HEAD BISHOP’s MESSAGE
Dear ELCPNG
Grace and peace to you in this blessed Advent season!.
As we approach the 35th Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, I am pleased to announce our theme for 2025:
“Stand Firm, We Are Free” , Galatians 5:1
“Sanap Stong, Yumi Fri Pinis.”Galesia 5:1
The 35th Synod arrives at a special moment in our history. This year, 2025, Papua New Guinea celebrates 50 years of Independence, and in 2026, our Church will celebrate 50 years as a fully local Lutheran church. These milestones remind us not only of political and organizational freedom, but more importantly, of the spiritual freedom we have in Christ, a freedom that guides our identity and mission as God’s people.
This theme builds on the 2024 Synod message where Jesus called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Last Synod in 2024, Christ reminded us who we are in this world; this coming Synod 2026, He calls us to stand firm in that identity as we face the challenges of our nation.
As we look toward Christmas, the celebration of the One who came to bring light, hope, and salvation, we are reminded that our freedom is God’s gift through Christ. This freedom gives us strength to remain steadfast in our calling, especially as we navigate violence, inequality, moral confusion, and social tensions in Papua New Guinea today.
Therefore, as a Church, we must continue to:
- Preach the message of salvation, Proclaim Christ boldly,
- Defend the Gospel in public spaces where truth is often compromised and
- Live out the Gospel daily
To “stand firm” means to remain anchored in God’s Word and unwavering in our witness, even when the storms of life shake our communities and nation. Our golden jubilees remind us that God has been faithful in the past, and will continue to guide us into the future.
As we journey toward Bunsil Station and move through this Advent season, may the Holy Spirit renew our hope, strengthen our freedom in Christ, and prepare us to stand firm as a united, liberated, and faithful Church.
Rev. Dr. Jack Urame
Head Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Why the theme ?
The theme of the 35th ELC-PNG Synod — “Stand Firm, We Are Free” (Galatians 5:1) — has been prayerfully chosen to speak both to our faith and our history. In Galatians, Paul reminds the Church that Christ has set us free, and that we must stand firm in this freedom so that we are not enslaved again.
This message of freedom comes at a significant time:
Papua New Guinea celebrates 50 years of Independence on 16 September 2025, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea marks 50 years as a local church on 11 July 2026. Just as the nation has embraced the gift of political freedom, and the Church its spiritual and organizational freedom, we are also called to reflect on our personal freedom to live responsibly and faithfully as a liberated community of God’s people.
Key Words in Galatians 5:1
• Freedom – Christ has set us free from the bondage of sin and fear, giving us dignity and new life. Our independence — as a nation and as a Church — gains meaning only when we live as liberated people in His light.
• Stand – Freedom carries responsibility. To stand is to remain rooted in God’s Word and promises, even when storms and challenges shake us.
• Firm – To be firm is to remain unwavering in faith, courage, and unity, resisting forces that seek to divide or weaken us.
Together, these concepts remind us that Christian freedom is not a licence for carelessness but a call to live faithfully and responsibly — as individuals, as a Church, and as a nation. As we mark these national and church anniversaries, we celebrate God’s grace in the past, stand firm in His promises today, and step boldly into the future as a liberated people of Christ.
To be a Lutheran is to be a doer of the Word.
Official Synod 2026 Logo – Meaning and Symbolism
The logo for the 35th Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea Synod brings together symbols of faith, identity, and hope, all anchored in the theme:
“Stand Firm, We Are Free – Galatians 5:1”
“Sanap Stong, Yumi Fri Pinis – Galasia 5:1”
Elements of the Logo
• The Luther Rose (inner circular petals)
Forms the foundation of the design, expressing the Lutheran confession rooted in the Gospel of Christ.
• The Boat
Symbolizes the Church journeying through life, recalling both the arrival of the Gospel in Papua New Guinea and the biblical imagery of God carrying His people safely through the waters.
• The Sail
Represents the Holy Spirit whose power moves and guides the Church in witness, service, and the freedom Christ gives.
• The Sea (waves beneath the boat)
Depicts life’s challenges and uncertainties. The boat does not sink — a reminder that faith anchored in Christ stands firm even amid storms.
• The Cross
At the center lies the cross, the heart of the Gospel. It proclaims that true freedom comes through Christ’s death and resurrection.
• The Heart
Symbolizes God’s unconditional love, the foundation of the freedom that liberates, unites, and sustains His people.
• The Man and Woman
The figures in the boat represent all believers — male and female, young and old — included in God’s grace and united in Christ’s freedom.
Together, the elements of the Synod 2026 logo communicate a powerful message:
The Church, grounded in Lutheran faith and carried by the Holy Spirit, journeys across the seas of life under the cross of Christ. Filled with grace and united in God’s love, believers stand firm and rejoice in the freedom given through Christ.
Download PDF version of the Synod 2026 Official Logo
