Tabubil women's fellowship group travels to Malalo, Morobe province

By ANDY MAIE

A letter of appeal for donation was written by Evangelical Lutheran Church Malalo circuit gejamsaoc (women’s group) to Tabubil Lutheran church women’s fellowship to support them in their dream to build a women’s resource centre.

The Tabubil women’s fellowship agreed to support this project and with the help of the executive of the Tabubil Lutheran church sent a delegation of 12 women and three men leaders.

On October 10, the group traveled to Lae by plane from Tabubil, and then by sea to Buakap village.

The visit also coincided with the ELC Malalo Circuit Wokmeri conference which was held at Kisiwaga Parish, Busamang village.

Upon arrival at the resource centre at Buakap, the gejamsaoc group from Buakap congregation welcomed the delegation with a traditional dabol singsing through a gate set up on the beach.

On the Saturday, October 11, the delegation was invited to Kisiwaga parish, Busamang village, to attend the women’s conference with the rest of the Malalo circuit.

Upon arrival at Busamang village by dinghy, the delegation was welcomed by the Kisiwaga parish gejamsaoc group with mulmul and siac singsings.

In the evening, the Tabubil women’s fellowship group gave K2, 700 to Malalo circuit hetmeri, who reciprocated with 15 bilums.

On Sunday, October 12, the delegation had Sunday service hosted by Buakap.

In the evening, the delegation was entertained to a siac singsing by the villagers.

On Monday, October 13, the delegation climbed up the hill to visit Malalo circuit mission station to see the centennial plaques that were set up in October 2007.

The Tabubil Malalo group and the Tabubil Lutheran congregation contributed funds towards the celebration and the memorial plaques last year.

When the delegation returned from the mission station, a small shake handshake offer was performed between the delegation and the executive of the Malalo circuit gejamsaoc which raised K300 for the centre.

In the afternoon, the delegation took two dinghy trips to Laugui, Salamaua, to visit the Laugui gejamsaoc group.

The delegation was surprised to be welcomed by the Laugui women’s singsing group through a gate followed by exchange of speeches, and then presentation of bilums.

The delegation left Laugui for the conference centre at Buakap to a traditional welcome of sea water showering by the circuit gejamsaoc group.

A pig was then slaughtered for a feast.

Almighty God has Blessed the trip as everything was executed as planned without any major problems.

Lutheran health services thrive in PNG

Captions: 1. A Lutheran missionary doctor at work in Braun Hospital. People from all over PNG flock to Braun to seek the 'healing hands' of these missionary doctors. Picture by NMZ Mission. 2. A mother seeking treatment for her child at Braun Hospital. Picture by NMZ Mission. 3. Braun Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen, Morobe province. Picture by NMZ Mission. 4. Lutheran health services secretary Abraham Yapu...bearing the cross of Jesus.

Braun Hospital in Finschhafen, Morobe province, is a hive of activity every day as patients flock in from all over Papua New Guinea to seek the services of specialist missionary doctors.

These doctors, Lutheran volunteers from Germany, pray over each patient before treating them and there is a huge success rate.

Lutheran health services secretary Abraham Yapu conservatively estimates that Braun treats more than 10,000 patients a year.

“… Braun alone treats over 10,000 patients a year,” he tells me.

“We have a specialist surgeon, physician, gynaecologist and paeditrician at Braun Hospital.

“That’s why it attracts patients from all over the country.

“We have very good facilities, including up-to-date operating facilities.

“We have very hardworking missionary doctors who are fully committed to their jobs.”

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG, apart from its core task of spreading the Word of God, is also involved in many development activities such as health.

It runs four hospitals around the country at Braun, Yagaum in Madang, Gaubin on Karkar Island in Madang and Etep at Wasu in Morobe province.

“Most of our hospitals are staffed by overseas doctors, mainly from Germany,” Mr Yapu explains.

“There is an organisation called South South Programme which also provides doctors.

“At the moment, we have two doctors in PNG under this programme, which is working very well.

“We have two Bavarian doctors at Gaubin, four at Braun and one at Etep.

“There are missionary doctors sent in for a four-year term.

“We have two local doctors, one at Yagaum and one at Etep.”

Apart from these hospitals, ELCPNG runs 28 health centres through the whole country, 14 aid posts and 14 two-man aid posts.

“We have a health project called District Health Project in Menyamya (Morobe province),” Mr Yapu adds.

“Due to remoteness, this project was created so that we can have direct funding from our partners.

“This idea came from Bavaria and New Zealand.

“That was back in the 80’s.

“ELCPNG is a major contributor in funding.”

The ELCPNG also runs three health schools, the nursing school in Madang which is now affiliated with Divine Word University, and community health workers’ schools at Gaubin and Braun.

