PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (Amendment) Act 2022. 

No. 46 of 2022
Certified on: 2 SEP 2022

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
1. Interpretation (Amendment of Section 1).
2. New Sections 2A and 2B.
	"2A. HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
	2B. OBJECTIVES OF THE CHURCH.".
3. Procedures of the Council (Amendment of Section 7).
4. New Section 7A.
	"7A. EXECUTIVES OF THE CHURCH.".
5. Public officer (Amendment of Section 8).
6. New Sections 14A, 14B, 14C and 14D.
	"14A. SYNOD.
	14B. BOARDS.
	14C.CHURCH UNINCORPORATED INSTRUMENTALITIES.
	14D. CHURCH INCORPORATED INSTRUMENTALITIES.".

AN ACT
entitled
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (Amendment) Act 2022,
Being an Act to amend the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea Act 1991, to provide for better clarity for the operation and management of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, and for related purposes.
MADE by the National Parliament.
1	INTERPRETATION (AMENDMENT OF SECTION 1). 
Section 1 of the Principal Act is amended by ‑
	(a) inserting the word 'Head' before the word "Bishop" for definition of Bishop; and
	(b) repealing the definition of the term "Boards" and replacing it with the following new definition:
	"means the number of Boards established under the Constitution of the Church from time to time".
2	NEW SECTIONS 2A AND 2B.
The Principal Act is amended by adding immediately after Section 2, the following new sections:
	"2A. HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
	(1) Jesus Christ is the source of all power and He is the Head of the Church.
	(2) The Church affirms that Jesus Christ is its one Lord and Head, and that all power and authority exercised by the Church shall be governed by His will as revealed in His Word.
	(3) The Church through the grace of God through Jesus Christ, has power over its districts, circuits, parishes and congregations.
	2B. OBJECTIVES OF THE CHURCH.
	The objectives of the Church are as set out in the Church Constitution and the by-laws.".
3	PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL (AMENDMENT OF SECTION 7).
Section 7 of the Principal Act is amended in Subsection (3) by repealing the number "10" and replacing it with the number "17".
4	NEW SECTION 7A.
The Principal Act is amended by adding immediately after Section 7, the following new section:
	"7A. EXECUTIVES OF THE CHURCH.
	(1) The Executive of the Church shall consist of ‑
	(a) the Head Bishop; and
	(b) the Assistant to the Head Bishop; and
	(c) the Church Secretary.
	(2) The election or appointment of the Executive is as determined in the Constitution.
	(3) The Executives shall hold office for a term of four years and are eligible for reappointment for a consecutive term of no more than 12 years.
	(4) The procedure for election and appointment of the Executive shall be provided in the Church Constitution and by-laws.
	(5) The powers and functions of the Executives shall be provided by the Church Constitution and by-laws.".
5	PUBLIC OFFICER (AMENDMENT OF SECTION 8).
Section 8 of the Principal Act is repealed and replaced with the following:
	"The Public Officer of the Church shall be the Church Secretary who shall exercise all functions and responsibilities of a Public Officer of a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1997.".
6	NEW SECTIONS 14A, 14B, 14C AND 14D.
The Principal Act is amended by adding immediately after Section 14 the following new sections:
	"14A. SYNOD.
	(1) The Church shall hold bi-annual Synods of the Church.
	(2) The Synod is the highest authority of the Church.
	(3) The powers, functions and procedures of the Synod shall be provided by the Church Constitution and by-laws.
	14B. BOARDS.
	(1) Subject to Subsection (2), there shall be four Boards of the Church which are‑
	(a) Ministerial Service Board; and
	(b) Social Services Board; and
	(c) Support Service Board; and
	(d) Corporate Service Board.
	(2) The Synod may increase or decrease the number of Boards.
	(3) The composition, powers and functions of the Boards shall be provided by the Church Constitution and by-laws.
	14C. CHURCH UNINCORPORATED INSTRUMENTALITIES. 
	The unincorporated Church instrumentalities shall conduct themselves in accordance with the Constitution of the Church.
	14D. CHURCH INCORPORATED INSTRUMENTALITIES.
	The incorporated Church instrumentalities shall conduct themselves in the first instance in accordance with the Constitution of the Church and in the second instance, in accordance with their individual model Constitutions and in the case of conflict the Constitution of the Church shall prevail.".

I hereby certify that the above is a fair print of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (Amendment) Act 2022, which has been made by the National Parliament.
Clerk of the National Parliament.
02 SEP 2022

I hereby certify that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (Amendment) Act 2022, was made by the National Parliament on 24 February 2022.
Speaker of the National Parliament. 
02 SEP 2022