District starts preparing for synod

THE Evangelical Lutheran Church Emmanuel district have started preparations for the 34th national synod to be hosted in Ialibu in 2024.
District president Pastor Tende Tumbo said the synod working committees had been set up and were in the initial planning stages led by chairman Monica Puri.
The synod will mark 32 years since the district last hosted it.
It was only through the recognition of Emmanuel by the church in 1984 that Emmanuel became the first district under the territory of Papua and hosted its first synod in 1992.
Consisting of five church circuits within Southern Highlands, rather than looking for financial support, Tumbo said the responsibility had been passed on to congregation members to raise the funds.
“Topics for discussion will cover social issues such as the ongoing law and order problems and ending sorcery accusation-related violence in the region,” he said.
Tumbo said the ongoing law and order issues in Southern Highlands needed to be addressed by the Government, in partnership with the church through training programmes.
“If the Government can partner with the church to change the mind-sets of those who contribute to social issues, I believe it is possible for Papua New Guinea to change,” he said.
Tumbo praised the 33rd synod’s organising committees’ efforts in hosting and preparing such a successful synod in Port Moresby and hoped to do the same in Ialibu.