United Church holds annual thanksgiving

The National Faith

By Alphonse Porau
United Church congregations in the Moresby South Electoral held their annual thanksgiving for the East Port Moresby Circuit at Koke United Church last weekend.
The East Port Moresby Circuit includes 11 congregations – Koke, Pari, Vakukori, Taurama Bay, Korobosea, Mauru, Kilakila, Kaugere, Kesi, Kiriwina and Evegima.
Churches in the circuit take turns in hosting this annual event and also get to feed of all  congregations that go to give their levies.
“This is an event which we host annually, every year we come together and each congregation gives a levy to our circuit,” superintendent minister of East Port Moresby Circuit Rev Ovia M Toua said.
The theme was “A Circumcised heart radiates the glory of God.”
“As you can see, the people seated around here are the people who have a circumcised heart, the people that felt the need of the church by coming forward and giving what they can give to the church so that our church can be activated and participate meaningfully wherever it may be.”
A total of K280, 000 was raised from that thanksgiving.
He said they did that to pay for all 11 pastors and other staff that are appointed by the circuit council.
“Whatever we get today more than 50 per cent goes to pastors and the youth coordinator, evangelism coordinator and others that basically deal with social issues affecting our circuit as their allowance and the rest of the money is for spiritual activities,” Toua said.
The circuit was levied K85,000 by Port Moresby urban region and that would be taken from the collections last  weekend and the region in turn will pay which will in turn pay a levy to the national assembly of the United Church in PNG.
“So our churches pay the circuit, the circuit pays the region and the region pays the assembly. From there they pay the pastors that are working in the assembly,” Toua said.
“There is no funding from donors; the money comes out from the heart of the people.  Like one of our former bishops used to say, the purse of our church is the heart of the members.
“But we do not deny the fact that in most cases we are supported by our good member Justin Tkatchenko when a need arises.”