Lutherans mourn passing of church leader

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG (ELCPNG) is mourning the death of one of its senior Pastors, Rev Gundu Guenu Kagl, who passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

The late Rev. Gundu Guenu Kagl.

Rev. Gundu, from Dokorr Village in Kundiawa, Chimbu Province, was Papua District President and National Church Council member of ELCPNG at the time of his passing.

He was born in Kundiawa in April 1957 and was 63 when he passed on.

He attended the National Arts School in 1975 and graduated in 1978.

He became famous in the late 1970s as the start of the local hit movie ‘Marabe’.

Rev. Gundu enrolled at the Martin Luther Seminary in Lae in 1979 and graduated with a Diploma in Theology in 1983.

He was called to serve the Koki Lutheran Church in Port Moresby in 1984 and did so until 1996.

Rev. Gundu was called to Chimbu District in 1997 and served there until 2000.

He was called by the Papua District to serve at Marimari Lutheran Church in Gordon, Port Moresby, in 2000 and has faithfully served until the time of his passing.

Rev. Gundu was elected as the Papua District President in September 2017.

Papua District is one of the 17 Districts of ELCPNG and covers Northern, Milne Bay, Central, National Capital District, Gulf and Western provinces.

Rev. Gundu was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) on June 19, 1994.

He reenrolled at Martin Luther Seminary in 2017 and successfully graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology (B. Th).

Rev. Gundu served the church tirelessly for 43 years until the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife and two children.

Rev. Gundu’s funeral service was held at his beloved Marimari Church at 2pm on Thursday, March 4, 2021.

His body was taken home to Chimbu for burial on Friday, March 5, 2021.