History of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

By LEROY BATIA

 

The dawn of the Lutheran Christian faith in Papua New Guinea came on July 12, 1886, through Johann Flierl when he sailed into the quiet beaches of Simbang in Finschhafen, Morobe province.

God instilled the courage, the wisdom, the strength, and the perseverance into the life of pioneer German missionary, Rev Johann Flierl.

Together with all the other early missionaries in the likes of Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, Rev Korad Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh, Rev Johann Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez (nurse), Rev Ernst Hansche, and Rev Christian Keysser, Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) did set foot on Simbang on July 12, 1886.

Simbang, a village at the mouth of the Bubui (Mape) River in Langemak Bay was the first site of the first mission station.

In 1890, he moved the mission station from Simbang to a nearby hill called Gaigeresa that was also known as Simbang II.

 That same year (1886), Johann Flierl was joined by Karl Tremel in and they moved into Simbang village to set up the first mission station.

In 1888, Mrs Louise A Flierl later joined her husband at Simbang, Finschhafen.

At that time it was known as German New Guinea - Kaiser-Wilhelmsland.

All the above mentioned missionaries that came to this newly-found mission field and established the mission stations also came with their spouses.

As this famous saying goes, behind a great man, there is a great woman, so in the case of these early missionaries who came to our land, their wives accompanied them and endured the life of being a missionary's wife taking very good care of their missionary husbands.

To name just a few of them,  Rev Johann Flierl (Senior) and Louise A Flierl, Rev Karl Tremel and Christine Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler and Frieda Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer and Mathilde, Rev. Konrad Vetter andMaria Vetter, Rev Adam Hoh and Else Hoh, Rev Johann Decker and Emilie, Rev Andreas Zwangzer and Margarete Zwangzer.

The first mission station was established in Simbang, October 8, 1886.

The first missionaries were Rev Johann Flierl (Senior), Rev Karl Tremel, Rev Georg Bamler, Rev Georg Pfalzer, and Rev Konrad Vetter.

The second mission station was established on Tami Island, November 1889.

The missionaries that were assigned to establish it were Rev Karl Tremel and Rev Georg Bamler.

The third mission station was established at Sattelberg with careful planning and proper preparations.

Toward the end of 1892, the missionaries and their families moved into the newly-established mission station.

Rev Flierl (Senior) and family, Rev Andreas Ruppert, Rev Johann Decker, Rev Andreas Zwangzer, Rev Friedrich Held, Ms Frieda Goez, (nursing sister), and Rev Ernst Hansche.

In 1899 the fourth mission station was established at Deinzerhill through the initiative of Rev Georg Bamler, at Tamigidu in the Bukawa area.

On the opposite side of the Huon Gulf, missionaries Karl Mailaender and Hermann Boettger established Malaclo mission station in 1907.

In 1907, two new mission stations were established, one at Malaclo and Sialum respectively.

After 13 long harsh years of tough missionary work in the northern coast of Morobe province of what is now known as the Finschhafen district, in 1899 the first baptism took place in Simbang.

Two local mission workers were baptised.

Kaboing was baptised with the name Tobias, and Kamunsanga was baptised with the name Silas.

These gentlemen became the first fruits of what would determine the destiny of a Christian church in this nation, Papua New Guinea.

Rev Georg Pfalzer administered their baptism at Simbang mission station.

In the next five years,  36 more people from Tami Island and from the nearby coastal villages of Simbang were added to their number.

A tribute to Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung

By MALUM NALU

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, one of the largest mainline churches in the country with up to 1.2 million followers, is still reeling from the sudden death of its charismatic leader – the American university educated Bishop Reverend Dr Wesley Kigasung (pictured) – who passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2008, aged 57.

He is remembered by Lutherans all over the country for his skills as a preacher of the Word of God.

Wesley Waekesa Kigasung came from Aluki village in the Bukawa area of Morobe province. 

He was born on July 16, 1950, and was married to Susie Manempen Kigasung of Mindere village in the Rai Coast area of Madang province. 

The Kigasungs were blessed with two daughters and two granddaughters.  

The young Wesley Kigasung received primary education in remote Menyamya and later on Siassi Island where he did secondary schooling at Gelem High School (now Siassi High School) from1966 to 1968. 

He completed High school at Asaroka Lutheran High School in Goroka, Eastern Highlands in 1969. 

Kigasung attended Martin Luther Seminary from 1970-1975 and graduated in 1975 with Diploma of Theology and Bachelor of Theology. 

