In January 2024, Rev Greg Schiller represented the LCANZ as an official visitor at the ELCPNG synod (#34).  Immanuel District hosted the synod, at Ialibu mission station where evangelism began in the 1950s. There were many spectacular aspects to the synod, highlighting the blessings which God continues to bestow on this beautiful part of the […]

In January 2024, Rev Greg Schiller represented the LCANZ as an official visitor at the ELCPNG synod (#34).  Immanuel District hosted the synod, at Ialibu mission station where evangelism began in the 1950s. There were many spectacular aspects to the synod, highlighting the blessings which God continues to bestow on this beautiful part of the world.

At the closing ceremony of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG) number 34 synod, with the handing on of the synod to ELC Siassi District, the hosts, ELC Immanuel District displayed sugar cane, green vegetables, and pigs – a picture of what God has blessed them with. The Ialibu mission station is at an altitude of 2000m and in sight of two distinctive and spectacular mountains – Mt Ialibu and Mt Giluwe.  It is from there that the first missionaries – both overseas and Papua New Guineans – began their evangelism in this area in the mid to late 1950’s, with the first baptism in 1963. Most of the congregation members of this district are rural village subsistence farmers, living at a high altitude. There are very few opportunities for growing cash crops, and little paid employment available. But they have sugar cane, green vegetables and pigs, and that is how it all began.

Respected leadership (among them District President Rev Tande Tumbo, Technical Advisor Dr Yoko, and Coordinator Rev Penga Nimbo) planned and guided the people of ELC- Immanuel District with a vision of what they could do with what God has blessed them. Awareness was made throughout the district emphasising that: we are the church; this is our church, and this is our time to host an event that would be seen throughout Papua New Guinea and around the world. Circuits, congregations, and parishes held thanksgiving services where people freely gave hundreds of thousands PNG Kina. Southern Highlander church members from other provinces also raised funds and gave offerings. The neighbouring Hagen district and other districts showed some support too, together with other interested persons. A WhatsApp group helped with communication.

Another blessing was the young people, educated and working in different fields, who gave of their time, talents, assets, and expertise to plan and implement infrastructure and events for the synod. Notable among them was the Events Committee Chairman Mr Jeremy Dupia, whose LCL company also took charge of the road project. Children, youth, and musicians composed and practised songs, tambourine patterns, and dances. There were many young leaders and many volunteers, young and old. They designed and made bilums and uniforms, planted gardens and raised pigs. They constructed permanent and semi-permanent delegate houses for sleeping, and for preparing and serving meals. They constructed a 2.8 km road, extended power lines to the area and supplied water. They built grandstands, a synod hall and hired a huge tent. They bought audio visual equipment. Some of the projects attracted government funding, as they were recognised as public investment projects which would continue to benefit the people after the synod.

A week before the synod, the host district met together in worship at the synod site to dedicate their preparations to God. Representatives of pioneer evangelists from the Jabem District presented ELC Immanuel district with a garamut (slit drum). I was the preacher for the service, with the text 1 Corinthians 9:12b, and followed the theme of “doing everything for the sake of the good news”, sharing with the congregation the evangelist’s prayer: “Jesus you be the needle, and I be the thread”.  What the hosts did, they did from their hearts, from a heartfelt faith, for the sake of the good news. People from around Papua New Guinea and overseas caught something of that spirit of the people. I know I did! One comment on social media about the synod was that this was “the fruit of well organised leaders, committees, congregations…who tirelessly gave their effort for the love of the church and the work of God in their province and household”.  Amen to that.

The opening ceremony and worship service on Sunday January 21, was a “wow” event. “Wow” is the most common comment I read on social media.

“Wow, it’s so amazing.  To God be the glory.”

“Wow, what a spectacular event. Honour and glory to almighty God.”

“Wow, very creative. All glory to God.”

Delegates and visitors assembled at the old Ialibu airport and then processed to the Ialibu mission station to the sounds of kundu drums and songs. It was estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 gathered to witness the event. The mission station was packed with people from local churches of all denominations and with fellow church members from the neighbouring Hagen and Jiwaka Districts and further afield. Some came for the day; others stayed as visitors to the synod for the whole week.

The welcome ceremony was spectacular, featuring children and young people in their colourful costumes, dancing with tambourines. Women contributed to the spectacle with their kundu drums and dressed in their theme colours of yellow and purple, and men were in their traditional singsing attire. There was so much to like, especially everyone’s spirit. They presented the beautiful mission of God to the world with the wind and the fire of the Holy Spirit and God’s promise to be with his people. Immanuel, after all, means that promise: God is with us! God’s mission to the world reached Papua New Guinea with the good news, making it to the highlands of Papua New Guinea and the five circuits of the ELC Immanuel District.

It was an emotional ceremony that touched the hearts of many, especially the family members of the early missionaries to this part of PNG from the mid-1950s, and the families of the first Christian converts baptised in the early 1960s.

