LATE SIR ELLISON POGO A DECORATED AND DEDICATED SPIRITUAL LEADER

Dean of Cathedral, the Very Rev'd Davidson Nwaeramo and Archbishop Vunagi followed by the casket of Late Archbishop Sir Ellison Pogo processing into the Cathedral for the funeral service 

 

THE Anglican Church of Melanesia is mourning the death of former Archbishop of the church, Archbishop Emeritus Sir Ellison Pogo.

Archbishop Emeritus Sir Ellison Pogo was called to rest peacefully at his residence at Ngossi, West Honiara at 4:20pm on Monday 13^th May 2013. 
Born in 1947 and comes from a family of 15 children, Sir Pogo was educated at St. Johns College in Auckland and was ordained into the Priest hood ministry of the Church in 1979.
In 1981 he was elected and consecrated the diocesan bishop of Isabel where he served for 13 years. In 1994 he was consecrated Archbishop of the Anglican church of Melanesia, a post he faithfully served for another  13 years until he retired in 2008 when he was succeeded by the current Archbishop, the Most Reverend David Vunagi .

His award.
Late Archbishop Emeritus Sir Ellison Pogo was one of the most decorated and long-serving spiritual leaders of the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the World wide Anglican Communion.
In 2000 Archbishop Pogo was awarded the Knight of the British Empire (KBE), an honor that was bestowed upon him by Head of the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham Palace in October the same year. He was the first Archbishop to receive such an award in the church of the Province of Melanesia and the whole pacific basin including Australia and New Zealand.
On October 17^th 2008, Sir Ellison was awarded one of the Anglican Churches highest and distinguished awards – the Cross of Saint Augustine. The award is a gift from the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams marking the conspicuous service to the church and the wider community.
Later on the 30^th October 2008, late Archbishop Pogo was awarded Badge of Honor by the former President of the Republic of Vanuatu, His Excellency Sir Kalkot Matas Kelekele. This award was for the recognition for highest degree in service to the Christian church and to the people of Melanesia in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
His final award according to the church archives was an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) of Theology bestowed upon him by the Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji. The award was for his long and faithful service and excellent ecumenical leadership of the College as Chairman of PTC Board of Governors for 15 years.
“While the church mourns his passing, it is time for all members of the church to give thanks to God for his dedicated service to the church and to the nation at large” Archbishop, the Most Rev. David Vunagi said.
“Late Sir Ellison set a good example of a church leader and the Anglican Community adored him” Archbishop Vunagi concluded.
“Late Ellison was always an instrument of peace in the family” his brother Rev. Fr Atkin Zaku said at the funeral service at St. Barnabas Cathedral on Thursday.
Late Sir Ellison Pogo was laid to rest at his home village in Isabel.

Archbishop David Vunagi and wife paying tribute to Late Sir Ellison Pogo during the lying of wreath at St. Barnabas Provincal Cathedral on Thursday 16th May 2013



Family of Late Archbishop Pogo paying tribute at St. Barnabas Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

Religious communities on mission to UK

FOLLOWING on from the mission in year 2000, 2005 and 2008, a ten member team from the four religious orders of the church of Melanesia is currently on a two months mission to the UK.

The team led by Brother Clark Berge who is from USA left the country on Thursday the 20^th March.

The purpose of the tour is for them to showcase the Melanesian way of approaching people and sharing of Gods words through the theme: “Simply living”.

Melanesian Mission UK website stated, during this mission we aim to establish communities for a week at a time in various areas of the UK where people can join these small communities of Sisters and Brothers to live alongside them, praying, explore spirituality, Workout in the local community and spend time together discussing issues such as environment, advocacy, peace and reconciliation”.

Head Brother of the Melanesian Brother hoods, Brother Mathias Tovotasi said they will share God’s word through religious dramas, action choruses and staging talks.

“These are the main channels of sharing God’s words in our Melanesian way of living” he said.

In this mission, they will also have time to visit around ten Parishes including institutions.

This is the fourth of its kind in which religious communities of the church carry out gospels to other parts of the world.

