GMIM: CELEBRATING 77 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE
Steadfast and ever faithful to her calling, the Gereja Masehi Injili di Minahasa (GMIM or the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa), one of the 31 members of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in Indonesia celebrated its 77th year of service to God and the people of Minahasa in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
GMIM was born in 1934, a hundred years after the German missionaries were sent by the Dutch Board of Missions to evangelize the people of the northern part of Sulawesi, one of the four biggest islands of predominantly Islam Indonesia.
A worship service on September 30, 2011, was attended by around 300 faithful at Tondano Centrum Church, just a 15-minute drive from Tomohon, the seat of GMIM national headquarters. It was also an ocassion that marked GMIM’s 25 years of partnership with the Evangelische Kirche in Hesse und Nassau in Germany (EKHN).
The Rev. Piet Marthen Tampi, GMIM General Chairperson said that GMIM is currently challenged by urgent pastoral concerns. GMIM is the second biggest Protestant church in Indonesia with a membership of 756,000, but not all members are active. Thus pastoral visits to around 800 congregations in the seven regions of North Sulawesi is a big challenge for its leadership.
Another concern these days is responding to the increasing number of People Living with HIV (PLWH+), where government data says there are now 50 of them in Tomohon. This figure could be increasing and awareness raising is thus urgent as stigmatization and silence about HIV and AIDS are a reality here in Sulawesi. GMIM is working hand in hand with the Indonesian government, the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), and with some dedicated volunteers in tackling HIV and AIDS.
Rev. Tampi said that people from North Sulawesi go to Papua to find work in ports and economic zones there. This movement of people to find better prospects in life is one main reason that gives rise to HIV cases.
As partners ’living together in common witness to God’s love and transforming mission’, CCA is bound to accompany and equip GMIM in responding to social challenges confronting the churches and society. Thus CCA is working closely with its members in Indonesia under its three-year program on HIV and AIDS, Building HIV Competent Churches and Communities.
GMIM warmly welcomed and hosted the 11th CCA General Assembly in Tomohon in 2000. It is worthy to note that CCA was born in Parapat, North Sumatra, Indonesia, in 1959, then called the East Asia Christian Conference.
CCA puts a high priority in visiting its member churches to build a stronger sense of ownership towards strengthening further the ecumenical movement in Asia. Being ’called to prophesy, reconcile and heal’, working together is crucial, and staff visits to CCA members is thus important.
On a personal note, my visit to GMIM was an exhilarating experience.
At the worship celebration in Tondano, I met a lot of women Pendeta (or Pdt. for short, Minahasa for Reverend) of different ages. GMIM boasts of 60 to 70 percent women among its around 1,500 ordained ministers. Since its inception, the ordination of women is an accepted tradition of GMIM. However, of the 14 who sits at the GMIM leadership board, only four are women, I was told. (I am still trying to find out an explanation for this disconnect.)
I was graciously hosted by Immanuel Church, a local congregation of around 1000 members in Tomohon city proper which is shepherded by four women Pendetas. I should name them here, as I am truly fascinated by these amazing women. They are: Pdt. Rutheni Wuwung-Darosa, Pdt. Gabby Aruperes-Walangitan, Pdt. Yustin Mangundap-Tumengkol, and Pdt. Dina Ruru-Surentu. Two wonderful women personally took care of me as their church’s guest. They are Ibu (Bahasa for Madame or mother) Mieke Wilhelmina Kuhon-Lantang and Ibu Jane Scipio, both leaders at Immanuel. God’s hospitality in this part of Asia is very womanly. I am happy to call God not just ’Father’ but ’Mother’ as well.
