United Church In New Guinea May Expand

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32117, 13 October 1969, Page 8

United Church In New Guinea May Expand

After a union of less than two years, members of the United Church of Papua and New Guinea were so enthusiastic that they were already looking to other denominations to join, the Rev. A. Qalo, a Fijian minister who has been working in New Guinea for four years, said in Christchurch on Friday. “In a country where about 700 languages are spoken, where there are many tribes and different ideas and where people themselves are separate from one another, unity is the answer,” he said. “It Is an Indication to these people that they are one people in one nation.” Mr Qalo, who is visiting New Zealand on furlough on his way back to New Guinea from Fiji, said that the United Church, which includes the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches and the Congregational Union, had been formed in January, 1968. Although union was generally accepted at first many older members of the churches were firm In their own beliefs and traditions, he said.

Now, however, they welcomed the union wholeheartedly, and in spite of the theological difficulties involved, they hoped for further union with more churches.

It seemed likely that the next churches to join the United Church would be the Anglican and Lutheran Churches, he said. While in New Zealand Mr Qalo is speaking to clergy and laymen from New Zealand churches which support the work in New Guinea and

Papua, outlining the problems the country is facing and the best way in which people here can help. The major problems were the lack of staff—clergy, teachers and medical workers—and a lack of finance to support the work, he said. In the New Guinea highlands, where much of his work is centred, most of the people were primitive and until recently they had received no education and no medical help, Mr Qalo said. In several areas literature classes had been established for young men and women, and there were clinics and hospitals for medical work. Many women, however, particularly the older ones, were still afraid to go to the hospitals.

As education progressed the native people were gradually being given positions of responsibility. Today Mr Qalo will speak at a Sunday School union rally at the Papanui Methodist Church and-tomorrow he will preach at three services to be held at the Richmond Methodist Church at 9.30 a.m., St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Cashel Street at 11 a.m. and the Papanui Methodist Church at 7 p.m. After leaving New Zealand he will spend a month doing deputation work In New South Wales, Australia, before returning to New Guinea.

Conference Venue.—An in- ' vitation to hold next year’s conference in Greymouth was accepted by the South Island : Local Bodies* Association i yesterday.—(F.O.OJL)