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Link to RiedelIndonesiaSisterChurch > CouncilAgenda20230515 > CouncilMinutes20230515

COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH GMIM, RIEDEL:

NOTES FROM TWO MEETINGS BETWEEN GWUC REPRESENTATIVES AND GMIM, RIEDEL LEADERS, MAY 2023

1. Some notes from meeting with GMIM, Riedel leaders at GWUC 7 May 2023

Present: Lucky Kalonta, Geri Kalonta, Rev Dan Sompe (Chair of GMIM Riedel church council and chair of Presbytery) , Rev Laurine Muntu (Riedel) , Donald Wagey (Secretary of Riedel church council), Selvonny Senduk, Rev Steven Rembet (minister of GMIM congregation,Werot), Frits Muntu (Werot), Rev Neil Peters, Rev Hoon You, Vida Foo, Susan Karoly, Glyn Howells (chair and draft notes) 3 - 4pm 7th May 2023

Opening prayer: Neil

1. Worshipping and sharing together

Feedback on today’s combined live-streamed intercultural worship: some Werot members joined the combined service via clear zoom link; some couldn’t open the link.

Awaiting feedback from Riedel congregation who received the live stream at 8am their time.

Agreed: i) send pre-recorded video file of songs or greetings for special occasions (2 – 3 minutes)
ii) exchange lectionaries (we don’t follow the same) 3 months in advance as a preliminary to sharing sermons with translations on a regular (3 monthly was suggested) basis.

Explanation: by following the other congregation’s lectionary the sermon will be integrated into the congregation’s themes

Existing meetings on zoom: Lucky and Andrew Hosking and two retired teachers from Melbourne participate in a weekly English language zoom Bible study led by GMIM ministers

2. Ministry to youth

Can GMIM learn from our experience of declining youth church involvement? This is a concern also in Riedel.

Discussion followed of factors leading to this in Australia.

[What is Riedel/ GMIM’s experience of future of youth in church?]

Two models of working together: Leadership training on zoom and/or via visits
OR
sharing of experience between youth leaders in Melbourne and Tondano because we can learn from and inspire each other.

Agreed: GWUC has heard the request and will try to find a way of connecting.

Two more concerns to discuss tomorrow at 9:30am in the church.

  1. Can we share information and help GMIM youth from Minahasa who are in Australia on the working holiday visa program? Rev Steven Rembert raised this concern at the Friday night forum explaining that some youth had been damaged by their experience living and working in Australia.
  2. Other congregations within GMIM would like to develop sister church relationships with congregations in Victoria.

Meeting ended with prayer by Pdt Dan Sompe

NOTES FROM FOLLOW UP MEETING Monday 8th May 2023 in small chapel, 9:45am

Present: Rev Dan Sompe, Rev Laurine Muntu, Mr. Frits Muntu, Mr. Donald Wagey (Secretary of Riedel church council), Rev Steven Rembet (minister of GMIM congregation, Werot), Rev Neil Peters, Rev Hoon You, Mrs. Vida Foo, Glyn Howells (chair of the meeting). Lucky and Vida translated.

Began with prayer.

These two meetings were our first time to sit together and talk. It is very helpful to listen to each other and gain a clearer picture of where we are and how we can connect based on this new understanding. This will allow us to reword the Cooperation Agreement based on these clearer expectations.

GMIMyouthhereonworkingholidayvisas.

We can provide networking (Lucky has been linking GMIM people who have found their feet here with new arrivals and Glyn, Andrew and Lucky have welcomed young leaders from GMIM who have joined us for worship and fellowship at GWUC, etc. on a number of occasions.)
Recent graduates who venture here need to understand that they need to be strong, to develop independence and to seek to build a support base wherever they are. It is not easy to leave home for the first time while at the same time moving to an English=speaking culture/ country. Not always easy to find a good job.*

We cannot provide help with visa applications or help to find a job or information about applying to study – we are not migration agents.

There are also new government rules about sending money overseas from Australia and complex procedures in Indonesia re money sent from overseas.

Riedel: how can we help Glen Waverley? In 5 -1 0 years you will have lost the current generation who carry out most of your activities. Inspired by how much older people do here; wish to follow this example. By exchanging –building links between -- members of the younger generation can we enrich both our congregations?

May be possible.

[Glyn to follow up: Lucky and Glyn have discussed this with Rev Anneke Oppewal in the past. Suggested we use Newsbeat, etc to see if there is a congregation who would like to connect with Werot.]

Cooperation Agreement is an umbrella: worship, witness, service – on-going discussion on an annual basis to update/ refine as we involve new people and activities.

Agreed: update Cooperation agreement over the coming months based on our new understanding to provide clearer definitions and focus. Not a contract or a legal document.

Meeting ended with prayer.

Conclusion: There remain many ways we can enrich our faith and our faith communities by building our relationship. Clear communication across the cultural boundaries remains the key. The dialogue and sharing with leaders from Tondano, which occurred during their visit, has provided us all with new insights and more realistic expectations.

Glyn Howells 15 May 2023

* Synod have done significant work in this area with Pacific islanders on temporary work visas with Mark Zirnsak, senior social justice advocate and others including Rev. Randall Prior and UCA ministers in key towns in Victoria. (https://victas.uca.org.au/social-justice/).This is funded by the Federal government. There is no parallel church program (Synod) supporting Indonesians here on working holiday visas as this is a newly expanding area with 6,000 working holiday visas allocated to Indonesia.

RiedelVisitMeetings2023 (last edited 2023-05-15 06:51:57 by DavidMorgan)