Friday, October 8, 2010

The Orthodox Church in Jakarta Indonesia, HOLY EPIPHANY PARISH


The Holy Epiphany Parish is one of few parishes of Orthodox Church in Indonesia, located at Jl. Meriam No. 109/D Kompleks KODAM Jatiwaringin, East Jakarta. The name of "Epiphany" is a tribute to the one of the feast in Orthodox Church tradition, the baptism of The Lord Jesus Christ at the Jordan River.
The parish started its services for Orthodox communities in Jakarta since 1997 under the Omophorion of the Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia and jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The services consist of Saturday Vesper Service, Sunday Orthros Service and Divine Liturgy Service served by Fr. Gabriel Rehatta. The parishioners are approximately more than 200 households and in addition there are several catechumens also the participants from other Christian denominations. 

2007
The reconstruction of Church’s building
After nearly 12 years of running the services held in a temporary building, Parish Council together with all the parishioners determined to build a permanent church building. This was announced in early 2007 and began to be realized in mid-April 2007. 
During the Church has been under construction, the liturgy services was held in the house of Theodoros Roy Marten family, the household who have donated their land to the church  for establishing the church building.
Due to several problems occurred, the construction should be postponed only after 4 months construction, but for the kindness of the owner that parish still might use their house for liturgy service activities until the Church was ready for use.
The construction was suspended after 4 months
(August 2007)

2008
Holy Matrimony Sacrament under construction building
After the church construction had been suspended for almost a year, a couple of new parishioners requested to have their holy matrimony in their own church building.  After assuring its safety, the under construction church building for the first time was used for the Holy matrimony sacrament in August 2008.
Under construction Church was used for the first time for The Holy Matrimony Sacrament
(August 2008)


2009
Continuing reconstruction of the suspended Church building

In January 6, 2009, coincided with the celebration of Epiphany feast, the council together with all parishioners decided to continue the construction which had been suspended for more than 1.5 years. The church building committee was reformed together with the fundraising committee.
The fundraising committee held a bazaar selling food-beverages, icons, books, and crafts after the liturgy, and also received a grant from the diocese, church members, participants, and the brethrens from abroad.

Continuing the construction of the suspended church building 
(April 2009)
Dome installation and roofing
(November 2009)
 
Temporary finishing for celebration Nativity feast
(December 2009)

The celebration of Nativity feast in the under construction church building
(December 24, 2009)

2010- The New Church Building
Glory to God, after the celebration of Nativity feast in December 2009, all the services are held in the new Church building.

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90% construction completed
(February 2010)

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Finished construction Church building in April 2010
(The pastoral office [the right side] is still under construction)

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Sunday of Orthodoxy
(February 2010)
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Veneration of Holy Cross
(March 2010)
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Annunciation of Theotokos
(March 2010)
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Palm Sunday
 (March 2010)
Holy Communion Divine Liturgy
(August 2010)

St. Ioann Sunday School
Sunday school is held before the Divine Liturgy in a hut in front of the church. There are 30 children with various ages between 2 -12 years old divided into 2 classes. Sunday school classes are managed by one coordinator in charge and 4 assistances as teachers. 091224-01-Childrenchant_Hristos Gennatai.JPG
Nativity feast St. Ioann Sunday School
(December 2009)
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Sunday school children attending Eucharist communion
  St. Romanos Melodos Orthodox Youth
The Orthodox youth section is just established in February 2010 with 25 members which the activity consist of  internal activity and philanthropy.
The internal activity of parish youth section such as practicing choir, helping parish priest arranging every parish events including  Church feasts, bazaar, etc. and the philanthropy activity such as collecting books, stationery, wearable secondhand clothes, for our brethrens who need it.
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Orthodox Youth in their activities
(February 2010)
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St. Romanos Melodos Choir practicing several hymns for Easter feast
(March 2010)

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Christmas gathering in one of parishioner’s home
after attending Nativity feast liturgy
(December 2009)

Baptism  Sacraments
During the church was under construction, several catechumens were baptized and/or chrismated. The catechumens converted from other religions and also from other Christian denominations. There were 20 persons be baptized in our parish ( including 4 babies ). The baptism sacrament was carried out without drowning in the water ( for adult ) since there was no baptism pool available at that time.

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Baptism of three babies at Epiphany feast
(January 2010)



Holy Matrimony  Sacraments
Since the Church being constructed in 2007 until its finished  in 2010, there were holy matrimony sacraments held for seven couples.


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Holy Matrimony of Agustinus and Agustina (December 2007)





Holy Matrimony of Jovan and Branislava (June 2008)
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Holy Matrimony of Timotheos and Ezra ( August 2008)
Holy Matrimony of Fillipus and Florencia (October 2008)



Holy Matrimony of Dismas and Novi (November 2009)

Holy Matrimony of Arrow Goran and Crystal (May 2010)






Other Events
To tighten the brotherhood among congregations, the Parish held a household’s gathering every month alternately in the community’s houses. The congregations have opportunities to discuss about the “Faith “ with the priest after the lunch hour. 


Philanthropy
The Holy Epiphany parish, as social component in the society in Jakarta, participates in several social programs especially for social programs related to the situation and actual condition near parish. There are some social programs such as natural disaster aid program, education and scholarship programs to the community who really need donation for education, and another internal also external social programs managed by the neighborhood. Since the Youth Section established in February 2010, the philanthropy activities are also arranged by the parish youth. .


Profile of Parish
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Name of Church:
The Holy Epiphany Parish, Orthodox Church in Indonesia 

Jurisdiction: 
under the Omophorion of the Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia by His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios Tsilis, and jurisdiction of His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Registered
F/KEP/HK.00.5/20/7/08/2001 SK Dirjen Bimas Kristen Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and under Indonesian Church Association (PGI)

Commencement
April 18th 1997

Address
Jl. Meriam No. 109/D Komplek KODAM Jatiwaringin, Jakarta Timur
Tel  +62-21-981 99553, Fax  +62-21-7801767   website: www.orthodoxindonesia.org

Priest 
Fr. Gabriel R. Rehatta

Parishioners
±200 households (registered)

Weekly Services:
Saturday: Vesper  Service                                18.00-19.00 
Sunday   : Orthros Service                                08.00-09.00 
Sunday   :  Divine Liturgy                                 09.00-10.30 
Sunday   : Sunday School                                  08.00-09.00