He received further studies at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby from 1976 – 1978 and graduated from the University in 1979 with the degree of Master of Arts majoring in history of PNG). 

From 1979 to 1980 he served as circuit pastor in remote Kaintiba, Gulf province. 

In 1981 Kigasung was called to teach at Martin Luther Seminary in Lae until the end of 1982. 

In March 1983 he left with his family for Germany for language studies. 

Towards the end of 1984 he again left for further studies in Chicago, USA, where he graduated in 1986 with the degree of Master of Theology at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

Kigasung continued studies for his doctoral degree and completed all doctoral work in 1989, when he received the degree Doctor of Theology from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. 

He resumed work as Lecturer at Martin Luther Seminary towards the end of 1989. 

In 1991 he was appointed Principal of Martin Luther Seminary and served as Principal until 1997. 

In January 1998 Kigasung was elected Head Bishop of the church at the Kimbe Synod.

Kigasung is widely respected as an intellectual and a leading preacher of the word of God in this country.  

“I believe it is a special gift from God,” he told me in a rare interview in 2006.

“From my early years in school, I already developed the skill of speaking in front of my peers. 

“Through the years I have challenged myself to develop my abilities in order to serve well. 

“I like to read a lot and I have read lots of books on leadership and other books that help to develop my skills in working and communicating with people. 

“My philosophy in life is to do well in a given task; to face life and responsibility without fear and doubt; to take criticisms and face difficult situations with humility and respond with positive attitude and be more proactive rather than being reactionary.”

Kigasung says being the spiritual leader of all Lutherans is not an easy task but he finds so much joy in serving God. 

 “It is not easy,” he says frankly of his job.

“Very challenging and very demanding. 

“But there is much joy and satisfaction in serving God's people. 

“I find much joy in meeting people of different cultures and different works of life and back ground and of different nationalities. 

“You see and experience God's wonders and life in the faces of these different people in the church.

 “I leave my future in God's hand. 

“This is my last term as Head Bishop. 

“I hope and pray that the Lord will grant me good health and strength to serve him in another role after this final term as bishop.”

 From January 9 to 13, 2006, the ELCPNG held its 25^th Synod at remote Wasu in Morobe province, where Dr Kigasung was reelected for a third four-year term.

 The first Synod was held in 1956 at Simbang, Finschhafen, the site of the first landing of the pioneer German missionary Johannes Flierl in 1886. 

It was at this Synod that the Church adopted its Church Order (or Constitution)

The first Head Bishop of the newly founded Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea (ELCONG) was elected in 1956.

He was an American missionary, the Reverend Dr John Kuder. 

The three Head Bishops preceding Dr Kigasung were Bishop Dr John Kuder (1956 – 1972); Bishop Sir Zurewe Zurenuoc (1973 – 1981) and Bishop Sir Getake Gam (1982 – 1997).

Dr Kigasung was reelected at a time where there is splintering within  the church through the Lutheran renewal movement; when there are criticisms from within the Church itself that it has become sluggish and has been sidetracked from fulfilling its greatest mission of spreading the word of God; that it has become so vocal on business matters without paying any attention to evangelism, ministerial training, health, education and the welfare of its pastors and evangelists; and there has been talk about the creation of a Lutheran university in Lae.

So what of the future?

“The major plans for the future of the Church is to revisit the mission of the church; to revitalise the church to become more responsible and accountable in financial matters; improve leadership  responsibility; improve  pastoral responsibilities as well as addressing the concerns of the pastors and other church workers. 

  “I encourage all Lutherans to share their faith in the many gifts and talents that they possess to help build the church. 

“I want to introduce to the church the theme for the new period of this church for the next 50 years. 

“I want to challenge all genuine and committed Lutherans with the theme: ‘Sharing the Faith, Building the Church’. 

“All Lutherans are asked to come forward in support of their church by ‘Sharing their Faith in Building the Church’.”

Abal vies for top NA post

By FRANK SENGE KOLMA

 

ACTING Prime Minister Sam Abal will put up his hand to be leader of the National Alliance after Sir Michael  Somare when the NA party caucus meets later this month, The National reports.

"I will put my hand up.

"I have to and let the people decide,"  Abal said last night.

The position is vacant by operation of the NA constitution which stipulates that a leader (parliamentary) shall serve for no more than two terms which Sir Michael has done continuously from 2002.