“We have almost 300 staff ranging from doctors to community health workers,” Mr Yapu says.

“We have about 250 or more casual workers, depending on areas where they work.

“Staffing would be about 50 for the three schools.

The ELCPNG’s Lutheran health services department was created in 1988; however, health services were already established long before this under the evangelism department.

“At the Ialibu synod in 1988, it was agreed that the Lutheran Health Services must become a department of its own,” Mr Yapu recalls.

“The first national health secretary was Mr Wilson Waesa.

“Changes were made and Vincent Michaels (now Tewai-Siassi MP) became the second national health secretary.

“At that time, we had two hospitals: Braun Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen and Yagaum Hospital in Madang.

“Gaubin (Madang province) became a hospital after Yagaum.

“In 2000, Etep Rural Hospital in Wasu, Kabwum district (Morobe province) was created.

“I don’t have exact figures for the number of patients for the whole country, but Braun alone treats over 10,000 patients a year.

“In the administration structure of the department, we have the national secretary, and then we have regional secretaries.

“I am the national health secretary, Don Kuda is the regional health secretary in Madang, Nena Nag is regional health secretary in Morobe, and Reverend James Koi is regional health secretary in the Highlands.

“We have a senior management team which meets every year to advise the Lutheran health services board.

“Lutheran health services board endorses what projects and programmes and it goes to the church council for endorsement and implementation.

“Lutheran health services comes under the churches medical council like other churches.

“Churches medical council, through the national government, gives grants.

“From churches medical council, the funding goes straight to the regional offices.

“Regional secretaries take care of that funding.

“It covers infrastructure, health programmes and salaries of the workers.

“In one year, funding for the three regions goes up to K6 million.

“Apart from churches media council, regional offices also get assistance from their respective provinces, districts and LLGs.

“ELCPNG is the main source of funding.

“Donations also come in from believers.

“In Morobe, we get a lot of assistance from the Morobe provincial government.

“Recently, we started receiving funding from MPs for health facilities in their electorates.”

Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG's 'Vision 2020'

Captions: 1. ELCPNG general secretary Isaac Teo…mapping out plan for Vision 2020. 2. ELCPNG headquarters at Ampo in Lae.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) is preparing policy framework and guidelines for programme formulation for its strategic planning called the ELCPNG Vision 2010-2020.

The policy framework and guidelines will direct planning in each department and district of the church to formulate their respective mission statements, value statements and programme details.

Vision 2010-2020 concept paper was presented at the 26th general synod of the ELCPNG in January of this year.

The late Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung highlighted the vision statement - “Sharing the Faith, Building the Church” - and the concept for planning together with the guiding principles that will enable planning to achieve the objectives, mission and vision of the church.

 Rev. Dr Zirajukic Kemung of Martin Luther Seminary discussed the human development criteria and elaborated on the need for Vision 2010-2020 to focus on the “household”.

 The message was loud and clear that the planning process aims to achieve balanced human development addressing both physical and spiritual development needs of every human person.

Mr Isaac Teo, general church secretary of ELC-PNG discussed the state of the socio-economic development challenges that the country is facing today.

He highlighted issues with regards to education and health such as HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and malaria which have encouraged both the government and non-government sectors to develop programmes aimed at addressing these problems.

“ELCPNG as a Christian church empowered by the Word of God with a ministry to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has been actively involved in promotion of health and education program over the past 122 years of establishment,” Mr Teo said.

“The Ogelbeng Synod endorsed the timeframe to Vision 2020 with separation and extension of planning and implementation periods to cover 2008–2010, 2011–2015 and 2016-2020.

“These will enable planning set realistic and achievable short-term and medium term goals with proper design of impact evaluation and assessment on term basis.

“ELCPNG departments will continue with their implementation of the current programmes, and carryout timely review so that the programs will be fine tuned in line with the new Vision, Mission and Objectives of the ELC-PNG Vision 2020.

“As a guiding principle of a strategic planning process,  this policy framework and programme formulation guidelines should help ELCPNG departments to re-focus planning on priority areas, starting with a department mission statement and value statement and of course re-formulation of program objectives and strategies for implementation through out the planning period.

“The Vision 2020 strategies of ‘integral mission’,   ‘leadership focus’,  ‘area focus’ and ‘household focus’ places much greater emphasis on the multi- level planning capacities within the existing church’s institutional and organisational hierarchy.”

  It also calls for reorganisation of the existing institutional arrangements that will cater for programs on leadership focus and training of evangelist for proclamation of the Gospel in new strategic mission areas.

“There is also greater need for ‘devolution’ of administrative function and responsibilities with readily-available resources and capacities at the ELCPNG districts to support holistic ministry program in the parishes, congregations and the household,” Mr Teo continued.

