Hundreds of SHP delegates travel to attend gathering

By SCHOLAR KASSAS
AN estimated 800 delegates from Emmanuel in Southern Highlands have travelled to Port Moresby to attend the 33rd Evangelical Lutheran Church-Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG) synod.
District president representing Hela and Southern Highlands, Ps Tande Tumbo, said Christians had made their choice to attend the synod although delegate limits were set at 50 participants from a district.
He said most of this people had paid their own fares to be in Port Moresby to witness the synod and he could not stop them despite the limit on the number of delegates allowed.
Tumbo said Emmanuel delegates were divided into three groups – an official synod delegates, non-delegates and visitors.
The district would host the 34th ELC-PNG synod in 2024 in Ialibu.
“We have chosen Ialibu as the central location because all the circuits in the district will be able to make it to there,” Tumbo said.
He said for the past 33 years, they had male committee leaders that led them to synods, however, the district had chosen a female committee member to lead the team for the next synod in January 2024.
Tumbo said it was a big event but with God’s strength upon them, they were looking forward to running the synod.
He said the district had done some preparation with three portable mills cutting timber to build infrastructures.