Xmas diners who always eat rice on the big day

Xmas diners who always eat rice on the big day

Duncan Graham, Contributor, The Jakarta Post

Poke your head into the nave of this Gereja Kristen Indonesia
(GKI - Indonesian Christian Church) and there's the congregation
squirreling away with Christmas decorations.

There's tinsel aplenty, a tree blossoming with baubles and no
shortage of advice.

Nothing unusual here -- it's happening this week right across
the archipelago.

Among the voices practicing carols is that of Pastor Ben
Maleachi. Worshipers at the GKI Jl Wahid Hasyim in central
Jakarta will recognize his cheerful interpretation of the
scriptures.

So what? Churches are busy in every province. It's that time
of the year.

Hang on -- there's something different about the setting. The
clean sidewalks outside are empty -- no kaki lima, (food carts)
no warung (roadside eateries). The muscle machines cruising the
broad highway tow monster speedboats.

The blonde drivers wear bikini tops. The sky is crystal clear
and needles the eyes. It's shimmering-hot. There'll be no rain
for months. No pollution, just the tang of sea salt.

Nor are there any security guards and no one has dug holes for
bomb disposal.

Step inside GKI Perth, Western Australia, where this Sunday
more than 100 Indonesians will celebrate Christmas with a service
and a light lunch. But no gift-giving.

"This is a very inclusive congregation," said Pastor Ben who
has just taken up the ministry in Perth after 19 years in
Jakarta. "There are people here from Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra,
Nusa Tenggara -- just about everywhere. This is a church for
everyone."

"We celebrate Christmas in a very humble way," said church
member Budiman Simatupang, a Batak from Medan. He's now an
Australian citizen and works in a chocolate factory.

"We'll share a simple meal and it won't be a turkey. We
haven't followed those Anglo traditions. There'll be rice. Of
course. It wouldn't be a meal otherwise.

"Christ was born in a stable, not a grand palace. We enjoy our
celebration, but we haven't made it into a commercial event."

But many Australians have, whatever the intensity of their
faith. This time of the year is a retailer's heaven, much to the
chagrin of religious leaders. Lunch on Christmas Day tends to be
a family affair, often marred by overindulgence.

The services at GKI Perth are in Indonesian, but one pew is
reserved for those who need a running English translation of the
service through earphones. The few Caucasians who attend do so
with their Indonesian spouses.

The church building used to belong to the Methodists. In 1977
falling attendances forced them to join with the
Congregationalists and Presbyterians to form the Uniting Church
in Australia.

Now the UCA is handing over this building in a prestigious
beachside parish to the expanding GKI which should fully own the
premises within ten years. Officially it's known as "an
Indonesian congregation of the UCA" and started operating in 2000
with 49 parishioners.

On many Sundays during the academic year the congregation can
reach 180, a figure that would delight many mainstream Australian
churches in the suburbs where religion is a low priority. Now,
many families are on holiday and have returned to Indonesia.

Church elder and academic Purwanto Danusugondo, originally
from Yogya, said the large number of Indonesian churches in Perth
(see adjacent story) reflected the multiple movements and
denominations in Indonesian Protestantism.

People could select from traditional, evangelical or
charismatic. However there's only one Indonesian Catholic
congregation in Perth.

"We're not trying to maintain Indonesian traditions here but
provide a church where people can attend a service in their home
language," said Purwanto who has been in Australia 35 years.
"Many don't understand English that well, so don't want to attend
Australian churches.

"If you divide people according to race and ethnicity then
you're not a true Christian.

"We're thankful that we are in Australia. We find ourselves
being more religious since we came here. We are a little
disappointed that some Australians are doing ungodly things.

"We are fortunate that in Indonesia we had missionaries
introducing us to the scriptures. Now it is our turn to repay the
kindness by celebrating Christianity in Australia."
In his pre-Christmas sermon Pastor Ben spoke of the firebombing
of a UCA church hall in Sydney following the beach riots earlier
this month.

"The GKI knows about such things," he said. (More than 400
churches in Indonesia have been trashed or burned since 1998).

"We pray for our nation and for Australia. We pray for peace
and understanding everywhere.

"Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart."