NACI sends every year its finance manager to review the Administration of NACSEAsia. This year Deacon Kurt Brenner, CFO, joined us in Jakarta for the annual meeting on matters of finance and administration. The pastoral and missionary responsibility of our churches in the various countries of South East Asia does not become easier and modern day challenges must be faced also by the Church. Yet we are very thankful that we have a healthy financial background, a very dedicated team to manage the temporalities of GKBI and NAC as a whole. Strategic discussions and elaborations were this time in the center of focus. The District Apostle reminded all to work together in a progressive evolution. That is the only way we can journey together into the future. God’s work is about life and life does not function like a machine operated by pushing a button. The church needs sound goal oriented strategies and not business plans.
This year’s meeting coincided with the celebration of the 90th anniversary of Nusantara congregation. This is probably the oldest congregation in whole Asia. Saturday night the Youth put a very demanding, yet enjoyable program together.
The work was started by Dutch Brethren, and some 140 souls gathered already in the early 1920 cared for by Priest Brouwer. 1926 Sh. Wiedemann from the Netherlands bought the lot on which our church still stands today. In the fifties all Dutch left the country for political reasons and rectorship was turned over to Indonesian Ministers who labored in great blessing until today.
The divine service was based on 1. Corinthians 10:12 “let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” Our forefathers struggled to take heed on the advice of Jesus to seek first the kingdom of God. Today we still face the same challenges, to put the Lord first. God exposed the Israelites constantly to the test of faith. When they accomplished the exodus and journey through the desert they had to prove themselves in living with and getting along with their neighbours without being influenced and separated from the Lord. Likewise we have to prove ourselves today.
Priest Leo Portvliet, a dutch Priest serving today in Makati the Philippines served along. He still knows and is in contact with the families of these early pioneers.