People In Mimika Grateful For Holy Week Worship At Church

The Chairperson of the Mimika GKI Klasis Reverend Lewi Sawor/Photo: Antara

TIMIKA - The head of the Mimika Evangelical Christian Church (GKI) Pastor Lewi Sawor stated that Christians in the area were grateful to be able to return to worship Easter Week 2022 in their respective churches after similar activities for the past two years had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. years, from 2020 to 2021, we cannot hold services for the celebration of Good Friday and Easter in churches that are attended by congregants. But now with the development of an increasingly better situation where the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to recover, worship activities in the church congregations can attend, without any further restrictions," he said in Timika on Friday, April 15. Although until now there have been no guidelines issued by the local government regarding the rules of worship after the pandemic ramped up, he said, almost all churches have reopened the place. for face-to-face worship activities in the presence of the congregation. Worship in the context of Easter Holy Week includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Night (Saturday), and Easter Day (Sunday). The head of the Indonesian Protestant Church (GPI) Klasis Mimika Pastor Donald Salima expressed his gratitude because the pandemic situation in the local area had been controlled so that the Easter Holy Week worship could be carried out directly in churches. "We are grateful for the current conditions in the church. where the COVID-19 cases in Mimika have been completely controlled so that the activities of the Good Friday and Easter holidays in churches are reopened. This is an event of faith because we can be free from the attachment of the COVID-19 disease which causes many casualties, " he was quoted as saying by Antara. He invited all Christians in Mimika to take an active part in creating a lively atmosphere that g security, peace, and tolerance with people of various other religions.

The Christian religious leaders also appreciated the decision of the Mimika Regency Government to initiate the Ecumenical Easter worship activity which will be attended by people from various church denominations in Mimika on Monday, April 18. With this policy, he said, Christians can express their joy and gratitude in their respective churches to welcome Easter this year. Good Friday celebrations at the churches of the GKI Mimika neighborhood were simultaneously held on Friday, starting at 09.00 WIT, specifically for churches in the Timika City environment. For churches in the industrial environment of PT Freeport Indonesia, both in Tembagapura, Kuala Kencana, Portsite Amamapare Harbor, and churches in the areas of transmigration settlement units, mountainous areas, to the coast, adapting to their respective conditions and environments. On Sunday 17 April morning, Christians in various GKI Mimika churches will hold the torch relay continued with worship in their respective churches, and then Easter celebrations begin at 09.00 WIT. GKI Mimika will take part in the torch relay and will be followed by an ecumenical Easter service in conjunction with various church denominations on Sunday 17 April morning. Torch parade activities will start from Jayanti Sempan Square to the Eme Neme Yauware Building. Timika Indah. "Each congregation will send 20-50 people as representatives to take part in the torch relay and Easter Easter worship service organized by the Mimika Churches Association (PGGM)," said Pastor Lewi Sawor. Kingmi Marthen Luther Mile 32 Church on Monday 17 April, an expression of gratitude to build a spirit of togetherness between Christians in Mimika from various church denomination backgrounds. "This Easter 2022 momentum should be a moment of joy because we are all free from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic , said Reverend Levi Sawor.