JP\/19\/XMAS1<\/p>\n
RICE CHRISTMAS IN THE WEST c Duncan Graham 2005<\/p>\n
head<\/p>\n
Christmas diners who always eat rice on the big day<\/p>\n
Duncan Graham
\nContributor\/The Jakarta Post<\/p>\n
Poke your head into the nave of this Gereja Kristen Indonesia
\n(GKI - Indonesian Christian Church) and there's the congregation
\nsquirreling away with Christmas decorations.<\/p>\n
There's tinsel aplenty, a tree blossoming with baubles and no
\nshortage of advice.<\/p>\n
Nothing unusual here -- it's happening this week right across
\nthe archipelago.<\/p>\n
Among the voices practicing carols is that of Pastor Ben
\nMaleachi. Worshipers at the GKI Jl Wahid Hasyim in central
\nJakarta will recognize his cheerful interpretation of the
\nscriptures.<\/p>\n
So what? Churches are busy in every province. It's that time
\nof the year.<\/p>\n
Hang on -- there's something different about the setting. The
\nclean sidewalks outside are empty -- no kaki lima, (food carts)
\nno warung (roadside eateries). The muscle machines cruising the
\nbroad highway tow monster speedboats.<\/p>\n
The blonde drivers wear bikini tops. The sky is crystal clear
\nand needles the eyes. It's shimmering-hot. There'll be no rain
\nfor months. No pollution, just the tang of sea salt.<\/p>\n
Nor are there any security guards and no one has dug holes for
\nbomb disposal.<\/p>\n
Step inside GKI Perth, Western Australia, where this Sunday
\nmore than 100 Indonesians will celebrate Christmas with a service
\nand a light lunch. But no gift-giving.<\/p>\n
\"This is a very inclusive congregation,\" said Pastor Ben who
\nhas just taken up the ministry in Perth after 19 years in
\nJakarta. \"There are people here from Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra,
\nNusa Tenggara -- just about everywhere. This is a church for
\neveryone.\"<\/p>\n
\"We celebrate Christmas in a very humble way,\" said church
\nmember Budiman Simatupang, a Batak from Medan. He's now an
\nAustralian citizen and works in a chocolate factory.<\/p>\n
\"We'll share a simple meal and it won't be a turkey. We
\nhaven't followed those Anglo traditions. There'll be rice. Of
\ncourse. It wouldn't be a meal otherwise.<\/p>\n
\"Christ was born in a stable, not a grand palace. We enjoy our
\ncelebration, but we haven't made it into a commercial event.\"<\/p>\n
But many Australians have, whatever the intensity of their
\nfaith. This time of the year is a retailer's heaven, much to the
\nchagrin of religious leaders. Lunch on Christmas Day tends to be
\na family affair, often marred by overindulgence.<\/p>\n
The services at GKI Perth are in Indonesian, but one pew is
\nreserved for those who need a running English translation of the
\nservice through earphones. The few Caucasians who attend do so
\nwith their Indonesian spouses.<\/p>\n
The church building used to belong to the Methodists. In 1977
\nfalling attendances forced them to join with the
\nCongregationalists and Presbyterians to form the Uniting Church
\nin Australia.<\/p>\n
Now the UCA is handing over this building in a prestigious
\nbeachside parish to the expanding GKI which should fully own the
\npremises within ten years. Officially it's known as \"an
\nIndonesian congregation of the UCA\" and started operating in 2000
\nwith 49 parishioners.<\/p>\n
On many Sundays during the academic year the congregation can
\nreach 180, a figure that would delight many mainstream Australian
\nchurches in the suburbs where religion is a low priority. Now,
\nmany families are on holiday and have returned to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Church elder and academic Purwanto Danusugondo, originally
\nfrom Yogya, said the large number of Indonesian churches in Perth
\n(see adjacent story) reflected the multiple movements and
\ndenominations in Indonesian Protestantism.<\/p>\n
People could select from traditional, evangelical or
\ncharismatic. However there's only one Indonesian Catholic
\ncongregation in Perth.<\/p>\n
\"We're not trying to maintain Indonesian traditions here but
\nprovide a church where people can attend a service in their home
\nlanguage,\" said Purwanto who has been in Australia 35 years.
\n\"Many don't understand English that well, so don't want to attend
\nAustralian churches.<\/p>\n
\"If you divide people according to race and ethnicity then
\nyou're not a true Christian.<\/p>\n
\"We're thankful that we are in Australia. We find ourselves
\nbeing more religious since we came here. We are a little
\ndisappointed that some Australians are doing ungodly things.<\/p>\n
\"We are fortunate that in Indonesia we had missionaries
\nintroducing us to the scriptures. Now it is our turn to repay the
\nkindness by celebrating Christianity in Australia.\"
\nIn his pre-Christmas sermon Pastor Ben spoke of the firebombing
\nof a UCA church hall in Sydney following the beach riots earlier
\nthis month.<\/p>\n
\"The GKI knows about such things,\" he said. (More than 400
\nchurches in Indonesia have been trashed or burned since 1998).<\/p>\n
\"We pray for our nation and for Australia. We pray for peace
\nand understanding everywhere.<\/p>\n
\"Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart.\"<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp19xmas1-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }