Group baptisms and weddings in Sumbul

My dear brothers, rejoice in the Lord! With God’s help we are well, and I hope that all of you are well. I would like to inform you of some events from our mission here in Indonesia, especially in Sumatra:

  • I recently celebrated two weddings, one at St. Demetrios Church in Medan and one at the new Sumbul Missionary Unit
  • On Sunday 10-10-2010, after the Divine Liturgy, I left for the village of Sumbul to lay the foundation stones of the new Church. With me were Fr. Athanasius from Tarutung, Fr. Nicholas Marketos a retired priest from Australia who sent us money to build the church in Sumbul village. Thank God! I hope at the end of December 2010 the church will be finished.
  • In early January 2011 I have a plan to have group baptisms there in Sumbul, do you have any potential godparents for 25 people? Apart from that my brothers we have a program to celebrate group Orthodox weddings in our new church in Sumbul and we will invite many people to see the Orthodox wedding, to be as a means of mission in the two villages. Since I plan to provide food for everyone at the end of the sacrament, we need your help. I estimate that we need money of about 1,250 euros. My brothers and sisters once the building of the Holy Temple in Sumbul is finished, I intend to buy 150 plastic chairs.
  • On October 16, 2010, the guardian of our St. Sophia School, Miltiades Sipayung passed away. He was very kind, please pray for his soul and for his family.
  • As soon as the money you sent us for the baptisms arrives, I will come down to Hilifaosi-Nias to do group baptisms. In Hilifaosi-Nias we do not yet have a temple. If a good donor is found we will establish an Orthodox community: the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.
  • That’s our news for now. Thank you also for the 20,000 euros for the continuation of the 3rd floor of the Academy and Theological School of St. Paul the Apostle. I will write to you separately about the progress of the building of our Academy. Finally, for all your help, we thank you very much.

With many best wishes

π. Chrysostomos Manalu

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Picture of Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu

Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu

Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu was born in a Protestant family in Sumatra, Indonesia. He was converted to Orthodoxy by fr. Daniel Byantoro and in 1994 he came to Greece for graduate studies in Theolofy. He was then acquainted with our Fraternity and was ordained a presbyter in the Diocese of Arta. He returned to Indonesia in 2002, where he founded the Orthodox Mission in Northern Sumatra. He serves as the prelatic commissioner of Indonesia under the Diocese of Singapore.

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