On August 11-25, four pastors from the Virginia Synod will join others from the ELCA on a trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG), as we enrich and deepen our relationships with our global companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea. PNG is a stunningly beautiful place in Oceania, just north of Australia. The Virginia Synod’s companion district (like an ELCA synod) is the New Guinea Islands District (NGI).
Traveling from the Virginia Synod are: Pastor Kelly Bayer Derrick (Assistant to the Bishop), Pastor Derek Boggs (Salem, Mt Sidney), Pastor Wanda Childs (Floyd-Willis Parish), and Pastor Michael Church (Our Saviour, Warrenton).
We will spend the bulk of our time together with our NGI District partners – building and strengthening our relationships together. We will also spend time together in Lae, PNG, with the other three ELCA synods with global companion partners in the ELCPNG (North Carolina, Central States, and North/West Lower Michigan synods) and ELCPNG partners from all four companion districts. Companion church relationships enrich and deepen our ministries by exposing us to global challenges and perspectives as we seek to work with one another to build up the body of Christ and the world.
It has been 5 years since the last Virginia Synod trip to PNG in 2019. Pastor Kelly is very excited to renew our relationships with our NGI partners, to see old friends, and to make new friends. “I give great thanks for our partnership in the gospel with our companions in PNG! I am always amazed by the Spirit’s work in and through us as we follow Jesus together – each in our own contexts and communities. I learn so much from our partners and can’t wait to see them again!” Pastor Kelly shared.
We invite your prayers for all of us from Virginia and the ELCA as we travel. We invite your prayers for our companions in the New Guinea Islands. We invite your prayers as we strengthen our relationship as siblings in Christ!
Mi amamas bilong God long God mekim yumi kam bum wantaim na kamap famili bilong God. (I give thanks to God because God brings us together as one family of God!)