Anglican Church

PARISH OF SOGERI LOWLANDS

Rector: Fr Lollington Waim at St Paul's, Nine Mile
Assistants: Fr Ivan Tibo at Christ the King, Orobada
Deacon Paulus Gorari
Section Elder Brother John MBH
Br Rodney MBH
Br Joseph MBH
Br Webster MBH
Br James MBH

The Parish of Sogeri Lowlands is the largest in the diocese. It covers areas where Anglicans live along the road up to and including Sogeri in the mountains overlooking Port Moresby; as well as the settlement known as Orobada or Oro Village behind the Air Training Services of Jackson's airport; and another daughter church at Doa 1½ hours' drive northwards up the coast.

ST PAUL'S NINE MILE:

Nine mile is one of the most violent and trouble ridden settlements in the city. Its name comes from the old administration practice of naming areas according to their distance from the GPO (General Post Office). It has a mixed population, with large numbers of unemployed young people. Alcohol and drug abuse (marijuana is cheap, easily grown or bought and is also a lucrative income earner for many) are rife. There is much violence, especially on pay fortnights and the Church grounds are located right in the heart of the settlement, providing an important safe refuge.

St Pauls, Nine Mile

The parish has four outstations to which it provides regular service. The priest, Fr Reginald Mekele, from Sagsag in West New Britain regularly visits these communities and has done wonderful work in enlivening them and bringing them together as a parish. Much of the work is done in Pidgin and they have responded to the Pentecost 2000 programme with great enthusiasm.

They are at present raising money to build a new Church in the settlement as the existing one is too small for the growing congregation and was only ever meant to be a temporary structure. It is hoped that in the future funds will be available to have a religious community living in the grounds to provide a stable witness to Gospel values, something eagerly sought by the general community. This is one of the most exciting parishes we have and the problems and issues they face daily are of vital importance to the whole of the city and the Church.

Holy Trinity Sogeri

Work in this area first began at Sogeri in the 1970's. Holy Trinity Church and an MBH House was built in 1983 by the road junction to the Kokoda Trail. The area has suffered a recent decline in Anglican population but the church still serves Sogeri National High School as well as those working at the Rouna hydro-electric stations along the river which provides all the power for Port Moresby. The Diocese has long term plans for a diocesan retreat centre here, which could also provide overnight accommodation for the many tourists walking the Trail.

Holy Trinity Sogeri

Lower down, Anglican work began in 1984 at 14 Mile to cater for Anglican Highlanders living on Ilimo Farm. A few years later a block of land was obtained at 9 Mile and a bush materials church erected there. By 1991 a priest's house had been built with an overseas donation and work began on a more permanent church with masonry block walls and timber-and-iron roofing. Unfortunately this stopped when money ran out and the congregation met for many years in the unfinished building. Under the current Rector, however, the late Sir Brian Bell stepped in and arranged for it to be completed. Sir Brian was guest of honour when St Paul's was finally dedicated in June 2009. Two further houses have just been completed on the 9 Mile compound as part of the Anglican Church of PNG's programme to increase its number of tertiary educated clergy: two priests and their families are living there while studying degree courses at the Catholic Theological Institute at Bomana nearby.

Christ the King Church at Orobada

Christ the King Church at Orobada is a semi-permanent building serving a large number of mainly Oro and Milne Bay Anglicans living in this settlement close to the airport. It is served by MBH Brothers living at their Moresby Diocese Section Headquarters close by. The people have also started their own elementary school next to the church, and are seeking government recognition for it.

Resurrection Chapel, Doa

Resurrection Church on the rubber plantation at Doa is an old rubber storage shed which was dedicated in 2008.

As the diocese's largest parish, Sogeri Lowlands has the biggest staff with two priests, a deacon and five Brothers permanently assigned to it. Movement around the parish, however, remains dependent upon public transport until the parish can afford to run and maintain an elderly vehicle which was repaired for their use. There are significant numbers of lapsed Anglicans needing to be contacted and brought back into the Anglican community.