Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Muria Christian Church in Indonesia (Indonesian: Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (GKMI); also known as the Muria Mennonite Christian Church in Indonesia)
Is one of three Indonesian church synods which are members of Mennonite World Conference
(MWC). The church reports more than 16,000 members living in Java
, Bali
, Sumatra
and Kalimantan
. GKMI started as an indigenous Christian movement begun by a Chinese Indonesian
couple by the name Tee Siem Tat and Sie Djoen Nio in the city of Kudus in north Central Java before 1920. The group identified with the Mennonite family of churches when the first believers sought baptism from Russian Mennonite missionaries working under the Dutch Mennonite Mission (Doopsgezinde Zendingsvereeniging) in the Muria area in December 1920. This group organized itself in 1925 using the Dutch language name Chineesche Doopsgezinde Christengemeente (Chinese Mennonite Congregation) and was recognized by the government of the Dutch East Indies
in 1927. By the 1940s a half dozen congregations had been formed incorporating also groups of Chinese Indonesian believers who had come to faith through the ministries of the Mennonite missionaries working mostly among the Javanese population in the area. They sometimes also used the Chinese name Tiong Hwa Kie Tok Kau Hwe (Chinese Christian Church). They organized themselves into a synod called Khu Hwee Muria in 1948. By 1958 they changed the name of the synod to Persatuan Gereja-Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (Union of Muria Christian Churches of Indonesia). The GKMI sprang up in Chinese Indonesian communities in the towns surrounding Mount Muria
, an ancient volcano along the north coast of in Central Java
. Since 1960 it has spread beyond the Muria area and into other ethnic groups on the four main islands of western Indonesia.
Is one of three Indonesian church synods which are members of Mennonite World Conference
Mennonite World Conference
The Mennonite World Conference is a global community of Christian churches that facilitates community between Anabaptist-related churches and relates to other Christian world communions and organizations....
(MWC). The church reports more than 16,000 members living in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
. GKMI started as an indigenous Christian movement begun by a Chinese Indonesian
Chinese Indonesian
Chinese Indonesians, also called the Indonesian Chinese, are an overseas Chinese group whose ancestors emigrated from China to Indonesia, formerly a colony of the Netherlands known as the Dutch East Indies...
couple by the name Tee Siem Tat and Sie Djoen Nio in the city of Kudus in north Central Java before 1920. The group identified with the Mennonite family of churches when the first believers sought baptism from Russian Mennonite missionaries working under the Dutch Mennonite Mission (Doopsgezinde Zendingsvereeniging) in the Muria area in December 1920. This group organized itself in 1925 using the Dutch language name Chineesche Doopsgezinde Christengemeente (Chinese Mennonite Congregation) and was recognized by the government of the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
in 1927. By the 1940s a half dozen congregations had been formed incorporating also groups of Chinese Indonesian believers who had come to faith through the ministries of the Mennonite missionaries working mostly among the Javanese population in the area. They sometimes also used the Chinese name Tiong Hwa Kie Tok Kau Hwe (Chinese Christian Church). They organized themselves into a synod called Khu Hwee Muria in 1948. By 1958 they changed the name of the synod to Persatuan Gereja-Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (Union of Muria Christian Churches of Indonesia). The GKMI sprang up in Chinese Indonesian communities in the towns surrounding Mount Muria
Mount Muria
Mount Muria or Gunung Muria is a dormant volcano on the north coast of Java, Indonesia.The area is notable for a number of reasons. It is the site of the grave of one of the Wali Sanga of Java - Sunan Muria - one of the Islamic Saints associated with the origins of Islam in Java...
, an ancient volcano along the north coast of in Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
. Since 1960 it has spread beyond the Muria area and into other ethnic groups on the four main islands of western Indonesia.