Curious about the story behind this house of worship? Right here stands GPIB Jemaat Eirene. It is more than just a building. It embodies a journey of faith and community.
GPIB Jemaat Eirene began as part of GPIB Jemaat Petra. Petra was located on Jl. Jampea 42-44 in Tanjung Priok North Jakarta. The large service area led to additional worship locations. These served members in sectors far from Petra. One such place was the Tabita building. It stood on Jl. Kampung Bahari 5 No. 44 Tanjung Priok. It became a worship space for sectors I II and III.
As time passed challenges arose within the Petra congregation. A longing grew among some members. They wanted sectors I II and III to become an independent congregation. This desire led to action. The Synod Council decided to replace Pdt. E. F. Tokoh as Chairman of the Petra Congregation Council with Pdt. J. Hukom. This allowed Pdt. E. F. Tokoh to prepare for the planned separation.
After careful preparation January 6 1974 marked a significant milestone. Sectors I II and III of GPIB Jemaat Petra officially became GPIB Jemaat Eirene. They were joined by Christian families from the Arhanudse 6 Dormitory. GPIB Jemaat Eirene’s service area in North Jakarta covers three sub-districts. It includes five villages within the North Jakarta Municipality. The congregation consists of twelve service sectors. They are Victory Immanuel Ekklesia Bethlehem Elim 1 Elim 2 Pniel Maranatha Sion Epifania Silo and Eden. It has approximately 700 families.
GPIB envisions itself as a church. This church embodies God’s peace for all creation. GPIB is a member of the Protestant Church in Indonesia. It was established in 1948. This provides a spiritual home for members of other GPI churches. These members had moved to western Indonesia.
The church grew. This was due to the increase of the initial families. Others have joined the church too. It is a national multi-ethnic church. It is scattered across 25 of Indonesia’s 32 provinces. GPIB has many congregations in remote areas. These areas often face poverty and lack communication. These communities remain spiritually strong. Besides Sunday worship weekly services occur in homes. As many members attend these as those who attend church on Sunday.
GPIB’s life reflects differences between rural congregations and city congregations. To address inequalities GPIB uses a centralized fund. This fund pays all pastors. The payment follows a fixed salary scale. Since its beginning GPIB has been self-reliant. It has never depended on external financial help.
GPIB is organized into 17 regional coordination offices. These offices have considerable autonomy. The synod is the highest governing body. It meets every five years. An annual synod decides on matters of program and budget.
The central theme is \”Jesus Christ Source of Peace\”. This is according to John 14:27. The theme for 2024-2025 is \”Serving and Witnessing Intergenerationally Based on Digital Community for the Welfare of the Nation and the Integrity of Creation\”. This is based on Acts 11: 2-10. As you leave GPIB Jemaat Eirene remember its commitment. It is committed to community service and unwavering faith.