Circuit adds another parish after six-year preparation

THE Evangelical Lutheran church (ELC), under the Yabem district of the Lae circuit, has added another parish after a decision by its special finance and planning committee last week during a conference held in Poahom, Nawaeb.
Abong parish is the newest member of the Lae circuit and will serve the communities along Second Seven, Pepsi Compound, Malahang, Centre Market and Poasang.
Abong parish was previously managed by the Poaba parish as a congregation with assistance in church activities and administrative affairs before its transition into a parish.
Outgoing president of ELCPNG Lae circuit Ps Lucas Mark, who assisted with the transition, said it had taken them (Abong congregation and Poaba parish) almost six years to prepare and prove to the circuit (Lae) that it was capable of becoming a parish.
Mark said the circuit and its committee (finance and planning) had certain criteria to assess a congregation and see if it had met all the requirements before it could become a parish.
For example, it had to have land formally declared by landowners for it church building, a pastor’s house, a congregation comprising between 400 and 500 members and had financial and administrative capabilities to support itself including its pastor .
The parish pastor also needed to have a garden made by the congregation members.
Ps Kilau Manase, from Poaba parish, said the journey before the transition was challenging for his parish and the congregation, however, it had been worth the wait.
The conference also saw the election of new Lae circuit president Timbing Kahata from the St Andrew’s parish, secretary Fox Anso from the Shumutra parish, new Sunday school supervisor Kitumbing Thomas from Kelamu parish and women’s head minister Giam Danny from the St Phillip’s parish.
The next circuit conference will be hosted by the St Mathew’s parish at Yalu village in 2021.