Team to UK before departure at Henderson International Airport Honiara

The ten member team comprises of five Melanesian Brotherhoods including Head Brother, Br. Mathias Tovotasi, two sisters from the Community of the Sisters of the Church, one from the Community of the Sisters of Melanesia and two brothers from the society of St. Francis.

The tour was made possible through assistance from Melanesian Mission UK (MMUK) and the Society of Saint Franciscan.

Final Resolutions of PCC 10^th General Assembly, Honiara, March 2013

Climate change and resettlement

RESEARCH into climate-induced resettlement will be a key area of work for the Pacific Conference of Churches over the next five years.

Leaders at the 10^th general Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands supported the continuation of climate-induced resettlement research focussing on human rights.

As part of this programme of action there will be an advocacy plan as outlined in the Moana Declaration of 2009.

This plan will look at options for displaced people, explore methods of relocation and ensure the protection of the rights of the displaced people.

Tahiti self-determination

THE Pacific Conference of Churches General Assembly has called on France, the United Nations, Pacific island countries and the international community to support self-determination in Maohi Nui (Tahiti).

At its 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, delegates said decolonization was one of the PCC’s long-standing themes.

A request from the Etaretia Porotetani Maohi (Maohi Protestant Church) to the assembly called for support for the re-inscription of Tahiti onto the UN’s decolonization list.

The church said the Maohi people must be allowed to decide for themselves on the sovereignty of their nation.

Delegates recognized God’s gift of freedom to be self-determining.

They also recognized the human rights of all people, in particular the right to self-determination of all people and in particular the right to self-determination of all oppressed colonized indigenous people in the world in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

They called on member churches and the World Council of Churches to support, through advocacy, efforts for the re-inscription of Maohi Nui on the list of countries to be decolonized.

West Papua independence

A PROGRAMME implemented by Pacific churches will address human rights abuse and independence in West Papua.

The Pacific Conference of Churches 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands resolved to document effective advocacy on justice and respect for human rights in collaboration with ecumenical partners, civil society and governments.

It will incorporate the human rights situation in West Papua as a strong focal point of PCC’s programmatic work on self-determination for non-self-governing territories and communities and peoples who yearn to be free.

 Freedom Sunday

 

PACIFIC churches will designate an annual Freedom Sunday to pray for island countries and people who are not free.

At its 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, delegates agreed to encourage the French authorities to fulfil their obligations and provide all necessary means for the economic, social and cultural, environmental development of the Maohi people.

The PCC delegates agreed to facilitate awareness building in churches, with their partners and networks about the injustices suffered by the victims of nuclear testing in the region.

They agreed to design and implement advocacy activities at multiple levels targeting such injustices and using the thematic areas of praying, speaking out and acting together.

And they agreed the PCC Secretariat would facilitate regional dialogue among its members to raise awareness on nuclear testing.

Nuclear testing

PACIFIC churches will fight for the compensation of people affected by nuclear testing.

At its 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, delegates agreed to advocate with the Maohi people a zero-tolerance stance on nuclear weapons and testing.

The assembly resolved to build awareness beginning in churches, with partners and networks about the injustices suffered by victims of nuclear testing in the region.

Members will design and implement advocacy at multiple levels targeting such injustices and using the thematic areas of praying, speaking out and acting together.

And a regional dialogue tour among PCC members to raise awareness on the issues of nuclear testing,

Seabed mining

THE Pacific Conference of Churches has called for an immediate stop to experimental seabed mining.

At its 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, delegates said seabed mining was a matter of growing concern in the region.

Over the next five years the PCC will conduct regional advocacy work to create a greater understanding of the long and short term effects of seabed mining.

It will also act on behalf of member countries to advocate at the relevant global levels including the International Seabed authority.

The general assembly resolution came after concerns were raised by several island churches.

Solidarity on mining

CHURCHES throughout the region will develop specific positions on mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry in a resolution passed in Honiara.

Member churches agreed to call on their governments to stand in solidarity with the people of the region who were struggling with the challenges and negative impacts of mining in their communities.

At its 10^th Pacific Conference of Churches General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, delegates agreed there was a need to facilitate the concerns of members by engaging on the issue with agencies such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Melanesian spearhead Group.

End HIV-AIDS stigmatisation

PACIFIC churches have called for an end to the stigmatization of people suffering from HIV and AIDS.

