Church looks to seek God’s forgiveness

KASANGARE parishioners in Garaina, Morobe, will host a reconciliation ceremony to seek God’s forgiveness for their forefathers burning the first church building in 1956.
The ceremony is scheduled for Easter from April 20-22.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea elder Brandon Koiropai, reconciliation chairman Peter Ruma and deputy Iso Pina, and congregation chairman Bingenao Pasiro are organising the event.
Koiropai said the church building was burnt in 1956, 1960 and 1996.
After the third burning in 1996, no new church building was built, leaving the people who were members of the church with nowhere to worship for the last 23 years.
Koiropai said 20 church elders in January started to conduct gospel outreach and counselling into Omoc, Yaka, Patoro and Ngusi congregations to set the basis for peace reconciliation
Church pastor from Bethel Lutheran Church in West Taraka, Lae, Pugira Pisai and Rev Hans Giegere from Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea headquarters have been invited to assist in the reconciliation ceremony.
They say it was to right the wrong done in the past.