WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle - Indonesia (15-21 November 2020)

 The WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle focus is on Indonesia (and Timor Leste and the Philippines) from 15-21 November. 

Our member association in Indonesia is Ikatan Diakoni Wanita Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (IKADIWA). A recent post spoke about the contribution of the Principal of the Deaconess School, Deaconess Dr Serepina Sitanggang, who is retiring in 2020. 

The HKBP hospital at Balige is run by the deaconess community IKADIWA. It was from this hospital that three young nurses travelled to Germany 67 years ago, to receive their education as a deaconess. After returning to Indonesia in 1961 those sisters founded the deaconess community and afterwards a deaconess school. Since 1995 they have had their motherhouse at Lumban Pisang-Siborongborong. (the video below is of a HKBP church in Siborongborong). 

Recently, IKADIWA received a DIAKAID special COVID grant for "Food support around Motherhouse in Siborongborong". We look forward to hearing more about the way this grant has enabled compassionate care in the community.

Deaconess students at Deaconess School HKBP

Deaconess students at Deaconess School HKBP

Deaconess Theological College, Balige

Silhouette of church in Balige, North Sumatra

Market day, Balige, North Sumatra

We give thanks for the diversity of ethnicities, cultures and religious beliefs in Indonesia, and especially those who have built bridges between them, and pray for ecumenical and interfaith cooperation to bring justice, peace and sustainability to the country.

Prayers

We begin our worship in the name of God the Father

who has chosen us to be the channels of blessings;

in the name of the Son,

who became one like us;

in the name of the Holy Spirit,

who has given us wisdom and strength.

Creator of the Cosmos, of eternity and time:

Be with us in this time.

Saviour of the world,

healer of the nations:

Be with us in this place.

Breath of all that lives,

of people near and far:

Be with us in our hearts.

Creator-Redeemer-Sustainer,

God of here and now:

Stir within our lives. Amen.

(from WCC AGAPE meeting, closing prayer, 2012, Jakarta/Indonesia)

Some photos taken from blogsite.

Global morning prayers at DIAKONIA World Assembly

A new initiative at the 2017 DIAKONIA World Assembly is 'global morning prayers', led in language by delegates from a different country each morning. The idea is that other languages will be used in prayer, other than the main languages of the Assembly (English and German).

On the first morning (June 29), Oberin Rollaug Waaler (Bergen Diakonissehjem) will lead in Norwegian. On Friday June 30, the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confessions of Brazil will lead in Portugese. On Saturday, July 1st, the Order of Deaconesses of the Methodist Church in Nigeria will lead. On the Monday, July 3rd, Sr Ristua Sirait (IKADIWA, Indonesia) will lead the prayers. On Tuesday July 4th, the Fiji delegates will lead the morning prayer. This will be one (of many) highlights during the World Assembly.

What a marvellous way to catch a vision of the diversity within the DIAKONIA World Federation and the very many languages and cultures represented.

(Thanks to Jan Cherry who has been coordinating this part of the program, and to those who have agreed to give leadership to this new initiative in the program)

Fiji Deaconesses

Moments in time - reflections on ordination and consecration

It has been great to learn about the recent ordinations and consecrations amongst the diaconal community of DIAKONIA (scroll down for some news through LDA, and Indonesian sisters in IKADIWA). A time of joyful celebration in many places, cultures and languages, but all drawn together into the family of God, serving in many different ways but all part of the body of Christ.
I came across this ordination anniversary reflection posted here and it invited me to think about what it might mean for all of us to reflect upon our own ordination/consecration/commissioning on each anniversary. (I'd welcome any written reflections!)

Ordination Anniversary

Called out to serve, not long ago
yet seems it’s been forever.
A calling tailor-made, for me
To use the gifts God gave.
If have one regret it’s this.
Why did I wait so long
to heed the voice that nudged my soul
and asked again, again, “’Who’ll go for me?”
Has life been wasted?
Heedless hours spent for myself,
which could have been
my gift to you.
But no! Those years have made me what I am,
and when the time was right,
you caught me up and carried me
on angel wings, so fast it seemed.
I flew to meet your day, and answered
“Here I am Send me.”
So thank you Lord, for calling me
To share for you the awesome task
Of bringing love alive in dark, forgotten corners,
where hearts ache to feel your Spirit’s flame
and be warmed back to life.
Thank you for the joy that bubbles up
and inspiration out of nowhere, when I least expect.
For walking by my side, and when I fall,
for being there to pick me up with tender arms.
God give me faith to walk with you
into the future you have planned for me.
Increase my trust and use my talents.
Make me brave to meet your Day,
(whenever that may be)
when you will call, and by your grace
I’ll hear an echo of familiar words,
“Well done, my faithful servant.”

Welcome to new Deaconesses in Indonesia

On the weekend, new Deaconesses in IKADIWA HKBP (Indonesian Deaconess Association) were ordained at Gereja HKBP, Rianiate (North Sumatra). Here are some Facebook photos of the event. Congratulations to the new deaconesses.