Fifty years on – the United Church of Papua New Guinea – the Legacy lives on

It all started with the roosting of the “Southseas Islands missionaries” from the Cook Islands, namely, Ruatoka, Anaderea, Rau and Eneri onto the shores of Hanuabada in 1873.  (Earlier on they had tried living in Manumanu but disease and most probably, providence, had waylaid them onwards and forward to Hanuabada).  They would be followed a year later, by the Reverend William Lawes, of the London Missionary Society (LMS), his wife, and infant son.

Deacons of the Poreporena United Church, Hanuabada.  When the LMS landed in Hanuabada, the only village leaders they could turn to, to help them with their work, were clan elders.  The elders of the clan, became their obvious choice to aid them advance their mission.  The deacons today, remain the foundations of the church.

The confirmation of the "Seekers' class 2017".  Boni Ako (seated second from right), and Aaron Sidney LAHUI-AKO (standing, first from right), were part of this class.  Their graduation formally confirms them members (ekalesia), and that they can now partake in the holy communion, etc.

Part of the Ekalesia of the Poreporena Lahara United Church of Hanuabada Village

 

Yours truly, posing for an after-church photo with Mr Ben Rima, Secretary of the Poreporena Lahara United Church, Hanuabada

From 1874 right up to 1962, the foundations of what is now the United Church of Papua New Guinea, was developed by these great men and women of the LMS.  But this is another story.

The historical Hanuabada village, with Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea, in the background

ON 21 November, 1962, a mere ninety years after the “Misi-tauna, Lou”, Tamate, Ruatoka, and his Rarotongan LMS colleagues arrived in Hanuabada, their dreams of a Church were finally realized when the Papua “Ekalesia” came into being.  Because from the very beginning of the New Guinea Mission, the LMS had longed for and dreamt of the day when there would be a truly Papua church in the Territory.  So, during the 1948 Papua District Committee meeting, they began to put together a plan, which would later result in the formation of the Papuan Church Assembly (PCA).

Two years later in 1950, another meeting was held in Delena.  At this meeting, a pastor and a deacon from each of the Papuan districts were invited to talk about the work of the Church.  The delegates then endorsed plans to conduct regular annual meetings.  But most important of all, they started working on a constitution for the PCA.

For the next nine or so years, the PCA gradually but slowly, developed under wise Papuan leadership, as the local church leaders began to take over many of the responsibilities which had been previously held by the missionaries.  In June, 1959, representatives from the PCA, and the LMS Australia and New Zealand Committee (ANZC) met to draft the constitution for the Papua Ekalesia.  After much consultations and discussions in the Papuan districts, the draft was finally adopted by the provisional Assembly of the Church in October, 1961.

So, when the ANZC met again in February of the following year, the directors finally resolved that “God has now brought us to the hour when, in His Worldwide Church, there is now a truly Papuan Church.  We offer our continuing cooperation as the Papua Ekalesia grows in wisdom and grace, and we pray that Christ may be able to present to Himself, a glorious Church, not having a spot or wrinkle, or any other thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”[1]

The following year, a “truly Papuan Church” was finally born.  It was christened, the Papua Ekalesia.

On 19 January, 1968, the LMS (New Guinea Mission as it was known to the outside world then) and the Methodist Mission churches finally joined together, through a handshake, and gifts of shell money, and pig tusks, to form the United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

This historical occasion marking the establishment of the UCPNG and Solomon Islands, took place at the Ela Beach oval (where IEA Ela Beach is now located).  After the formal part of the occasion had been concluded, the highly respected Motuan, Reverend Reatau Mea, representing the Papua Ekalesia, gingerly placed a necklace of pig tusks around the neck of the most revered Reverend Saimon Gaius.  In return, Reverend Gaius, representing the Methodist Church, placed a coil of shell money in the hands of Reverend Mea.  After both gentlemen had completed this ceremonial exchange of gifts, Keith McCollen took their offered hands, and on behalf of the United Church of Port Moresby, shook them to signify their lasting unity.  Then these venerable gentlemen in unison, turned around to face another part of the field, and under the watchful eyes of their equally important peers, signed the “Deed of Union” between the LMS and the Methodist, thereby formally endorsing the United Church in PNG and the Solomon Islands.

Everyone then turned their gazes around to enjoy the harmonious singing prowess of the choirs of the New Guinea islands members of the United Church while their Papuan counterparts readied themselves to sing and dance a number of their famous peroveta songs – both legacies of the Methodist and LMS missionaries - the LMS and Methodist missionaries had not come in vain!

Friday, 19 of January, 2018, marks 50 years of the United Church’s formal existence in PNG.  The formal celebrations to commemorate this historical occasion took place at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby on Sunday, 21 January, 2018.

