-year-old me. My mother was in shock, as well as anyone else to whom I shared this calling from God. At some point, I also tried to shake it off, but instead, it grew deeper and more intimate to me. Over time, serving the church seemed to be my true calling, and I pursued it. This included being observant and listening to the spoken and unspoken needs and pains of church members. I have come to understand that just like a healthy, productive tree needs deep and well-nourished roots, the growth and productivity of a healthy church depend on how well the members are cared for. I have always looked at caring for church members as the "firm backbone" of the church because every part of the church body is impacted.
Compassion is foundational to care. Without this element, care becomes just another church practice. Matthew 9:36 constitutes one of the most compassionate moments of Jesus to the people he was called to redeem and reconcile. Many times, as I have worshipped at St. Luke's, I have glanced at the crowd that God has invited me to serve and wondered about what is going on in your lives and how I and our volunteer teams might offer care in the Spirit of Christ. All of us bear the image and likeness of God, and hence, in caring, we participate in what God is already doing. My prayer and hope are that we will continue building on what St. Luke's has been doing in the CARE and CONTEMPLATION Ministry.
I look forward to meeting you in June!