wfn.org | LWF Delegation Joins 7,000 Worshippers in Celebration of 118

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank_Imhoff@elca.org>]

LWF Delegation Joins 7,000 Worshippers in Celebration of 118 Years of
Lutheran Mission in Papua New Guinea
LWF General Secretary Emphasizes Healing of Church, Country and Family

LAE, Papua New Guinea/GENEVA, 16 July 2004 (LWI) - In joining
celebrations to mark 118 years of Lutheran mission in Papua New Guinea
(PNG), the general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, called the Christian fellowship which has taken
root in Papua New Guinean society and culture a blessing with
significance far beyond the country's borders.

Addressing a congregation of 7,000 church members and ecumenical guests
from throughout Morobe province, which had gathered in Lae on 11 July
for anniversary celebrations, Dr Noko said that the over 62 million
members of LWF member churches worldwide joined in the celebration to
remember the origins of Lutheran mission in PNG and affirm the gospel
proclamation that continues to grow. 

He noted that the first missionaries had not been chased away but had
been welcomed by the local population, an early indication of God's
mission beginning to take root and of an attitude of welcome that would
support the mission during great hardships and difficulties to come. 

Dr Noko praised the open relationship of understanding that has
developed between the churches and government in PNG, noting that the
freedom of Christians to worship and serve is not the case in all
countries.

In this historical context, he emphasized the reality of the world
today as wounded, bleeding, and in need of healing. Linking the
celebrations and God's mission in PNG to the theme of the 2003 LWF Tenth
Assembly, "For the Healing of the World," he challenged the church to
address the need for healing among and within religions, churches and
families, and throughout the world.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, the LWF delegation, including
Dr Noko and LWF Asia secretary Rev. Ginda Harahap, visited the two LWF
member churches and Lutheran historical sites in PNG from 2-12 July. 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG),
originally organized in 1956, became an autonomous church and joined the
LWF in 1976, shortly after PNG independence from Australia. Its bishop
is Rev. Dr Wesley Kigasung and the church headquarters are in Lae,
Morobe province. With a membership of 815,000, it is the largest
Protestant church in PNG. The Gutnius Lutheran Church - Papua New Guinea
(GLC-PNG), with a membership of 138,000, joined the LWF in 1979. Its
bishop is Rev. David P. Piso and the church headquarters are in Wabag,
Enga province.

The first Lutheran missionary, Johannes Flierl, arrived in New Guinea
at Finschhafen on 12 July 1886. Sent by German mission societies, the
first missionaries established a mission nearby where the Simbang
Memorial Church now stands.

To mark the anniversary, the LWF delegation and church leaders,
including ELC-PNG Bishop Kigasung, arrived by boat at Finschhafen, where
they were greeted by traditionally dressed women in canoes, and welcomed
by a traditional "singsing" as they disembarked.

The anniversary celebrations concluded with an ELC-PNG Day celebration
in Port Moresby on 12 July.

(Based on a report by Yakam Kelo, Papua New Guinea.)

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 136 member
churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million of the almost 66
million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith
relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights,
communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work.
Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the
dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be
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