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Annual Meeting welcomes four Samoan churches to PNC-UCC

Highlights of the Annual Meeting business sessions were welcoming four Samoan churches into the PNC-UCC.

The Board of Directors had voted March 8 to approve two churches in Anchorage for membership in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ

Samoan singers, members, dancers share their faith and culture.

They are EFKAS First London Missionary Society Congregational Christian Church with the Rev. Iotamo Falealili as pastor, and the Worship Center Christian Fellowship, with the Rev. Faatauvaa Alaelua, as lead pastor.

At Annual Meeting in April 27, they were welcomed to the PNC-UCC along with two  Seattle area churches, First Samoan Congregational Christian Church #1 with the Rev. Etele Toilolo Ma’aele as pastor, and Samoan Congregational Church #6 with pastors, the Rev. Aunuua Vasega and the Rev. Talosaga Paten.

First Samoan Congregational Christian Church #1

The Church Development Committee (CDC) and Committee on Ministry (COM) worked with these churches last year.

In September Dawn Koloi and Karen Nooney from CDC and Morag Stewart from COM-East visited Anchorage to meet with three congregations seeking affiliation, as well as a new church community in formation.

After conversations, First LMS (London Missionary Society) Christian Church of Anchorage and The Christian Worship Center decided to join the conference.

Samoan children dance during worship.

The CDC also nurtured relationships with the Seattle #1 Samoan Church, and Seattle #6 Samoan Church in Kent.

In Anchorage, Follow the Star, new faith community, is in discussion with the CDC about becoming a church in discernment in the PNC-UCC. While in Alaska, Karen, Dawn, and Morag met with the Rev. Bill Maury-Holmes and members of Follow the Star.

The CDC seeks to support Ministry Leaders in New Contexts, and this spring invited those serving in non-traditional settings to create a cohort of ministry leaders.

Building relationships with new affiliating congregations continues after a congregation has been received. The CDC will work to strengthen relationships with new churches welcomed in the conference.

For information, call 206-725-8383 or visit pncucc.org.

 

 

 

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