Consistency of Members to Small Christian Community Meetings in Tabaka Catholic Parish, Kisii Diocese

Abstract

This study examines the participation consistency of members in small Christian community meetings and their involvement in church activities at Tabaka Catholic Church. Members of small Christian communities can reach out to others for pastoral work without relying solely on the priests, which requires active participation. However, some members do not attend the weekly meetings, and others do not recognise the importance of participating in church activities. The study utilised public participation theory as a framework for its analysis to help discuss the importance of consistency of members in active participation. The target population comprised 776 participants. Simple random sampling, purposive sampling and census were used to select 237 respondents comprising 2 priests, 84 leaders, 105 church members, 4 catechists and 42 youth. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires and observations. Statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The findings revealed that members of small Christian communities often fall behind due to a lack of interest, non-commitment to meeting attendance, varying leadership styles, and differences in socio-economic status. The study recommends that leaders of small Christian communities and the church should put a greater emphasis on the importance of joining the group and actively participating in both the weekly meetings and church programs.