   

Delegates at the Pacific Conference of Churches 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, called for the inclusion of people with HIV and AIDS.

They also called for the voices and concerns of those with HIV and AIDS to be heard.

To this end the PCC will develop and facilitate a programme on compassion and reconciliation and to include people living with HIV and AIDS in the design and implementation of the programme.

It will work alongside member churches to help dispel stigmas and negative attitudes associated with HIV and AIDS.

Arms trade and nuclear weapons

PACIFIC churches will keep track of arms trading and nuclear proliferation in the region after a resolution passed in Honiara yesterday.

Church leaders agreed to monitor the arms trade and initiate awareness raising campaigns on the issue where necessary.

The PCC Secretariat will also increase networking and consultation initiatives with human rights groups in an effort to address the unresolved nuclear legacy in the Pacific.

The resolution came after concerns that gun ownership in the Pacific was 50 per cent higher than the global average and that firearms laws were inconsistent.

Stories by: Netani Rika, Pacific Conference of Churches, Honiara.



10th PCC General Assembly

Churches must take active roles in the fight against gender-based violence, a regional workshop was told.

Women delegates at the Pacific Conference of Churches 10th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, resolved that all theological colleges in the region must teach students about violence against women and children.

Deaconess Sala Naucabalavu of the Methodist Church in Fiji said training in the ills of gender-based violence must be made compulsory.

“We should also have training in gender equality,” Deaconess Sala said.
“I think men fear the strength of women and they are not opening doors to allow discussions which involve or include women.”

Her comments were part of discussions at a women’s pre-assembly symposium and will form part of submissions to the main meeting at St Barnabas Cathedral beginning today.
PCC Secretariat member Peter Emberson said it was important that children were taught to respect women and children.

“Justice is taught in the home and it is imperative that respect for women is taught in this setting. That is where it all starts,” Emberson said.

“If we can change the dynamics of how men treat women and children we will have taken a huge step towards the elimination of gender-based violence."

More than 30 women from the Pacific region attended the pre-assembly event.
Asena Naisara of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva warned women to learn from the past.
“Some of us have grown up with violence against women in the home and it’s time to break that cycle,” Naisara said.

“If we don’t stop the violence our grandchildren will sit here 30 years from now addressing the same issue.”

source: PCC

THE church has a duty to defend the dignity of women and children to ensure they have justice and a better way of life, says activist Father Kevin Barr.

But he warned that religious leaders must never lose compassion.

He said the Pacific church must read the signs of our times and speak out together on issues of importance facing the people of the island societies.

“The churches worldwide and in the Pacific should be known not only for their attitudes towards sexual issues such as homosexuality, gay marriage and prostitution but for their compassion towards the victims of HIV Aids, their defence of the dignity of women, and their efforts to strengthen marriage and family life,” Fr Barr said.

Speaking at the Pacific Conference of Churches 10^th General Assembly in Honiara, the Catholic priest said the church must be at the forefront of the fight against growing poverty and inequality, the exploitation of workers and the domination of powerful business interests. 

“(Churches) must be with the people – young and old, rich and poor, saint and sinner – as Jesus was, and know the problems and difficulties they face and be willing to accompany them in the struggle for a more just society and a better quality of life,” he said. 

Fr Barr said the World Council of Churches, various Popes and statements from various local churches had constantly addressed issues of social justice in an industrialized, modernized and globalised world.

“They establish the right and the duty of the Churches to speak out on issues of social concern,” he said.

“Statements have been made about economic issues, racism and discrimination, war, wages, worker’s rights, poverty and inequality, care for the environment and so on.  These statements suggest what the Kingdom of God (as preached by Jesus) requires in the current conditions of our modern world.  They contextualize what Jesus’ original message should mean for us today.”

Fr Barr said local churches must identify the key social justice issues that should demand attention and be spoken about in the Pacific today.

“What of stewardship of our resources, global warming and the resettlement of populations due to rising sea levels? What of violence against women and children?  What of corruption, greed, racism, poverty and growing inequality, issues of self determination? What of mining and the implications of the rape of our resources for quick economic gain?”

He said the primary focus of churches must be the people and the problems they faced.

Source: Netani Rika; PCC