The LCMS goes to Indonesia (by Pr. Charles Henrickson)

The LCMS goes to Indonesia
By Pastor Charles Henrickson

Last time I told you about the Luther Academy conference I taught in Medan, Indonesia, March 12-16. (See my post from April 24, “The LCMS goes to Indonesia.”) Today I’ll tell you, by way of several photos, what else was going on in Medan during those days, and that is, discussions between the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Gereja Kristen Luther Indonesia (GKLI, the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church), to explore possible church fellowship.


Representing the LCMS in the discussions were (seated) Mr. Darin Storkson (Southern Asia Regional Director), Rev. Dr. Albert Collver (Director of Church Relations), and Rev. Daniel Preus (Fourth Vice-President).


Southern Asia Regional Director Storkson stands with GKLI Bishop Aladin Sitio. Mr. Storkson lived for many years in Indonesia and is fluent in the language.


Director of Church Relations Collver makes a presentation to Bishop Sitio. Dr. Collver represents President Harrison’s office in international church relations discussions.


Storkson, Collver, Preus, and Henrickson are presented with a plaque and the ceremonial ulos, a beautiful woven cloth that is a traditional Batak gift.


Members of the LCMS and the GKLI gather for a group photo. Building informal relationships and holding formal discussions–both are involved in moving toward church fellowship. The meeting in Medan was an important step forward in that process. We’ll see where it leads. My impression is that it looks promising.

For more on the LCMS-GKLI discussions, see Dr. Collver’s WMLT posts, “Indonesia, Luther Academy, and GKLI” and “LCMS and GKLI Discussions.”

For those of you in the St. Louis area, I will be giving a report on my trip to Indonesia, with more photos, after our Ascension Day service (during our ice cream social) at St. Matthew-Bonne Terre on Thursday, May 17:

Ascension, Ice Cream, and Indonesia, at Bonne Terre, May 17: All are invited to an Ascension Day Festival Service, on Ascension Day, Thursday, May 17, at 7:00 p.m., at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 340 Summit St., Bonne Terre, MO 63628. Then stay after the service for an ice cream social (with homemade ice cream) and Pastor Henrickson’s report on his trip to Indonesia (with photos).

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