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Comment: Muslims working in churches?
Nov
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N
em>Nov. 27, p1
Edy Supandi finishes cleaning the service hall of the Ekklesia Church in Kalibata, South Jakarta, on a Saturday afternoon.
After making sure that everything was clean and in order and that the pulpit cloth had been changed to a green one for Sunday service, he finally had some time to rest.
Edy, a Muslim, is quite aware that the cloth should be green, the liturgical color, for Sunday services, purple for weeks of Advent (the season including the four Sundays preceding Christmas), red for Christmas, and white for Holy Communion celebrations.
He has been working with the church since 2002, despite hailing from a Muslim family.
In the beginning, he ran a small stall selling cigarettes in front of the church before someone from the church organization offered him a job.
Your comments:
In my church this has happened as well. And they loved it.
Sometimes I slept in a mosque when I was student, and the mosque keeper used to allow me to take a rest. That was not a big deal.
But why does it not happen now?
Petrix Wijaya
Jakarta
Somehow, those ordinary people with simple jobs inspire us
with their values and enrich our spiritual journey.
My dad, like me, is a Catholic, but since I was 10, he was raised by a Muslim family. My foster grandpa, called “Atok”, sent my dad to Christian school and attended my dad’s wedding at church.
Yet, as a a token of love, my Atok gave me an Arabian name “Nurlely” and asked my dad to put a Christian name “Bethesda” next to it.
Every year, I celebrate Christmas and Idul Fitri. Living in a harmony is something we should share and cultivate in our community.
Nurlely
Jakarta
I love how these people perform their duties for themselves, other people and their religion.
It shows the difference between faith and tolerance.
We as Indonesians who agreed on the principle of “unity in diversity” should again emphasis this
kind of message, that we can live together side by side, brothers and sisters in God.
Dedy
Brisbane
I must agree that this is an article that shows the true Indonesia. I am a Christian and have lived in Indonesia for 20 years.
Ninety percent of my friends, colleagues, business associates are Muslim, and the harmony between all is truly amazing, and follow the teachings of the wonderful late K.H Abdurrahman Wahid, Bapak Gus Dur, and a belief of not just tolerance for all religions but living as one.
Greg Smith
Jakarta
