Churches review relations

By LORRAINE BASSE
REPRESENTATIVES of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) recently gathered at The Melanesian Institute (MI) in Goroka to re-look at some of the issues that are affecting Churches in Papua New Guinea.
The four-day which began on 18 October was for a Churches Consultation on Ecumenical Renewal.
With the theme “Rethinking Ecumenical Relations and Cooperation in Papua New Guinea”, the four day discussion brought together church leaders and relevant church figures in PNG (United Church Papua New Guinea (UCPNG), Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea (CBCPNG), Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG), Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea (ACPNG) and Papua New Guinea Council of Churches (PNGCC)).
The consultation’s aim was to set a foundation upon which future consultations and or conferences can be designed from and draw their legitimacy, specifically to; Reflect on the contextual social realities and on the ecumenical context in PNG, articulate a renewed ecumenical focus and orientation to guide ecumenical relations and cooperation, and an implementation plan.
Design and agree on strategies that the churches in PNG can meaningfully contribute towards in light of the changing context and a renewed ecumenical relations vision, and to which the PCC and the partners can also contribute.
ELCPNG Head Bishop, Bishop Jack Urame said in his keynote address that the more we become sensitive to the challenges in our societies and the needs of our people we begin to realize the need to work together as a Christian community.
“As we identify ourselves as a community of God’s people connected to each other through the body of Christ, dialogue and cooperation become possible. It is the sense of belonging together to the universal Christian family that encourages us and drives the spirit of ecumenism,” he said.
Bishop Urame said the church leaders could overcome much of the social issues through a collective approach and asked them to be the prophetic voice to speak against the negative forces for the common good of humanity.
PNG Council of Churches General Secretary, Rev. Roger Joseph urged the church leaders to get together and work together as people representing each church and as an ecumenical body.
“Love of neighbour requires no justification. Justification not only prevents us from marginalizing ourselves but stops us from being a good neighbour.
“We must ask ourselves, to whom am I a neighbour? Then and only then will we achieve the common good.” Rev. Roger said.
PCC General Secretary, Rev. Francois Pihaatae said it was the finding of the Pacific Conference of Churches that churches in PNG were not coming together as one voice to address so many issues that were affecting the people of the country.
“It is also our failure to do our work of accompanying our churches but we were confident enough in the leaders to be confident enough to take the initiative to come together.
But I know that they are facing a lot of challenges between themselves as well as the cultural aspect of their society,” said Rev. Pihaatae.
“I am really happy because this (the consultation) happened because there was already a visit in May to all the respective churches.
“We (PCC) organised it but the ownership of the conference is with the churches. So that’s why I came in May and ask for their opinion,” the General Secretary added.
The consultation ended with the signing of The PNG Church Leaders Statement on Rethinking Ecumenical Relations and Cooperation in Papua New Guinea by the heads and representatives of the churches who were present at the conference.