Dear St. John's

We have received your congregation's signed Missionary Sponsorship Covenant Form, indicating a commitment to support the ministry of Sister Ruth Ellen Rebelein serving in Papua New Guinea.

We will inform Sister Ruth Ellen of this new relationship with you. Please welcome her into your congregation.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Guinea (ELCONG) was organized in 1956, 70 years after the arrival of the first Lutheran missionary. In the late 1960's the ELCONG began to take over many of the responsibilities of the Lutheran Mission New Guinea (LMNG), an agency that in 1953 had combined the efforts of the Australian, German and American missions. In 1976, the New Guinea Coordinating Committee (formerly the LMNG) turned over all its property and responsibilities to the ELCONG, which was renamed ELCPNG in 1977. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG: 815,000 members) is the largest Lutheran church in the region, with 15 districts, 2300 congregations, 550 ordained pastors, three seminaries, 245 elementary schools, six high schools, three hospitals and numerous clinics.

Members of the ELC-PNG live in many parts of the country: coastlands, highlands, and offshore islands. Most of them are engaged in subsistence farming or other forms of agriculture. Increasing numbers are moving to the cities where they are employed in trades, businesses, education, civil service, and other occupations.

The Senior Flierl Seminary (sometimes called Logaweng) is located in the Logaweng heights area of Finschhafen and is the largest of the ELC-PNG's three seminaries. It is one of two seminaries of the church utilizing Melanesian Pidgin. A third seminary, Martin Luther Seminary in Lae, uses English. The two Melanesian Pidgin seminaries provide the majority of pastors for the church.

The grade level of entering students and spouses varies; increasing numbers have completed grade 10, the finale year of PNG high school education. New public school policies provide for English instruction to begin in grade 3 and developing into the medium of instruction. Thus, the future of the local language seminaries will require increasing facility in English. Many of the theological resources are in English; thus, students need to advance their English language skills.

Thank you again for your partnership in ministry! PEACE IN CHRIST!

Reverend David P. Lerseth, Director
Missionary Sponsorship / Global Gifts

Dear Friends,

Greetings from warm and sunny Papua New Guinea and from Senior Flierl Seminary. We at the seminary are rejoicing in a larger than usual first year class - 27 men!

That is double the class we took in last year, and the largest class since I arrived in 1997! Praise God with us! A student will be on campus the first three years of his seminary education. The fourth year he will serve as a vicar, or intern, in a parish. The fifth year he will come back to class. This year we have 77 students on campus, plus 16 vicars in parishes around the country.

My major responsibility is teaching English to our first-, second-, and third-year students. For the most part, I enjoy doing this. Our students come to us with a very wide range of backgrounds and abilities in the English language. Sometimes it becomes a challenge for me to find ways to teach so that the brighter students are not bored and the students for whom English is difficult will be able to feel a measure of success. This term I'm also leading the wives of our fifth-year students in a study on "Women of the Bible." This is a series of studies I wrote several years ago and keep reusing.

Something new for me is an elective class I'm teaching. The subject is the Holy Spirit and His work. This is another course I've developed myself. I have 10 students in my class.

As the sole member of our English department, I am responsible for coordinating the English-language worship services, which happen two Sunday evenings each month during the school year. Usually one of our students leads the liturgy, and one of our teachers brings the message.

Another responsibility of mine is supervising a couple of our students as they teach religious instruction in one of our public schools. This year we are using a course of study which has just been developed. I find this frustrating sometimes, probably because it is not the way I would teach, given the choice.

My newest responsibility is the children's library, which is a small room in the back of another building, open 1 ½ hours every Tuesday afternoon. There are nine students' wives and two teachers' wives who volunteer their time on a rotating basis. At first I almost resented this extra responsibility; after all, it does take up most of an afternoon. However, I have come to appreciate this opportunity because it allows me to work with some of the ladies just a few at a time.

Our seminary is currently having a major shift in administration. Our principal is stepping down and two other national teachers are becoming principal and deputy principal. Pastor Majupe is our new principal; Pastor Kedabing is our new deputy principal. I ask that you pray for each of these men. Thanks.

I am grateful for each of you, for your prayers and for your financial support. May God bless you as you serve Him wherever you are!

In Jesus,
Sister Ruth Ellen