If Sir Michael recovers fully from his heart surgery in Singapore, he can still remain prime minister until next year's general election but he will not be the NA leader.

Sir Michael instructed the party executive in February to begin the process of electing a new leader.

President Simon Kaiwi said last week the process was well advanced and that a meeting of the party caucus, comprising the 42-member parliamentary wing this month in Minj, Western Highlands, would elect a new leader.

Abal has an immediate hurdle to face, however, before he could be nominated for the top post of the party.

He has yet to be a regional deputy, another requirement of the National Alliance constitution, and has to topple current NA highlands leader Don Polye.

That process was to have started last week when a majority of highlands NA MPs met on three separate occasions and asked its current deputy leader, Polye, to call a meeting and put the leadership question to the vote.

Polye is yet to respond.

Meanwhile, the pro­cess to ascertain the health status of Sir Michael Somare to satisfy the requirements of the Constitution was progressing, albeit slowly, with Sir Michael's physician Dr Isi Kevau flying to Singapore tomorrow to talk with the prime minister.

He does so without producing a report as requested by cabinet.

Kevau had written to the acting prime minister last Friday to explain that the inviolable medical tradition of doctor-client confidentiality forbade that he produced a report until after he had permission from Sir Michael to do so.

Since he has not talked to Sir Michael, he was unable to meet the cabinet direction.

Abal said last night that Kevau's trip to Singapore was fraught with similar confidentiality issues.

Sir Michael is now a patient of the Raffles Hospital in Singapore.

Population and housing census starts nationwide

By ALISON ANIS

 

TODAY marks the beginning of the national population and housing census, a significant national event this week, The National reports.

This is a time when Papua New Guineans, including babies born last night, will be included in the nationwide population tally executed through the National Statistical Office (NSO).

The population census is held every 10 years. This year's census starts today and ends on Sunday.

That means all 37,000-odd interviewers and supervisors, comprising the census team, would travel to all corners of the country, over mountains and through valleys, and to more than 600 small outer islands of the country, going from house to house to do a national body count.

They, in their white census T-shirts and caps, would be the key players in the event.

The NSO management team is appealing to communities nationwide to welcome them, cooperate with them by providing information required during the enumeration process.

National statistician Joseph Aka and his team had promised at the provincial census coordinators' workshop in May that the census would go ahead this year "come rain, hail or shine".

This was to dispel doubts that the census could again be delayed because of funding and logistical problems as was the case last year.

There have been no reports of hiccups in regards to the moving of census materials from provincial headquarters to the districts, local level governments or wards. It had been the team's biggest worry from the start given the tough geographical locations and problems created by sub-standard infrastructure and transport system.

Aka had assured his team at the outset: "It has been done before and it can be done again."

National Census director Hajily Kele had pointed out before the main enumeration that while most of the census materials had left their "control room" in Waigani, the responsibility was left to the provincial census co-ordinators to move the materials from provincial headquarters to the LLG and wards.

Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd was engaged by NSO on a K5 million contract to take care of census logistics.

The last enumeration conducted in 2000 recorded a population of more than five million, with females outnumbering males in the country.

NCD, as the capital, was among provinces which had the highest number of people. Manus and Bougainville had a smaller number of people compared to the rest of the country.

Other independent surveys have placed the population mark at 6.5 million.

But much has happened over the last 10 years. Amid the economic boom, there have been reports of a baby boom, with more than 1,000 babies born in PNG hospitals around the country each month. 

Health statistics however reveal that the country has poor health indicators, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, in the Pacific region.

According to the demographic health survey of 2006, five women die everyday during childbirth in PNG.  

The statistics also revealed that we have the highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific. HIV/AIDS had taken a toll on many families nationwide. Many are infected and many have died, or are dying from the disease.

The country had also battled diseases such as cholera from natural disasters.

There had many accident-related deaths in recent years, and killing has soared due to increased lawlessness.

Search for 15 missing in New Britain waters

By ELIZABETH VUVU

 

A SEARCH is underway in waters off New Britain for a missing boat carrying 15 adults heading for East New Britain last Monday, The National reports.

East New Britain disaster officer Elias Babate said the 60hp 23-footer dinghy and a 40hp dinghy were both travelling to Rabaul from West New Britain.

They are both owned by the Solwara Meri group of boats in Namatanai, New Ireland, and were headed for Lungalunga on the north coast of East New Britain.

