Batak Protestant Church Prepares Thanksgiving Worship at GBK
A national committee for the 165th anniversary of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) is continuing to refine preparations for the Thanksgiving worship to be held at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta on 18 October 2026. To ensure the whole event runs smoothly, HKBP’s central leadership together with the anniversary committee reviewed the venue in GBK, Jakarta, on Thursday (21 May).
The review was led by HKBP Ephorus Pdt Dr Victor Tinambunan MST and the General Chair of the National Committee for the HKBP 165th Anniversary, Dr. Effendi Muara Sakti Simbolon. The committee toured the stadium, inspecting several key locations, from the main worship area and crowd entry/exit points to multimedia facilities and preparations for the live television broadcast.
Ephorus Pdt Dr Victor Tinambunan said the review was conducted to ensure that every aspect of preparation and execution for the thanksgiving worship would run smoothly and with God’s guidance.
“We intentionally came to GBK because the Thanksgiving worship for HKBP’s 165th anniversary has been planned. We came to see the venue and to pray together with all the committee,” Victor said.
He added that the HKBP anniversary is not a grand party but a worship of thanksgiving for God’s providence during HKBP’s 165-year journey. “This worship is a thanksgiving service, not a large, festive party. The emphasis is on giving thanks, recalling how God sent missionaries in the past so HKBP could reach where it is today,” he said.
Victor noted that HKBP continues its mission to serve the congregation and the community. Accordingly, all committee members are expected to maintain the solemnity of the event. The plan is for the worship service to begin with a pre-service from 14:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB).
Various spiritual activities will be showcased, such as choral performances, elder angklung performances, and other sacred entertainments. The main worship and the Holy Communion will take place from the afternoon into the evening.
General Chair of the National Committee for HKBP’s 165th Anniversary Dr Effendi MS Simbolon said the committee aims to have around 100,000 worshippers attending in person at GBK. “We are focusing on organising the Thanksgiving worship, which will also be followed by the Holy Communion for around 100,000 congregants who attend in person,” Effendi said.
In addition to those present in the venue, the event will be broadcast on three national television stations so that millions of HKBP members in various countries can follow. “We will broadcast live so that about 8 million HKBP adherents worldwide can follow,” he added.
Effendi explained that the worship will be attended by representatives from all 32 HKBP districts. In addition, church leaders from around the world and interfaith figures in Indonesia are also scheduled to attend.
The committee also hopes that President Prabowo Subianto will attend the event. According to Effendi, HKBP’s anniversary, held each year on 7 October, holds deep meaning for the church’s mission.
“So, 165 years ago, the Christian mission arrived in Batak lands through missionaries sent by God. We interpret this moment as gratitude and a prayer for God’s guidance for future generations and for Indonesia as a nation,” he said.
He stressed that all funding for the event would come from voluntary contributions by congregations and volunteers. “Funding comes from us for us. All of it is voluntary, with no coercion,” he said.
Effendi emphasised that, in line with Ephorus’s directive, the entire sequence of events would be conducted simply and devoutly. “The essence remains worship,” he said.
Over 165 years, HKBP has grown into one of Indonesia’s largest churches and is part of the Lutheran World Federation. Through this thanksgiving worship, HKBP hopes the moment of gratitude can carry a message of unity and hope for the Indonesian nation. (H-2)
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