The PGI Team Comes To The HKBP Rengasdengklok Congregation's House Which Was Damaged: When The Mass Came There No Worship Activities

JAKARTA - Earlier this week, a team from PGI made a pastoral visit to the house of the HKBP Rengasdengklok congregation in Amansari Village, Rengasdengklok District, Karawang Regency, West Java.

In this house, on October 29, 2021, the house was visited by a group of people who objected because it had been used as a place of worship. Those who came were PGI's executive secretary for Justice and Peace Rev. Henrek Lokra, together with PGI Legal Team Ivan Rinaldi, Head of Papua Bureau Ronald Tapillatu.

The PGI team discussed with Rev. Bernard Efendi Sitanggang, Pastor of Resort HKPB Karawang, Deaconess Tiojuli Br. Limbong, as well as several church administrators. According to Rev. Bernard Sitanggang, the house occupied by Tiojuli Br. This Limbong, when visited by a mass of about 50 people, there was no worship activity. There are only preparation activities (sermons) for Sunday worship.

“At the time there were two parents, two prospective students, and two Sunday school teachers. After finishing the preparations at around 21.30 western Indonesia time, the crowd came and shouted outside the door, carrying a letter of agreement for 2017, which contained no worship," explained Pastor Bernard.

The crowd even turned off the electricity after the elderly, prospective sintua, and school teachers together with Tiojuli Limbong left the house. It was only the next day that the local police intervened.

Rev. Bernard said, so far the preparations for worship have been carried out by moving around in the houses of the congregation without causing problems with the surrounding community.

"In fact, this house is actually 3,500 meters wide, but we only use 3,200 meters, because we give the rest for road access for residents who live behind," he said.

He ended the conversation, Rev. Henrek Lokra reminded to maintain good communication with residents, including with religious leaders, so that tolerance and harmony are maintained.