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Lutheran Church marks 121 years in PNG
Church members urged not to concentrate on numerical growth but on
spiritual growth, JASON SOM KAUT reports
It has been121 years since the first Lutheran Missionary set foot
in Papua New Guinea at Simbang in the Finschhafen district of
Morobe province.
On June 12, 1886 Johannes Flierl of the Neuen Dettelsau Mission
Society (NDMS) sailed his ship into the idyllic harbor of Simbang.
Flierl set up camp and inspected the area, his skin color surely
giving the locals much to talk about. Other missionaries arrived
and some moved to Tami Island while others further inland to
Sattleberg in the mountains of the Kotec district.
The Simbang Lutheran Church, dedicated to the memory of the first
missionaries is situated right next to where the Butaweng river
meets the Bismark sea in the Langimata bay.
For Lutherans the real work of evangelism and the roots of the
Evangelical Lutheran movement in PNG began at Sattleberg station
in the Kotec Local Level Government council further up the
mountains.
Sattleberg station is set on a plateau with a majestic view over
the whole of Finschhafen and the cluster of small coral islands of
Siassi and its main island of Umboi set in the dark Bismark sea.
Sattlerberg was a recuperating station for missionaries as the
cool climate was conducive to recovery during illness. As a
recuperating and place of rest it also trained locals as
evangelists and sent them out. Later the main training school for
evangelists was set up at Helsbach for the Kotec speaking people
while another was set at Hopoi in Bukawac for the Yabim speaking
people.
It was on the Sattleberg plateau over 2500 feet above sea-level
that the first home-grown Lutheran missionaries were trained. They
took lessons in many things apart from the main spiritual aspect
of their training inbuilt into their training program.
From here they penetrated the highlands and Momase region with the
Word of God. Early missionaries brought to the people services in
health and hygiene and many other of life's easing tools -knives,
spades, forks, axes, files, matches, light and others.
One cannot, but wonder, how it was possible to tame the
mountainous tribes of Kotec and get them to believe in
Christianity.
The majestic Sattleberg Lutheran Church was built in 1899, was
rebuilt some years ago on the same spot and was recently
renovated.
On a recent trip there I learnt from some locals about the common
belief of the existence of a higher being who had created the
earth and all on it. The people of Kotec are well versed in the
art of conjuring good spells to increase productivity and good
yield while acknowledging that this knowledge had come from some
higher being that is responsible for a good harvest, healing of
sickness and other good acts.
Some might believe that because of this it was not so difficult a
task to convince the locals of the existence of a higher being -
God the creator.
In marking 121 years of Lutheran activities in PNG Head Bishop of
the ELCPNG Dr Wesley Kigasung issued a challenge to the 900, 000
plus members of the church to give willingly to the church and
assist it become more self-sufficient.
'If Lutherans just celebrate the anniversary it really does not
mean anything. We have to look at history - where we are at now
after 121 years, where we intend to go and how we intend to get
there," Dr Kigasung said.
The ELCPNG headquarters at Ampo marked the day with a church
service at the St Andrews church while churches throughout PNG
celebrated with traditional church services.
Dr Kigasung also revealed plans for a major celebration next year
to mark the 122nd anniversary with participation from overseas
preachers and members.
Founded in 1956 the ELCPNG began with three districts and now has
17 districts nationwide.
Dr Kigasung urged 'members not to concentrate on numerical growth
but on spiritual growth', as the church undergoes a restructure to
meet the challenges of the new millennium.
"We must talk more on spiritual growth and active members and what
these members are doing to increase spiritual growth and how the
church can help," he said.
"I challenge members to thank God in their offerings to support
church. We have a lot to be thankful for and must show that
through faith offerings," Dr Kigasung added.
He said ELCPNG received a lot of support from overseas church
partners but had to now be self-sufficient.
"We appreciate the contribution of our overseas church partners,
that is their mission, but we must look at ways we can contribute
from our own resources to support the church. That is our
mission," Dr Kigasung said.
He said the church must not depend on its business arm as business
was a different entity to the church.
"But the church must depend on its living assets, its members," he
said.
Dr Kigasung said the church was currently going through a
financial reform with the big challenge to encourage faith
offerings.
ELCPNG is also reforming its structure to be more effective, its
evangelism department to better look after its ministers and
workers and education and health services.
 
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