The two boats were hired by a church group in the Wide Bay area to transport them from Lavo in Bialla to Kokopo to make a connection to Namatanai for a church gathering.

Babate said the two boats left together but, because the 60hp dinghy was faster, it left the 40hp dinghy at Lolobau Island and Point Takis in the Wide Bay area at around 1.30pm.   

The 40hp dinghy reportedly ran out of fuel and sought help from a fishing vessel nearby.

They stayed with the fishing boat overnight. It was assumed that the 60hp dinghy had reached its destination the same day.

Babate said the 40hp boat was rescued last Tuesday morning by the organiser of the church group that hired the two boats.

He said on arriving at Lungalunga, they realised that the 60hp dinghy had not reached its destination and raised the alarm.

An urgent message had been dispatched to the National Maritime Safety Authority and National Disaster Centre to alert international aircraft and coastal ships to look out for the dinghy.

He said the people of West New Britain, Watom Island, Djaul and New Hanover, in New Ireland, and Manus were alerted to look out for the dinghy as the south-easterly winds were becoming stronger.

Babate said as of last Friday, they had not received any reports of sightings but were still talking to all concerned stakeholders.

He said Solwara Meri had engaged three of its boats for the search last Tuesday.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed that they are alive and must have gone into international waters by now and, hopefully, fishing boats or aircraft may locate them."

Bulolo MP welcomes Aitsi as new boss of Newcrest Ltd

Member for Bulolo Hon Sam Basil today welcomed the appointment of former Transparency International (PNG Chapter) chairman Mr Peter John Aitsi as Country Manager of Newcrest Ltd.

“Mr Aitsi, as former chairman of TI-PNG, and as former President of the Media Council of Papua New Guinea, brings a great wealth of experience in corporate governance issues with a good measure of issues that make news from his time as General Manager of NauFM,” said Mr Basil, who is also Deputy Leader of Opposition.

“His appointment signals hope to resolve outstanding issues within the Hidden Valley and emerging Wafi Gold memorandum of association.

“As Member for Bulolo, I want to welcome him into his new post and serve notice that I will be engaging with the Newcrest Management under his leadership to resolve these outstanding matters.

“There is no questions about the common desire between Newcrest Ltd as developer and the Bulolo District especially at customary landowner level to have these projects succeed as they would stimulate economic grown necessary for better living standards.

“But the monetary and economic benefits must be weighed fairly against the disruption of landowners’ traditional way of life, the social, and the usual long-term environmental, impacts of mining.

“These issues need to be incorporated in fairer, sustainable returns to the landowners who will live with these byproducts of mining projects long after mine closures.

“I trust that Mr Aitsi while representing the developer’s interest, and I representing landowners’ and district interest, will find mutual, common and reasonable beneficial grounds for all stakeholders,” said Mr Basil.

 

 

Woman dies in Origin violence

Suspect implicated in another 'kill' case

 

By ZACHERY PER

 

A MAN allegedly killed a woman at a remote highlands village after an argument over the result of the State of Origin rugby league clash on Wednesday night, police said, The National reports.

Acting Chimbu provincial police commander Insp Mazuc Rubiang yesterday said the man was also wanted by police for questioning over an earlier homicide case where one of his brothers had died.

Rubiang said the suspect had been on the run from police since the death of his brother.

The dead woman had been identified as Dema Numabo, 22, from the Salt-Nomane area in Karimui-Nomane district, Chimbu.

Her body was discovered by villagers early yesterday morning.

Rubiang said residents of the Hidden Valley settlement and those living near the National Broadcasting Corporation were shocked when the naked body of the woman was found in the backyard garden of one of the villagers.

Rubiang said the woman sustained multiple stab wounds on her body.

He was at the murder scene yesterday morning with his officers to start their investigations and take the body to the Kundiawa General Hospital.

Eyewitnesses told police that the woman had an argument with the man, who is believed to be from the Dom area in the Gumine district, over the result of the State of Origin match.

The match was won by the Queensland Maroons 34-24.

"The suspect (name supplied) committed the offence while on the run for another alleged murder case.

"He is now the main suspect in the two murder cases," Rubiang said.

He said other major settlements in Kundiawa town including G Block, Hap Wara, Sikrap, Yuai, Pepek Wara and End of the World were relatively quiet on Origin Games' night.

"This is what happens when people with sick minds come to live among law-abiding citizens," he said.

"I strongly appeal for public cooperation in the arrest of the man."