Another feature was the eye-catching ship, a converted Toyota Land Cruiser, meandering along the 20km road from the Highland’s Highway to the synod venue. It was another reminder of the dedication of those who had dared to bring the message of the good news across oceans and mountains to people within view of the mountains Ialibu and Giluwe, high above the ocean waves. The boat, a picture of the church in mission, appeared right until the end of the conference because the church is moving on to continue that task in the power of the Holy Spirit.

With the welcome song came the creativity of the young composers, band and choir – looking back to the origins of Lutherans bringing the good news to this area in the Southern Highlands Province, transforming the lives of early converts. But the welcome song also pointed to the task today and into the future. ‘This good news is for me, today’, they sang. Miti. Nanga miti. ‘The good news for me’.  They sang of being called to be salt and light and to continue God’s mission today.  The song is still on repeat in my head, even now. Another comment from social media summed it up for me, “The welcome is emotionally very touching I’m shedding tears of joy and love”.

ELC-PNG head bishop Rev Dr Jack Urame officially opened the weeklong conference with a Sunday service. His sermon challenged the listeners to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world so that Christians in their lifestyle and actions reflect the Good News to those around them to bring peace and hope to others. Quite a few politicians as well as international guests were present and some of them gave greetings to the synod, among them myself on behalf of Bishop Paul Smith, LCANZ, and Dr Hanns Hoerschelmann, Co-Director Mission EineWelt (Lutheran Church Bavaria), who was accompanied by Rev Arnim Doerfer, Regional Secretary for East Asia, Mission EineWelt, and a number of other German visitors.  The greetings were reported in the Post Courier, a PNG newspaper.

Seventeen districts with 50 delegates (30 voting delegates) from each district together with official visitors filled the newly built synod hall for the synod proceedings from Monday through to Friday.  Reports from the Head Bishop, the Assistant Bishop, and the Church Secretary, and from all 17 district presidents filled up the early meeting days.

Rev Arnim Doerfer launched the book “From mission to church – Evangelists in the ELC-PNG” edited by Bishop Dr Jack Urame, Dr Traugott Farnbacher, and Rev Hans Grauvogel who were all present at synod.  The book emphasises the history, training, and importance of hundreds of indigenous evangelists who had and still have a significant part in the spreading of the gospel in PNG.

We previewed a video series by Rudolf Hertle “The History of the Tiripini Circuit”. This video series, available within the YouTube channel “Mission Histories PNG”, is an account of the first ten years of the Lutheran Church in the Wiru area. The first Lutheran missionaries to the Wiru area in 1960, Mrs Hedwig Hertle kept a diary and Rev Wilhelm Hertle took lots of photos providing invaluable data for the script of the series by their son Rev Rudolf Hertle.

SIL-PNG, PNG Bible Translation Association, Lutheran Bible Translators, and the Seed Company also attended the synod. The synod voted to include Bible translation as a ministry of the church in partnership with Lutheran Bible Translators and other translation organisations.

The Lutheran University PNG reported that it is 100% owned by ELC-PNG, established in 2022 under its own act of parliament (the Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea Act 2022), incorporating Martin Luther Seminary, Balob Teachers College, and Lutheran School of Nursing. The different boards and governing councils of the respective schools were dissolved and merged into one university council.

Elections for the executive positions of the church returned all current officers:
Rev Dr Jack Urame – Head Bishop
Rev Lucas Kedabing – Assistant Bishop
Mr Bernard Kaisom – Church Secretary.

Many visiting observers were on site and were able to watch synod proceedings on a screen set up in a huge tent, while others across PNG and worldwide watched the livestream on their devices.

The audio-visual team were determined to bring this event to interested people in PNG and around the world. Despite power outages, poor internet coverage, and other hurdles, the audio-visual team and a host of young volunteers improvised and adapted to deliver: livestreaming projected to the tent outside of the synod hall for on-site visitors, livestreaming to FB live for viewing around the world, FM broadcasts in Ialibu and Lae, reports and photos to national newspapers and the synod FB page with drone footage providing some breathtaking scenes.

On Saturday morning January 27^th there was a final Holy Communion service to close the synod in the synod hall, followed by the colourful giving of the synod to ELC Siassi district. The boat was there again leading the procession, and the current and future host districts performed with kundu drums and singing. ELC Immanuel District made a symbolic presentation to the Siassi district of the sugar cane, green vegetables, and pigs, together with the synod shield. We remembered again the dedication of all who spread the good news across mountains and oceans and the encouragement given to the church in PNG today, that God’s people, blessed by God, continue this task. After almost everyone had left to return to their respective districts, the host district gathered one more time in the synod hall on Sunday January 28 for a Holy Communion service. I had a sense that the momentum generated by this synod would carry on far beyond this time and this place.  Miti. Nanga miti. The good news for me. Yes – the good news that came to the first ELC Immanuel District converts, is the good news for me – the good news to share with others.

Many of our partner churches are working in new territory for the kingdom of God; therefore, spiritual attack is their everyday reality. As a member of a congregation, school, or family, or a couple or individual, you are invited to commit to praying for our partners in mission. For regular prayer point updates, go to www.lca.org.au/international-mission/act-now/pray

Read more stories about our partner church in Papua New Guinea at https://www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/international-partners/papua-new-guinea/