Lutheran bishop excommunicated

LONG serving bishop of the Gutnius Lutheran church (GLC) in Enga province David Piso has been removed as head of the church.
During a gathering, about 155 pastors of the GLC voted in agreement to excommunicate Mr Piso as bishop of the GLC.
This move came as over 200 pastors registered themselves to meet for their 2nd National Pastors Conference last March10-12 at the Saint Timothy Lutheran Seminary at Birip, outside Wabag town.
Deputy bishop of GLC and chairman of GLC National Pastors Conference Bishop Nicodemus Aiyene said the decision to excommunicate the bishop was based on more than 100 grounds of alleged misconduct, misappropriation, poor and bad leadership, and serious threats on the church doctrines that had contributed towards the collapse of the church structure and organisational governance.
He said the church’s constitution, especially article 12, empowered the pastors to vote the bishop out.
“The pastors have exercise what is known as the process of the Office of the Keys to excommunicate the bishop.
“This means David Piso is no longer a Christian member of the GLC, and he, therefore, automatically loses the office of bishop that he was elected to hold,” Bishop Aiyene said.
Mr Piso had been serving as head of the church for over 29 years.
The church’s Synod, scheduled for June, would have marked his 30th year at the helm.
Bishop Aiyene said Mr Piso had the opportunity to return to the church and be recalled as a Christian if he repented and said sorry for his wrongs.
He said Mr Piso had not responded to the decision of excommunication served on him by Wabag police last Friday near the Ipatas Centre in Wabag.
He said the church council was expected to meet soon to make an acting appointment of the bishop position.