The Islands District Kimbe Circuit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea held its 38th Annual Conference on August 3-6, 2023. The Islands District is the global companion synod of the Virginia Synod. The Annual Conference was held a ELC-Bethel Lutheran Church, Kimbe Town Parish, West New-Britain. 

The Virginia Synod Office of the Bishop received this information about the Conference from the Parish Vice Chairman Roland Hati.  

Message from the Parish Chairman – Mr. Teris Hemo

Mr. Teris Hemo describes this N0: 38TH Kimbe Circuit Conference as a way of “Journey Together” – of living our faith – that calls for speaking and listening to one another and the Holy Spirit in order to find a path forward in addressing the issues facing congregations, parishes, circuit and district in our day as we work to carry out our mission of making known the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.

What is the aim of the 38the Kimbe Circuit Conference 2023?

Conference is a fundamental part of the Church’s very nature. There are already many ways by which we experience conference in the Church: ecumenical councils, Conference of pastors, district conference, and circuit and parish councils. Yet, these institutions are not the only means of
speaking and listening to one another and the Holy Spirit. The objective of the current process is not to produce more documents, policies or procedures. Rather, it is to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long-term, to foster a lived experience of participation, discernment and shared responsibility in furthering the Church’s mission in the circuit and parish.

 What is the theme of the 2023 Conference?
“Communion, Participation, and Mission”
Communion: God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith. Christ reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit.

Participation: All the faithful are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.

Mission: Our mission is to witness to the Gospel. Conference is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the circuit and parish.

In creating the opportunity for listening and dialogue on the local level through this conference, the Church is calling the Members all around 5-parishes to rediscover it’s deeply nature. This rediscovery of the Church will involve a process of humbly learning together how God is calling
us to be as the Church in the coming millennium. In the midst of this context, conference represents the path by which the Church can be
renewed by the action of the Holy Spirit, listening together to what God has to say to his people. However, this journey together not only unites us more deeply with one another as the People of God, it also sends us out to pursue our mission as a prophetic witness that embraces
the entire family of humanity, together with our fellow Christian denominations and other faith traditions.

The purpose of the conference journey is to foster a broad consultation process in order to gather the wealth of the experiences of lived conference, in its different articulations and facets, involving the Pastors and the Faithful of the [local] Churches at all the different levels, through the most appropriate means according to the specific local realities: the consultation, coordinated by the President, is address “to the Pastors, Elders, Deacons and lay Faithful of their [local] Churches, both individually and in associations, without overlooking the valuable contribution that consecrated men and women can offer. The contribution of the participatory bodies of the [local] Churches is specifically requested, especially that of the Pastoral Council, from which Church [can truly] begin to take shape. Equally valuable will be the contribution of other ecclesial entities to which the Preparatory Document will be sent, as well as that of those who wish to send their own contribution directly. Finally, it will be of fundamental importance that, the voice of the poor and excluded also finds a place, not only that of those who have some role or responsibility within the [local] Churches.”

Religious communities, lay movements, associations of the faithful, and other ecclesial groups are encouraged to participate in the Conference Process in the context of the local Churches. However, it is also possible for them, and for any group or individual that does not have an opportunity to do so at the local level, to contribute directly.

Kimbe Circuit is comprised of 5-parishes:
1. ELC-BETHEL
2. ELC-MT. ZION
3. ELC- NAHAVIO
4. ELC-BUVUSSI
5. ELC- TRINITY

The Bethel Parish is the host of the 38th Conference 2023, and all 5-parishes attended this 38th Circuit Conference – 20 delegates per parish.

Thank you to Mr. Hati for this update. You’re invited to continue to keep the Islands District ELC-PNG in your prayers.