Teaching history vital

Faith

THE history of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) must be made known to today’s generation to give them a sense of direction, a pastor says.
Abong congregation pastor Fuatone Mesere told The National on Monday that members of the Lutheran faith must be able to understand their history so that they can continue the churche’s mission work.
The congregation at Backroad, Lae, celebrated 133 years of Lutheranism with dramas and plays purposely to help children and young people understand the hardships in spreading the Gospel in a time when there was no form of technology or transportation.
“The celebrations for ELCPNG Day should show us that a lot of people, especially Papua New Guineans, faced a lot of hardships during their time,” Mesere said.
“Our generations today should understand this so that they know how far we (the church) have come.”
He said Bible studies, Holy Communion and Thanksgiving activities were also done to commemorate the day.
Mesere said the church’s mission work now is to focus more on the household or family unit.
“Lutheran church started in Finschhafen and spread to other districts and provinces,” he said.
“It is time we look back to ourselves as individual members and continue this mission work into our own homes.”
“Mission work must now be brought back into each and every home, where the family, community and individual will change, and from there, so will our province and country.”
ELCPNG head bishop Dr Jack Urame said the church contributed in many ways to the country in the last 133 years and is still doing so. “The xchurch grew and expanded into many areas and contributed a lot in the development of this country in terms of social service development such as schools and hospitals,” he said.
“Besides, preaching and spreading the Gospel, we contributed in capacity building.
“The journey and story of the mission and life of the church and faith of the people must be celebrated.”
Urame said the dynamics of transformation still continues as the Gospel has still not reached some people.