Today, I, together with my other peers, some, whose parents have passed on, others, still alive, pay tribute to the hard work, devotion, and commitment of our parents, who, through their calling by the Most High God, had gone forth into the wilds of this country to do His bidding.  Together, we experienced the wonders of such a life - constant hunger pangs, sometimes lack of proper shelter and warmth, proper clothing, sometimes hostile locals in the areas they were posted to, and most times, the lack of general basic necessities of life which we, the children, and our children take for grant today.

With mum and dad at the Rarongo Theological College, East New Britain Province; circa 1973.

With mum and dad at Rarongo Theological College in 1972.  Holding me is late Bishop (retired) Nou Oru.  It was also during this time that the foundations of our strong family ties with the Orus' of Pari village, NCD were laid. Dad and Uncle Nou became true mates, right up to the passing of uncle Nou a couple of years ago.  There and then, they promised to cement this with the naming of their sons after themselves.  Nou Ako and Ray "Raju" Nou, both married with children of their own, are the living embodiments of this relationship.

Planting the foundations of what I am today. Mixing it up with people, albeit, children, of different colours, backgrounds, nationalities, and creed.  This is an early Saturday morning 1974 photo of Rarongo beach, where all the kids, including those of the lecturers, streamed to see this great killer fish the fishermen had caught!  yours truly has made sure that he stands faraway from the jaws of this fish...

The United Church General Assembly meeting held at Gaulim Teachers' College, East New Britain Province. Photo circa 1973?  This is a very significant meeting for United Church Women in particular. During the Women's Inter-Regional Conference held earlier in Kabakada, East New Britain province, mum due to her role as a women leader at the Rarongo Theological college attended this meeting.  During that meeting she was nominated to represent United Church women, for the very first time, at this General Assembly meeting.  Of course, she had to bring me with her too, to avoid me missing school and running around the college while dad was away in classes.  To this day, I truly don't know why I was allowed into this official United Church General Assembly photo.  But it remains, I was a participant! (hehe)

I am a very thankful beneficiary of this legacy, a legacy which to this very day has complemented, supported, encouraged, guided, and most of all, inspired me through life’s turbulent roll.  I praise God almighty for making it so.  Therefore, I stand today, in awe, of my parent’s humble achievements for the Church. 

I left Hanuabada and Port Moresby, for that matter, when I was four years old in 1972, to follow my father’s dream of becoming a religious minister of the United Church.  From the picturesque beaches of the Rarongo Theological college to the beautiful jungles of Siwai, with a brief year’s stint in between, in Adelaide, South Australia, then on to the PNGDF establishments of Lombrum, Moem, Igam and Taurama barracks to take over from the departing Australian Army Chaplains, me and my siblings became part and parcel of the LMS legacy that goes back to 1873. 

At Dad's ordination service where Bishop Beaso officially ordained him as a United Church Minister and conferred on him, the title of Reverend Ray Ako.  This occured on Sunday, 5 December, 1976 at the Tonu United Church, Siwai, in what is now the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Mum, with well wishers after Dad's ordination service at Tonu United Station, Tonu station, Siwai, AROB.

Nou Ako having a bath at our backyard at Hurai, Siwai. We lived in one of the dilapidated teacher's houses at Hurai community school, Siwai in 1976. 

Dad, with his Catholic counterpart, Chaplain His, in Vanuatu during the Jimmy Stevens uprising.

An after service picture at the Small Northfield Church, Adelaide. Mum is standing in the foreground, circa 1975?

At this morning’s family devotion, Dad, who is now 75 and retired, led the devotion (as we were not able to attend the 50^th anniversary church Service being held at the SJG stadium).  He spoke about Micah and Micah’s advice to his people to be just, kind, and most importantly, walk humbly with God.  

Despite our many shortcomings as humans, this has always been our family motto, and will remain so for generations to come. 

The actual reading from the Book of Micah (Chapter 6: 8) says:

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Mic 6:8)

May God continue to bless and guide the United Church of Papua New Guinea, and its faithful members, to complement, promote, support and advance the spiritual, social, economic, and political development of this beautiful land of ours, Papua New Guinea.

 

Mum and dad, me and my little champ, Nou Ako Jnr, after church service on a Sunday in 2017.  We remain, devoted followers of the Most High God, in Whom, I place all my trust and belief, that He will continue to richly bless me and my family,  and guide us through life's wilderness, and that may He continue to confuse the thoughts and minds of all those who think evil of me and may want to hurt or kill me or my family, but that He also blesses them richly and show them the true art of friendship, kindness, and humbleness among mankind, AMEN.
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Note to the readers: The above is but a very very short summary of what I wrote in my first book.  For sales enquiries, please email me on lahui.ako@gmail.com.  Cost of a copy is K100.

 

 

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[1] Lockley, G. Lindsay (1972), p35-36