“Since the ‘overseas missionaries’ had left in the late 1980’s these functions have slowly come to a halt and are of non-existence at the present time.

“The overall objective of Vision 2010-2020 is to provide a clear and consistent policy framework for promotion and development of holistic ministry planning and programming of ELCPNG Vision 2010-2020.

“The ELCPNG institutional framework is ‘people empowerment’ structure that needs to be consolidated and made to function effectively.

 “The starting point is obviously the ‘reorientation’ of the existing seven programmes of ELCPNG inline with the Vision 2010-2020 concept of ‘household focus’.

“The idea is to emphasise the main programme groups - build life, empower life, support life - which will form the main pillars of the church ministry, a force that would drive the mission statement in realising the purpose of Vision 2010-2020.

“Reformulation of current programmes and projects should start with the definition of goals and by putting it into its right context and perspective for a holistic ministry program.”

 

Lutheran youth programme gaining momentum

Caption: Lutheran youth director Faen Mileng

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG’s youth programme is rapidly gaining momentum, according to national youth director Faen Mileng.

This includes an agreement with the National Law and Justice Committee Secretariat whereby it provides funding for Lutheran youths to distribute law and order awareness material.

“The church has this youth programme called five-star programme,” Mr Mileng explained.

“The five stars are strongim bilip (strengthen the faith), kirapim gutpela sindaun (create wellbeing), mekim work sios (do the work of the church), skruim save (learn more) and gutpela hamamas (happiness).

“Under this programme, we try to work with the young people in things such as Bible study, which are very important.

“We also have leadership training.

“One of the things we are trying to encourage is the ‘Christ in culture show’, where we have traditional activities, but with the message of Jesus.

“We are working on carrying out the programme effectively in all the districts.

“Recently, we met an official from the National Law and Justice Committee Secretariat, Mr Joe Kanekane, and they will provide us with funding to distribute their law and order material.

“This is one of our major achievements.”

Mr Mileng said each church district had its own conference starting from congregation level to circuit, district and national.

He solely runs the youth office at ELCPNG headquarters at Ampo in Lae with the assistance of volunteers.

 

Reformation and its significance in world history

Captions: 1. Dr Martin Luther. 2. Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses

By PASTOR JACK URAME
Melanesian Institute, Goroka

Luther and the reformation

Dr. Martin Luther, the great church reformer, marked the era between the end of the Middle Ages and beginning of the modern age.
He was branded a radical who went against the church authorities but he stood on the Word of God to reform the church - not to divide the church.
Many people still hold Luther as a wonderfully gifted man to the church of his time who stood for the truth of the Gospel against all opposing threats and powers that almost cost him his life.
The story of this humble and simple son of a coalminer who became a professor of Theology and father of church reformation is an amazing story of the history of the Christian church.
After turning down his father’s will to earn him a good job of a middle class by studying law Luther made a sudden unexpected turned.
Despite all disappointments and anger of his parents, who were struggling for a decent education of their son, Luther was found knocking at the gate of the Erfurt cloister of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine.
His vow to Saint Anna to become a monk in 1505 when he was caught in a thunder storm on his return trip from his parents’ home to Erfurt was his turning point.
His encounter with a lightening strike that almost cost his life created a world history.
Luther’s diligent study of the scripture led him to new discoveries of the Bible.
He discovered the immeasurable grace of God through Christ.
Many people would agree that if it was not for Luther we probably would have a different church now. Luther, a man full of knowledge and wisdom, had thrown the whole world into confusion in matters of faith, church and religion.
The legacy of Luther lives on and the Lutheran community throughout the world celebrate the reformation day each year on the 31st October.
It was on this day Luther nailed his famous ninety-five theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany, for a public debate at the close of October 1517.
Luther did not fear men but God and stood on these words, “I will announce your commands to kings and I will not be ashamed.” Psalm 119: 46.
He remained today an historical church reformer but what he did changed the world forever.
He was standing between the realms of heaven and earth, between Christ and the devil, between the voice of God and the voices of human rulers, between human teachings and the truth of the Word of God.
He was struggling with human powers as well as the devil.
He was a man of courage with no fear of men but of God.
The fearless Theologian with much courage and bravery stood before the princes and rulers and defended the Word of God at the Imperial Diet of Worms (the highest council of the Roman Empire) that otherwise could have cost him his life.
His concluding defence before the rulers and princes that time is well remembered and treasured by many as Luther’s statement of his stand against all odds and enemies. “My conscious is captive to the word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscious is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. God, help me, I cannot do otherwise. Amen.”
His scholarly contemporary, Philipp Melanchthon, once described Luther as “a miracle among men and everything that he said and wrote went straight to the heart and made a wonderfully deep impression on it.”

