So what about the Methodist Church?

from w
I read in the on-line version of Radio Fiji that religious gatherings do not need a permit, yet I wonder what are the rulings regarding the up-coming Methodist Conference to be held in August which I have heard is only allowed to gather for one day. That means talking fast, praying fast, eating fast! You can't have one rule for one group, another rule for another religious group.

From Radio Fiji today:
Permit not required for religious gatherings
Wednesday, April 06, 201

Religious organisations do not need to apply for a permit to host religious functions says Solicitor General Christopher Pryde. His comments follow speculations that religious organisations are required to get a permit before organising a function – in this case the Ram Naumi festival which many Hindus are celebrating around the country.

Pryde says there is a provision under the Public Order Act for religious functions. “Under the Public Order Act the religious organisations are exempted from applying for a permit for a gathering. So for religious organisations that have to hold celebrations on a private property anywhere – there is no need to get a permit.
There maybe something the Suva City Council has concerning noise abatement – those sorts of by-laws then of course they will have to abide by the by-laws.”

The Ram Naumi festival will be celebrated by Hindus around the country for the next 7 days.

Traditional protocol in Lomanikoro, Rewa

from Peceli, Vinaka vakalevu. They have performed the correct protocol in going to Lomanikoro, Rewa, to the Roko Tui Dreketi and the vanua of Rewa. The church is privileged to have back-up men like Rev Laisiasa and Rev Tevita to lead this group and to have the right approach. We hope and pray that good arrangements can be made for the future. The cancellation of the Methodist Conference was like a tsunami but we don't want anyone hurt.

From the Fiji Times: God's willBy TIMOCI VULA
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Members of the Methodist Church delegation led by former president Reverend Laisiasa Ratabacaca, third from left, ride across the Rewa River to Lomanikoro Village yesterday.
IN a solemn pilgrimage across the Rewa River, senior Methodist ministers made a traditional approach to the chiefly host of their 2009 annual conference to announce its cancellation yesterday.

Led by former church president Reverend Laisiasa Ratabacaca, the 11-man delegation made a presentation for Rewa to accept the church's decision made on Friday.

"It was a difficult task for the church to convey this message to the vanua of Rewa and it was also difficult for the Marama Roko Tui Dreketi (Ro Teimumu Kepa) to accept," church assistant general secretary Reverend Tevita Banivanua told the Fiji Times.

"But we're strengthened by God's word when He said: 'For when I am weak, then I am strong' (2 Corinthians 12:10)."

He said there were two ways to deal with the State's decision not to allow the conference - to be confrontational, which the church did not want to be seen as, or be humble.

"That is God's will," he said.

"The challenge is huge. When it is God's will, he will surely open many other doors in the future."

Mr Banivanua said the delegation informed Ro Teimumu of the decision and highlighted reasons such as the recent arrest of clergymen, including hers. "We kindly informed her that the church was mindful of what the consequences could be for the whole of Fiji if this meeting was to go ahead."

Mr Banivanua said the cancellation of the conference was not a loss for the church. Its humble approach, he said, meant victory because "God will triumph at the end of the day".

He said the vanua Rewa had accepted this decision since it only awaited the voice of the church.

"We thank the vanua of Rewa for their initiative to approach the church to host the conference, which was confirmed in 2006, 2007 and again in 2008.

"Their forefathers had not fully adored Christianity and this was their opportunity, this was their time, which was why they approached the church."

"But there is always hope for another time provided by God," he said.

Ro Teimumu is currently bound by strict bail conditions, which means she would not be able to call for any meetings to inform her people of this decision.

Mr Banivanua will make a formal announcement to all members through the church's Sunday programme Raici Jisu Matua on Radio Fiji One today.

He will officially inform church president Reverend Ame Tugaue and general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu (of the meeting with Ro Teimumu) tomorrow, after which immediate arrangements for its standing committee meeting would follow.

The 32-member standing committee will be expanded to include heads of the church's 53 divisions who will discuss issues of the church this month on the scheduled date of the annual conference.

Repairing the power points

from Peceli,
Here are a few thoughts about the Methodist Church in Fiji.

Illustration of repairing the power wiring.

To begin with I must thank my golfer friend Lindsay Dixon for helping us by fixing the damaged power points in our house last Wednesday. My friend was able to come to investigate the power failures. We had to climb inside the roof and crawl about searching for the cause. It took 2 hours to find the problem, and it was not until we climbed on the top of the roof, took our a few roofing irons above the kitchen and then checked the electricity wiring where the plastic box was half burnt and melted. That was the cause of the problem.

Then from there the electrician set about to check and fix about fourteen power points and install a safety switch and this took another two hours. Lindsay said that the wiring was probably over fifty or sixty years old and had never been updated.

This is a parable perhaps. I would like to compare the checking the problems of electric power current flowing through the wires with the power of leadership of the Methodist Church in Fiji.

What is the current problem of the Methodist Church in Fiji at present?

Power points
1. The basic problem is that there is very old wiring, with no rewiring done in forty-five years ago when the Methodist became Independent in 1964, when Rev Setareki Tuilovoni was the first Fijian President.

Power point 2. The Constitution of the Fiji Methodist Church is very old and has to be updated to suit the modern times, though some parts were changed during Rev Paula Niukula’s time about the General secretary position.

Power point 3. Sometimes the load is in one place, top-heavy without a safety switch. Has Epworth House offices in Suva become the focus too much?

Power point 4. What has happened to the relationship with the parents Churches like Australia’s Uniting Church in Australia and New Zealand and their contributions toward Fiji?

Power point 4. The relationship of the Lotu with Vanua and the Traditional Chiefs in each area. Do we need to check who holds the power? Check who really ‘owns’ the Lotu - the Chiefs or particular individuals or the ordinary people.

