Lampeang, Pieter (1952–2018)

Pieter Lampeang was a pastor and administrator serving in Indonesia.

Early Life

Pieter Lampeang was born on July 28, 1952, in Bawoleu Village, Tagulandang Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.¹ He was the fifth of six children born to his father, Alfinus Lampeang (1912–2001), and his mother, Dorkas Tatori (1912–1993), both of Tagulandang ethnicity and members of the Adventist church in Bawoleu. Alfinus and Dorkas were traditional farmers who supported their family from their salak (snake fruit) farm. Pieter spent his childhood in his birthplace.² He attended the Adventist Elementary School in Bawoleu Tagulandang, finishing there in 1965. He was also a student of the Adventist Junior High School in Bawoleu, from where he graduated in 1968.³ Even though Pieter was born in an Adventist family, his spiritual growth was very much influenced by the baptism class that was run by the church elders, especially Adrianus Mulalinda. Because of the spiritual training in this baptism class, in 1967, together with his childhood friends, he was baptized by Pastor Piet Hein Roleh.⁴

Education and Marriage

Entering adolescence, Pieter left his hometown to the city of Manado to pursue his senior high school education. He enrolled in Sekolah Menengah Atas, Manado (Manado Christian high school), and graduated in 1971.⁵

After graduating from high school, he became a day laborer in his village to help his parents while trying to raise money to continue his education at the college, where he aspired to become an Adventist pastor. After a few years of work, he enrolled at Mount Klabat College (now Klabat University) and majored in theology. While he studied, he met Velma Sopacua, who was a teacher at that college.⁶ They were attracted to each other, and the seeds of love grew, so they married at the campus of Mount Klabat College on June 8, 1978.⁷ Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Lisa Glenda Lampeang (b. October 5, 1978) and Laura Lampeang (b. March 2, 1981).⁸ Pieter completed his education at the Mount Klabat College and earned his B.A. in theology in 1980.⁹

Career and Ministry

After graduating from college, Pieter served as an intern pastor in Maluku Mission for a year and a half. Then he was appointed as principal of Wayame Academy, where he served for two and a half years, until July 1, 1984, when he was assigned as the publishing director of Maluku Mission for six months.¹⁰

Starting in January 1985, he left for college at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Far East (now Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies) in Silang, Cavite, Manila, and graduated with an M.A. degree in 1986.¹¹ He then returned to Maluku and became a church pastor through 1988.¹²

On January 1, 1989, he was appointed as executive secretary of Sangihe and Talaud Island Mission (now Northern Islands Mission). While he was serving as the executive secretary, he was ordained as a pastor on July 27, 1989.¹³ Pieter served as secretary for 10 years, until January 1, 1999, when he was appointed as president of the same mission.¹⁴ While he was the president of Sangihe and Talaud Island Mission, he had the opportunity to attend classes at the Distance Learning Center in Manado, which was carried out by Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, and got a master’s of public health (M.P.H.) degree in 2002.¹⁵ After serving as president of Sangihe and Talaud Island Mission for seven years, in 2006, he returned to Maluku Mission and became a church pastor for two years until the end of 2007, when he was elected as president of Maluku Mission. He served in that position until December 2010.¹⁶ After serving as the mission president, Pieter served as a church pastor in Ambon until he retired on December 31, 2014, due to age.¹⁷

Later Life

Pieter and his wife, Velma, lived in Ambon City for several years. But on October 17, 2015, Velma died and left Pieter as a widower. He then moved to Bawoleu Tagulandang, his birthplace, where he lived until he died on June 22, 2018, and was buried in his family’s burial place.¹⁸

Sources

Retirement Fund application of Pieter Lampeang. East Indonesia Union Conference archives.

Service Record of Pieter Lampeang. East Indonesia Union Conference archives.

Notes

1. Birth Certificate of Pieter Lampeang, personal collection of Lisa Lampeang.↩

2. Janses Lampeang, eldest brother of Pieter, interview by Edison Takasanakeng, Bawoleu Tagulandang, January 2, 2020.↩

3. Kres Mulalinda, childhood friend of Pieter, interview by Edison Takasanakeng, Bawoleu Tagulandang, January 2, 2020.↩

4. Ibid.↩

5. Senior High School Diploma from SMA Kristen Manado, personal collection of Lisa Lampeang.↩

6. Laura Lampeang, youngest daughter of Pieter, interview by Edison Takasanakeng, Bawoleu Tagulandang, January 2, 2020.↩

7. Marriage certificate, personal collection of Lisa Lampeang.↩

8. Laura Lampeang, interview.↩

9. College diploma, personal collection of Lisa Lampeang.↩

10. Service Record of Pieter Lampeang, East Indonesia Union Conference archives.↩

11. Frans Luturmas, seminary classmate, telephone interview by Edison Takasanakeng, January 22, 2020.↩

12. Service Record of Pieter Lampeang.↩

13. Retirement Fund Application of Pieter Lampeang, East Indonesia Union Conference archives.↩

14. Ibid.↩

15. Personal knowledge of the author as his classmate in the Distance Learning Center of AIIAS held in Manado.↩

16. Service Record of Pieter Lampeang.↩

17. Retirement Fund Application of Pieter Lampeang.↩

18. Laura Lampeang interview.↩