FAITH

Adelaide Lutherans renew PNG ties

By MALUM NALU
A GROUP from Golden Grove Lutheran Church in Adelaide, South Australia, has made an emotional trip to Asaroka Lutheran Secondary School in Eastern Highlands.
Emotional in the sense that they are congregation members of the late Pastor Len Tscharke, founder of Asaroka as well as the first school at Ialibu in Southern Highlands, who passed away in May this year.
Claire and Len Tscharke were missionaries in PNG from 1954-1972, Len fondly remembered by many as founding principal of the famous Asaroka school.
In the group of three women and four men was Ken Tscharke, son of Ps Len, who later travelled up to Ialibu.
Pr Greg Fowler said Golden Grove congregation had had a partnership with Asaroka for 13 years initiated by its “spiritual father” Pr Len.
“Pr Len, who was very, very dear to us, spoke to us of his love for the ministry and his work at Asaroka,” he told me in Goroka.
“In his discussions, our hearts were moved, and there was an overwhelming sense that we wanted to partner with people of Asaroka Lutheran Secondary School and the communities that support that school.
“So we’ve had a number of visits up here, but each of these visits has been under the oversight of our spiritual father, Pr Len.
“God chose to call Pr Len home in the last few months, and so now, we have to, as a team and congregation, make decisions and grow up in this ministry.
“We have to continue this partnership without the leadership and mentoring of our dear Pr Len.
“That’s what this trip is all about.
“It’s not about reconnecting, but about hearing the heart.”
The group visited the secondary school, primary school and elementary school at Asaroka.
“Our desire is to see how God is going to lead us now in this partnership,” Fowler said.
“It’s something we hold very dear.
“The love, the encouragement, the grace, the strengthening of faith we received in Golden Grove Lutheran Church and school is something that we treasure and we want to hold onto.
“It’s our desire to have this partnership continue, and anything that we can do to support the work and ministry of the secondary school, along with the other schools and their surrounding communities, we are very open to where God is leading us.
“That’s the purpose of our visit.”
Fowler said Ps Grahamme Baital of St John’s Lutheran Church in West Goroka had helped to facilitate some of the events.
Beneficial partnership
He said the partnership had allowed for trainee nurses from Goroka as well as teachers from Asoroka to visit Adelaide.
“This mutual benefit has certainly been beneficial for us,” Fowler said.
“We are looking at ways in which we can continue to be blessed by each other.
“It’s very exciting for us, very exciting indeed.”

Fowler said since the partnership began, Golden Grove had sent up three container loads of goods, and there had been numerous exchanges.
“That may well be how things continue or take a different direction,” he said.
“The seven of us are listening, we’re respecting our brothers and sisters in Papua New Guinea, and we want to hear the heart on how we go forward, and then we’ll develop the relationship or the new terms of the relationship.
“The relationship needs to continue.”
Fowler said the heart of Ps Len and his wife Claire was with the people of PNG – “there’s no question about that”.
The group arrived in Goroka on Aug 17 and spent nine days in the country, mostly in Asaroka.
It also joined in worship with the St John’s congregation in Goroka, which later this month celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Ken Tscharke, who grew up at Asaroka from 1966-1971, said he was very happy to be back.
“I want to help the people of Papua New Guinea…we can learn from you and you can learn from us,” he said.
“We came because of the partnership between Golden Grove Lutheran Church and Golden Grove Primary School with Asaroka High School, primary school, aid post and elementary school.”
Ken said he had two brothers who later travelled with him to Ialibu.
“He (Pr Len) always wanted to come up to Papua New Guinea,” he said of his father.
“He always wanted to spread the Word of God to other countries.
“An opening came in the 50s to come to Papua New Guinea and he came up to help with the mission of the Lutheran Church.
“His heart’s always been for the people of Papua New Guinea because he could see so much potential in the people and their heart for God.
“I have a heart for Papua New Guinea as well.

“He (Pr Len) had been back a few times.
“I would have been back about six times.
“Some other people would have been back quite a few times as well.
“There are some new people who have come along as well.
“Everybody’s interested in being involved with Asaroka, and we can learn so much from them as well.
“Their faith is really, really good.
“The people of Papua New Guinea have such a strong faith.
“We Australians can see that’s a really good thing.”
Team leader Rosalie Hoklas said this was her fourth trip to Asaroka since the partnership began in 2006.
“We love coming up to PNG,” she said.
“The people are so beautiful and we are truly blessed by having got to know the people here, and the school, and the hospital.
“We love the food, the company and just enjoy this beautiful country that’s so gorgeous, mountain scenery and lush vegetation.
“Thank you for your welcome and we will be back again.”

St John’s Church turns 50

By MALUM NALU
ST JOHN’S Lutheran Church in West Goroka, an urban church which has figured in the spiritual lives of many Papua New Guineans, this month celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Last month, while in Goroka, I bumped into resident pastor Grahamme Baital, who invited me to be present for the occasion.
I have a long history with the church, starting from 1975-1977, when I attended Sunday School classes here.
Dad was the senior primary school inspector for Eastern Highlands at that time and a prominent layman leader of the church.
From 1998-2002, when my late wife and I were here, we were also part of the St John’s congregation.
There are many Papua New Guineans just like me who have passed through St John’s over the last 50 years.
“On Sept 29, St John’s is celebrating 50 years of serving as an urban congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea,” Baital said.
“The significance of the celebration is that St John’s was one of the pioneer urban congregations that was established in the days when urban ministry was not fully developed.
“It was established especially for a young, upcoming generation of Papua New Guineans, who were educated at universities, colleges and other institutions around the world.
“That was the purpose of building the congregation at that time.
“This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of this urban ministry serving young, educated, indigenous Christians of this nation.
“Many Papua New Guineans who have come to Goroka would have had the opportunity to come across this congregation, because at that time, there were not many denominations established in Goroka Town.”
Baital said the church had a long history and there was much to celebrate.
“Our celebration has the theme, ‘Appreciating the Past, Celebrating the Present and Envisioning the Future’,” he said.
“The organising committee for the event has organised three separate activities for the event.
“On Sept 27, we have an urban ministry seminar which focuses on developing concepts related to urban ministry in PNG context.
“We have guest speakers from Australia, including pioneer pastor and missionary Reverend Brian Schwartz and his son Nick, who was formerly here serving as a research officer with the Melanesian Institute, and is now serving as Asia-Pacific coordinator of the Australian church.
“We will also have Reverend Murray Thomas, who was one of the pastors here, and one of the vocal people to prioritise urban ministry.
“In today’s context, that would be relevant to the needs and aspirations of our people, especially members of the church.”
Sept 28 will feature a cultural day along with thanksgiving, which is an annual programme of the church.
“We will have Christian brothers and sisters coming all the way from Simbang (Finschhafen), which is the original landing place of the Gospel of the Lutheran Church, as well as those from St Andrew’s Parish (Lae), and another group from Siassi which is my home district, as well as other cultural groups from Eastern Highlands,” Baital said.
“The theme is ‘Celebrating Christ in Culture’.
“On Sunday, we have the 50th anniversary service.”
Baital said many prominent Papua New Guineans would grace the occasion with their presence.
“We thank God for giving us this opportunity to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to appreciate everybody who’s been part of the church.”
Further information can be obtained from Baital on phone 73027023 or email [email protected], or chairman Himony Lapiso 71415527.