Power point 5. Fiji Islands are prone to yearly hurricanes and earthquakes yet survive, and coups by strong people, but what do we do about it? Passively accept that this happens and just get along with our normal life to support our families?

How can these power points be fixed? What kind of people do we need in Fiji to fix the power points? Or just let the wires get heated up and damaged? We surely need to take action, install safety switches, and bring in the skilled people who are willing to crawl through the roof of a house to find and fix each damaged area, bit by bit. It is not an easy task, but necessary.

Prayers and fasting are good but are not enough. Action is needed. You do not just pray that your electrical problem is fixed. We need the expertise and people with the right skills to find the problems and set about fixing them. What do you think?

Davuilevu one hundred years on

from w
Next Monday there will be a celebration at Davuilevu, near Nausori for the hundred years of the Methodist Theological College. Davuilevu is a place where there has been a long history of education - a secondary school, Baker Hall, theological studies, a Bible school, a Lay Training institute. I lived there one time when teaching at Lelean Memorial School and living at Veitalacagi with Lillian (Nabulivou), Marj Bollen, both from Australia and Vivienne Gash from New Zealand. Peceli spent several years there training. The Davuilevu website is up and running at last: and here's a bit from the Centenial Celebrations and next week's programs which co-incide with the Methodist Conference meetings. Not a whisper of politics in all of this eh! Peceli and I hope to be there too. The website won't allow me to look at pictures for the moment.
five talatala who trained at Davuilevu.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
NEXT MONDAY AT DAVUILEVU – 100 YEARS ON
Celebrations will begin at the College at 10am on the 18th of August, usually the first day of the Ministerial Session of the annual “Bose ko Viti” or annual Methodist Church Conference.

At the Celebrations, which is expected to be attended by Methodist Ministers from around Fiji, as wells as descendants of former Principals; the Chief Guest, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, Rev. Laisiasa Ratabacaca will officially open the latest development at the College, its Multipurpose Hall which will house the Community Hall, Women’s Programme, College Canteen and College Bookshop.

The celebration includes the release of a special publication looking at the history of the College, documenting the establishment of the theological training institute at Davuilevu and the century that followed.

An unveiling of the Centennial Monument and cutting of the Centennial Cake will complete the official ceremonies.

From Tuesday 19th to Saturday 23rd August, the celebration will continue at Furnival Park in Toorak, Suva as part of the Annual Methodist Choir Festival and Solevu event. Between 1pm and 2pm daily, special worship services will be held to commemorate 100 years of training ministers at Davuilevu Theological College.

Dudley Church on the go

Alumita Taganesia, Niko Tubukinavere and Reverend William Lucas with the Dudley Methodist Church strategic plan launched yesterday.
from w
Good to see a picture of three people from Dudley church in Suva - my old church, once upon a time, when Rev Fullerton was there. It was 'service' oriented anyway so there's nothing new. My relationship with the people in the Indian Division of the Fiji Methodist Church started when I was 23, a passionate newcomer to Fiji who wanted to change the world. Since that time I have been associated with Dudley, Dilkusha, Wesley in Lautoka, Rakiraki and Labasa Indian Division church communities. Peceli was a padre in Lautoka, Rakiraki and Dilkusha many years ago as he speaks Labasa kind of Hindi. Good luck Dudley with your project and may God's peace give you courage in these very trying times.

in the Fiji papers today:
Church now 'service-oriented'Monday, March 17, 2008

THE Dudley Methodist Memorial Church hopes to be more service-oriented to its members and the community at large after the launch of its five-year strategic plan yesterday. The 54-page document which would be printed into small booklets contains different issues on which the church would work on such as its vision, positioning, church-growth and opportunities and relevance.

Divisional superintendent Reverend William Lucas said the plan which is based on the theme "building a better Fiji" was compiled after a analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats - typical business analysis - was done within the church.

Mr Lucas said one of the main priority of the church is "evangelising" the Indian communities which he admits they have lost focus on. "Dudley Church is now being re-organised towards its original purpose with refocused vision and mission under our new strategic plan," said Mr Lucas. "With much prayers and agonising for seven years, our God, forever faithful, finally responded at the beginning of 2007. He provided the labourers and the stage for introducing this vision work and the plan began to emerge and take concrete shape."

He said the plan articulates the vision, mission and strategic actions that members of the church will take to build a "progressive church blessed by God"
The plan states that their long-term vision is to make it the "number one" church in Fiji and be the choice for anyone who wishes to worship God and deepen his or her faith in Christ. It says Fiji can no longer rely on national policies to creating jobs, security and growth but on God.

Taking the present situation into account, the Plan has also made some observations into Fiji's present situation. It said that "news headlines today still reported our nation at the brink of bankruptcy, people losing their jobs, incomes losses, rising prices on imported goods, industrial unrests, people without water and essential commodities, poor services, life threatening robberies, famine and sufferings from drought, flooding and other natural and made-made disasters."

Naduri Conference continued

from Peceli
Today is the third day of the Bose ko Viti. The weather is typical Babasiga in its fullness. The food is in abundance with kawai, dalo, yams, fish and turtles caught from the sea ahd shared out to every kitchen to be cooked and served to the Bose Ko Viti members. Naduri village looks good, full of people and so is Labasa Town which is overcrowded with people all over Fiji.

Regarding the photos in the previous post - the meke wesi dancers are the people from Sauniduna the interior of Wailevu close to Seaqaqa. They are Catholic Church members and we joined together as the vanua of Wailevu to give glory to God through their meke wesi. One of the photos is of Tui Wailevu during the traditional ceremony.