By ELIZABETH VUVU
THE New Ireland region of the United church will get a new bishop today, when Rev Salot Taran is inducted as New Ireland’s second bishop since its inception in 1993.
New Ireland’s first bishop was the late Gerson Kapman.
Rev Taran, 46, from Kapsel village in the Namatanai local level government area will be handed over by his Piknat clan to the church hierarchy in a ceremony to be witnessed by several thousands of people from the church’s 31 circuits throughout the province.
Chairman of the Induction Organising Committee Rev Robinson Buluanis said the occasion would commence with a traditional ceremony whereby Rev Taran would be handed over by his clan to the minister-in-charge of the Samo circuit Rev John Waip.
Rev Waip will hand him over to the acting bishop of the New Ireland region Rev Robinson Moses, who in turn will hand him over to the moderator of the United church in Papua New Guinea Rev Samson Lowa, who will perform the induction ceremony.
A delegation from the West Coast Namatanai will also be attending.
New Guinea Islands bishop Rev Albert Burua is also expected to attend together with Governor Sir Julius Chan.