Bishop urges groups to reunite

Faith, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday July 5th, 2012

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
LUTHERAN Gutnius Church of Papua New Guinea head bishop David Piso is urging splinter groups to return to the fold.
Piso said on Tuesday for the good of the church, its followers, institutions and leaders must be united and serve the spiritual well-being of the people.
Piso said a synod organised by a splinter group early last month at Birip, Wapenamanda district, Enga province, was not recognised by the church.
He said the gathering had not been sanctioned by either him or the church council.
He said the leaders who organised that synod were breaching a National Court order that he had taken out on Dec 12, 2010.
He said he did not want to take organisers of the synod such as Maniosa Yakasa, Ezekiel David Peter, John Nathan, Pesato Epe, Nick Aieyene and others to court for contempt of court proceedings.
Piso said the court order was very clear and restrained those people and others such as Ketae Enomba, Yapata Puia, Seke Nete, Matai Kungu, Philipo Paiakae, Elaijah Waipu, Rasak Polyo and Timothy Yamo from representing the church and organising such meetings.
Justice Graham Ellis ordered that the purported excommunication of David Piso on March 12, 2010, at Birip was invalid.
He declared that Nick Aieyene had not become acting head bishop of the church.
The court declared Piso was still head bishop of the church and restrained the other church leaders from holding or attending any meeting of the Gutnius Lutheran Church of PNG Inc not authorised or approved by Piso.
The court restrained them from holding themselves out as being pastors, evangelists or employee of the church, communicating with any government body on any matter relating to the church.
The court restrained them from communicating, liaising, communicating or visiting any hospital, health centre, aid post or schools owned by the church.
Piso said those orders were still in force and for the good of the church, he wanted the breakaway factions to repent and return to the main church.