What reformation means for us today

It is not about Luther but about the amazing story of how God kept his word, the church and the Christian faith alive against all heresies.
Reformation Day is a time to reflect back on the history of the church and the journey of mission and faith of how God in an amazing way planted the seed of the Gospel in the hearts of men and moved them to extend his mission on earth.
Reformation reminds us to be conscious of our task as Christians and Christian churches to carry on the mission of God, to extend the love of Christ and to continue proclaim the word of God in all its purity and truth.
Reformation also reminds us to be aware that we have a duty to defend the Word of God from all heresies and human deceits.
Reformation means to be conscious of our mission aims to reach out to people, touch their lives and help them encounter Christ so that they find a place in the Christian community.
As in the time of reformation the struggle between the earthly and the heavenly, between the children of God and the devil, between the light and darkness is not yet over.
Today, in the changing world this struggle continues.
This challenges us to keep true to our faith and keep shining our lights in the dark world where the devil and his agents still have a playroom in our world.
Like other Lutheran Christians around the world, the Lutherans in PNG still considered the reformation day as an important occasion in their church.
To understand Luther and the reformation is to understand the basic foundations he laid for us in Christian doctrine.
Luther’s teachings were not his but Christ’s.
Reformation was not for his good but for the good of the Christian church.
The members of the Lutheran community take pride in their history not because they are followers of Luther but of Christ.
The reformer himself asked, “What is Luther? After all, the teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone. St. Paul would not permit Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christians. How then should I – poor, stinking sack of maggots that I am – be entitled to have people call the children of Christ by my wretched name?”
Lutherans are not Luther’s disciples but followers of Christ.
Reformation Day is not only an occasion to celebrate the religious revolution, which had its time in history and was over, but a time to take our faith and life in God seriously. What happened in history still inspires us today to keep moving forward with determination in order to receive the promise of Christ of eternal salvation.
As we celebrate with joy we also look forward with joy to meeting Christ.

Article on the occasion of Reformation Day 31st October 2008

By Rev Dr WOLFGANG THUMSER

ELC-PNG

Senior Flierl Seminary, Logaweng, Finschhafen

It is often said we Lutherans are conservative guys, and that's probably true.

The funny thing about this is that our historical origins lie in a renewal movement which happened nearly 500 years ago in Europe.

"Reformation" means: let's try and make it better, in accordance with our origins.

This is what Martin Luther did in Germany in the 16th century, and this is exactly what Melanesians should do today as well.

We Lutherans find our origins in the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it was newly discovered by Martin Luther and brought to this country by missionaries.

This Christian heritage, together with the richness of cultural tradition, is not a rope to tie us up, but the ground, on which we freely stand and walk our own way.

But it's always important to have good knowledge about the ground you are walking on.

This is why our seminary realised a research about our Lutheran pioneer missionary, Johann Flierl.

 In numerous interviews, the Finschhafen Lutherans from the Yabêm and Kâte tribe remembered the work of "their" missionary whom they call their church father or tumbuna.

 A lot of them said it would be good if someone like Flierl would come now and bring the good times back.

 It seems that many people believe that we are living in an era of decline, compared with the "time of origin".

Of course it is not possible to bring back the glorious days of the beginning.

But it certainly is time to stop and think about ourselves - who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going to? Is it really Christ we are believing in? Or is it rather our own idea of gaining prosperity and power?

This was Luther's challenging question about the church of his time, and it also is our question today.

He taught us to listen carefully to the message of the gospel, and I am sure, if we do this, then we would be able to perform significant reforms in church and society today.

 And maybe it's time for a "Melanesian Reformation".

But not at all should a Melanesian Reformation try to get rid of the rich heritage of Melanesian cultures.

First of all: the most necessary reformation we are in need of today is a reform of our hearts, a "renewal of our mind", as Paul puts it in Roman 12:2.

After that we should be able to tackle the great problems of our time as is to get rid of leaders lacking any sense of responsibility, to help people who are in danger of being caught by false ideas of cult practice or to prevent so-called "missions" which only destroy the flourishing church life of other denominations.

 We even may be able to bring down the chief enemy, which is this widespread, general carelessness of men and women who only think about to get as much as they can for themselves and who are by no means ready to contribute their part to our common future.

Next year, our seminary will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

From September 17-20, 2009, we will invite others to come to Finschhafen, and together we will "stop and think" about the past, present and future of theological education in Papua New Guinea, and about our possibilities to contribute to a Melanesian Reformation.

Because this country is in desperate need of a change.

All of us should, from time to time, think about that - and start trying to make a difference.

 

 

Funeral programme for the late Ian Clive Boden (please click to enlarge)