Church MakeOver 33: Gereja Pantekosta Jemaat Gunung Mulia Rantebua, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi

The Start of Church MakeOver 33: Gereja Pantekosta Jemaat Gunung Mulia Rantebua, Tana Toraja,  South Sulawesi, 29 October 2015

From Kupang, Anugrah Ministries’ Church MakeOver (CMO) Team went to continue their journey to Makassar. To a village called Rantebua, in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. Our next destination is Gereja Pantekosta Jemaat Gunung Mulia Rantebua, to start CMO 33rd project. Glory to the Lord Jesus!

Thursday, 29 October 2015

At 2 pm, we started the ceremony with a short service. Then we continued by signing MOU, between Gereja Pantekosta Jemaat Gunung Mulia Rantebua, represented by Ps. Yunus Paretta as the Local Pastor, and Anugrah Ministries, represented by Alders Daniel Panebaren as CMO Field Coordinator. After signing MOU, we symbolically started the 33rd project of CMO by putting concrete on the floor. All the congregation followed through the ceremony with joy. They felt honored by the grace of God that they received.

This church was pioneered in 1985 by the late Ps. Sinon Senga with only 3 families as congregation. In 1995, they started building temporary church building with bamboo walls. In 1999, Ps. Yunus Paretta received the batton of leadership. In 2000, together with the congregation, he started building a more permanent church. For years, they have been longing to have a decent church building to worship in, but their economic condition is very limited. Most of the congregation work as farmers. Only a few are working as teachers and government officers. However their number has grown to 79 souls.

These are the things that we will do in this CMO 33rd project:

1. Installing Ceiling
2. Installing ceramic tiles on the Floor
3. Installing ceramic tiles on the Altar
4. Installing Doors and Windows
5. Building a 2×3 m porch
6. Building 2 unit Public Bathrooms (Bath, Wash Clothes, Toilet) for the community
7. Renovating the Pastoral Home

Thanks to the partners of Anugrah Ministries who have supported us to start this CMO 33rd project. May these projects that we have been carrying out be able to bridge the differences between rich churches and poor churches, so there will be equality in the Body of Christ, and God’s name be glorified. Amen!

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Inauguration of Church MakeOver (CMO) 33:

GP Gunung Mulia Rantebua, Toraja, Sulawesi Selatan, 14 May 2016

By the grace of God, Anugrah Ministries can keep on being a channel of blessing for churches throughout the region of Indonesia who need help, through Church MakeOver program. As time goes by, we have helped 33 churches so far in the completion of their church building. We have completed our 33^rd CMO project at GP Gunung Mulia Rantebua, which is located at Rantebua Village, Rantebua District, North Toraja Region, South Sulawesi Province.

Having waited for three years for the approval of their proposal, and six months for the CMO process to take place, finally on the 14^th of May 2016, Anugrah Ministries can hand back the church building to them. The Inauguration of CMO 33 started with welcoming ceremony: Ps. Yunus Paretta (Pastor of GP Gunung Mulia Rantebua) was putting scarf on Ps. Daniel Hendrata (Chairman of Anugrah Ministries). This gesture is indicating the highest honor for a respected person.

The event continued with Ps. Daniel Hendrata cutting the ribbon and opening up the main doors of the church. As the main doors opened, the whole congregation of GP Gunung Mulia Rantebua sang a praise song in Toraja dialect to welcome Ps. Daniel Hendrata and all the guests. “Masannang Tongan, Masannang Tongan, Turu Puang Yesus Masannang Tongan” which means, “So happy, really happy, following the Lord Jesus is so happy.” This praise illustrated their gratitude in following God, and heartfelt thanks for their burden has been lifted up in the completion of their church building.

Then it was time for Praise and Worship. Everybody felt great joy, though in simplicity. After the Praise and Worship session, Ps. Daniel Hendrata symbolically handed the church building back to the congregation of GP Gunung Mulia Rantebua, represented by the Pastor, Ps. Yunus Paretta, by signing the plaquette. The whole congregation and guests became witness to this important event. After that, Ps. Daniel Hendrata delivered the Word of God from Luke 4:18-19. Everyone listened attentively to the Word of God, and everyone was blessed.

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These are the things that Anugrah Ministries madeover in this CMO 33 project:

The Church Building:

Installing Ceramic Tiles on the Floor

Installing Wooden Ceiling

Adding a Front Porch

Adding Stairs before the Entrance of the Church

Installing Doors and Windows

Pastoral Home:

Renovating the Ceiling

Adding Stairs

Adding Concrete Washbasin

Besides those things we mentioned above, we also presented 3 units of public bathroom to the community (whereby they can shower, wash clothes, and go to toilet), so they can have more decent lives, as most of them do not have bathroom at their home. They had to go to the river (2 km away) to have a bath or to wash clothes. They had to go to the jungle to do their toilet business. Even in this modern, 21^st century, their civilization is still left behind.

Thanks to the partners of Anugrah Ministries who have been loyally supporting us, together we can make real change for our beloved nation, Indonesia. All glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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