Massage from the General Secretary Welcome to All Our Readers with Lenten Blessings
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Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea Newsletter February-March 2021 Massage from the General Secretary Welcome to all our readers with Lenten blessings. In This Issue The newsletter issue covers the months of February and March and I hope you enjoy reading with interest, the Message from General Secre- activities and events happening in ACPNG. tary...1 ACPNG Inauguration...2-5 As we observe the Lenten period we continue to reflect on our penitence and prayer life with God continuing to Newton Theological College strengthen our Faith in the Holy Spirit with his divine power that will rule and direct our Update...6 lives in our Christian journey here on earth. Aipo Rongo Update...7-8 The challenge now is to prepare ourselves for newness in life after Easter and be good Dogura Diocese update...9 stewards in the management and use of the resources of our environment in building His Kingdom through envisioning, good shepherd leadership and good governance. Church Partnership Update...9 We need to listen carefully to what God is saying to us in the midst of all the affliction COVID-19 update in PNG...10 and confusion we are currently facing. The foundation truth is that He is saying restore! Anglican Alliance COVID-19 Isaiah 42:22 and Acts 3:19 -21. resource hub… 11 We continue to pray for each other and facing varying spikes with the COVID-19 virus Condolence Message Grand and lock downs with control measures that continue to affect and restrict our lives at this Chief Michael Thomas present time. Let us put our faith and trust in God because he is the source of life. Somare...12 Condolence Message for For- This newsletter issue is more focused on the Inauguration of the Anglican Church of mer General Secretary, Richard PNG and its history. Rabiafi… 13 Lastly ACPNG pays tribute to two Papua New Guinea great political and states men Prayer and Thanksgiving for the who have passed on, Sir Mekere Morauta and more recently Great Grand Chief Sir Mi- Month of April… 14 chael Thomas Somare the founding father of the Independent Nation of PNG. ACPNG also advises the passing away of former General Secretary Late Richard Rabi- afi. Happy reading. Dennis Kabekabe. 1 ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA INAUGURATION 44 YEARS CELEBRATION Road to Independence The St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Cathedral in Dogura where the Inauguration was held. Formerly a diocese of the Province of Queensland, it be- came a Province in its own right in 1977. The majestic red roofed Anglican Cathedral was built on what used to be an old traditional fighting ground for the people of the area. The Cathedral is 170ft long and 10ft wide which makes it 10ft longer than St. Andrew’s Cathe- dral in Sydney, Australia. Enthronement of Bishop David Hand at the St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Cathedral, Dogura, 1963 On August 10th 1891 (St. Laurence’s Day), two priests – Reverend Al- bert Maclaren from England and Reverend Copland King from Austral- ia landed at Kieta near Wedau, and built a bush material chapel at Dogura (of which its corner post grew and now still stands the famous Modawa Tree, symbolising the growth of the Church in PNG). Archbishop David Hand greeting Archbishop Donald Cog- Starting the Anglican Communion in Papua & New Guinea under the gan outside Dogura Cathedral at the Inauguration of the Anglican Province of Queensland (later renamed the Anglican Province Province in 1977 of Australia) In 1894, The Rt. Rev’d Montague Stone-Wigg became the first Bishop of New Guinea and established mission stations along northern Milne Bay and Oro coast. In 1896, the first 15 baptisms took place and after two decades by 1916 over 1,000 baptisms every year and after a century Anglicans made up 3.2% (166,046,000) of Christian congregation in PNG (2002 National Census) The five pioneer bishops of the Anglican Province of Pa- pua New Guinea during the Inspired by the Martyrs, The Reverend David Hand offered himself to Lambeth conference in Lon- work in PNG and became the Bishop of New Guinea in 1963 – when it don, 1978 was still part of Australia’s Diocese of Queensland. L-R: Bishops Jeremy Ashton Those before him were The Rt. Rev’d Gerald Sharp (succeeded Rt. (Aipo Rongo), Rhynold Rev’d Strong-Wiggs), The Rt. Rev’d Henry Newton (saw the building of Sanana (Dogura), Bevan Mer- now Dogura Cathedral) and The Rt. Rev’d Philip Strong (who dedicated edith (New Guinea Islands), the Cathedral to St. Peter and Paul in 1939). Archbishop David Hand (Port Moresby) and George Ambo In 1977, following the Independence of the state of Papua New Guinea (Popondota) in 1975 – Papua New Guinea’s Anglicans became an autonomous Prov- ince within the Anglican Communion called the ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA (ACPNG). Five new dioceses were created – Aipo Rongo, Dogura, New Guinea Islands, Popondeta and Port Moresby. Bishop Hand was the Bishop of Port Moresby as well as the Archbishop of the Province. The National Office, the Church’s administrative head quarters is in Lae –Morobe Province. There are parishes, as well as a number of mission districts with priests engaged in active ministries mostly in parishes but a few in specialized areas (theological education, army and police chaplaincies, etc.) 2 Its Education Division looks after 3 ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA INAUGURATION 44 YEARS CELEBRATION ARCHBISHOPS OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PNG MOST RT. REV’D JOSEPH KIFAU KOPAPA The first Archbishop and Primate of Papua New Guinea was David 2010 - 2012- 5th Archbishop of the Hand, the last Australia Bishop. Succeeding Primates also retained their Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea diocese until the consecration of Bishop Joseph Kopapa (former Bishop of Popondeta Diocese) who was the Primate from 2010 to 2012. 2006 – 2010 - Bishop of Popondeta Diocese. Prior to the primatial election, it was decided that the Primate would have no diocesan responsibilities and would take on a solely national The first Archbishop who was freed role. from responsibilities of a diocese in order to lead from the ACPNG Nation- The last Archbishop, late Archbishop Allan Migi was acting Diocesan al Office Bishop of the New Guinea Islands during a vacancy. The primacy is currently vacant, Archbishop Migi resigned in May 2020 MOST RT. REV’D MERVIN CLYDE due to health issues and sadly passed on in October 2020. IGARA 2013 - 2017- 6th Archbishop of the Bishop Nathan Ingen of Aipo Rongo Diocese is currently acting on this Anglican Church of Papua New Guin- vacancy ea MOST RT. REV’D GEOFFREY DAVID HAND, 2010- 2012- Bishop of Dogura Dio- KBE, GCL cese succeeding Late Bishop Tevita (1918-2006) Talanoa 1950 – Consecrated Bishop of New Guinea in the Australian Diocese of Queensland, evangelized parts MOST RT. REV’D ALLAN RIRME of the Highlands and New Britain. MIGI (1960 -2020) 1977 – 1983 –Bishop of Port Moresby Diocese and 2017 – 2020 -7th Archbishop of the first Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Papua Anglican Church of Papua New Guin- New Guinea ea MOST RT. REV’D GEORGE AMBO, KBE, Formerly Acting Bishop of New Guin- (1922-2008) ea Islands Diocese 1983-1989 – first native Archbishop of the Angli- can Church of Papua New Guinea succeeding his DUOCESE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PNG mentor and friend Archbishop Hand The Church maintains a system of geographical parishes 1960 -1977 – served alongside Bishop Hand as organized into dioceses. Assistant Bishop of New Guinea. There are five (5) dioceses within the Province of the 1960 – consecrated the first native Bishop of the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea, each headed by Popondota Diocese a Bishop. Port Moresby Diocese: MOST RT. REV’D BEVAN MEREDITH Covers most of what was formerly British Papua – the (1927-2009) Southern half of PNG’s mainland, although there has no 1990-1995 – 3rd Archbishop of the Anglican historical Anglican area, there has been Anglican Church of PNG presences in the city since the 1900s, with the Cathedral (St. John) celebrating its centenary in 2015. 1977 – 1990 – 1st Bishop of the New Guinea Islands diocese 7 urban parishes have evolved in the city, and cares for towns far form the capital including pastoral care in Gulf. 1967 – consecrated as an Assistant Bishop for the Diocese of New Guinea. The diocese began pioneering work in HIV/AIDS aware- ness and treatment with its establishment of Anglican as a 1963 – 1967 – priest in charge of Managlas in service to general community PNG The bishop’s house and the diocesan office are located in MOST RT. REV’D JAMES SIMON AYONG, the northern suburb of Waigani in a large compound KBE where Anglicare’s head- (1944-2018) quarters and some other 1996 – 2009 -Archbishop of the Anglican Church staff housing also surround of Papua New Guinea and Bishop of Aipo-Rongo the central Chapel of The Diocese Good Shepherd. 1995 – consecrated Bishop of Aipo-Rongo Dio- cese Good Shepherd Chapel 3 ANGLICAN CHURCH OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA INAUGURATION 44 YEARS CELEBRATION The diocese currently has no Diocesan Bishop, the last bishop was former Bishop Denny Guka (2015-2019). Diocese of Dogura The Bishops prior were; Peter Ramsden (2007-2014), Peter Fox The diocese where the history of Anglicanism in Papua New Guin- (2002-2006), Michael Hough (1998-2001), Isaac Gadebo (1983- ea began: following an 1890 Agreement between the different 1997) and Archbishop David Hand (1977-1983) Christian denominations to evangelise separate geographical areas of New Guinea, the first Anglican mission was established at Diocese of Popondetta Dogura. This diocese sees itself as part of PNG’s original Anglican heart- land, being the area into which Anglican work spread northwards from Dogura.