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HISTORY OF THE FIJIAN CONGREGATION LEWE TOLU VAKALOU AT TRINITY UNITING CHURCH, DANDENONG
DATE OF FORMATION: 25TH MAY 1992
REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING
The Need There were many Fijians living in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne; people who had always been strongly involved in church life back home in Fiji but were not attending church because at that stage there was no Fijian-speaking church service within easy access in this area.
The Vision This situation was of tremendous concern for Jim Smith who had arrived in Australia early in1991. Because Jim was greatly concerned about the situation and believes God gave him the vision of establishing a Fijian congregation in Dandenong at Trinity Uniting Church where he had been attending.
The Aims · worship · fellowship · prayer · faith support · faith growing · bible study · serving the Fijian community
THE ESTABLISHING OF THE CONGREGATION
· Jim consulted with the Trinity minister of the time, Rev. Murray John and also Gil Mathews who was the Secretary of Elders · as a result, contact was made with Rev. Rex Fisher minister in charge of ethnic congregations within the Victorian Synod. · Rev. Fisher set up a plan for the establishment of the Fijian congregation as a separate congregation operating on the Trinity premises with the Trinity Minister acting as their Minister also.
UP TO DATE REPORT · The current minister Rev. Dr. Graeme Sutton leads our services every 1st Sunday each month and we also receive Holy Communion that day. Rev. Eseta Menielly helps out every 2nd Sunday each month with our worship. · From Christmas 2008, until just after Easter 2009, the Congregation supported a Lay Preachers and a choir master from Fiji who came to us in order to gain experience in our setting as well as to be an encouragement to us in our faith development. · In October 2009, the Congregation supported our Hindi Fellowship which also meets at Dandenong. This Fellowship was co-host of the 10th Biannual International Consultation of Hindi-speaking Fellowships. We participated with them in the Fiji Day celebration on the Saturday night, and cooked lovu dinner following the Sunday service at which Mrs. Isabel Thomas-Dobson, the Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania was the guest preacher. · Combined services have continued each quarter with the Altona Meadows Congregation and have alternated between Altona Meadows and Dandenong. In the latter part of the year, these services have expanded and have also included the Melbourne Fijian Congregation (Chadstone) and a congregation in Coburg. · A member of our Congregation serves as a member of the Australian Defence Forces and when he is on overseas assignment, a special candle is lit and is placed on the communion Table as a reminder both to us and to him of our prayers that God will keep him safe. The candle burns until he has returned and is able to extinguish it himself. An electronic Candle also burns on the front page of the Trinity website. · Services are recorded each week and generally are then placed in the Fijian Worship section of the Trinity website. Our statistics indicate that some of these services are accessed from other places. · We are sad to report that Mr. Jim Smith our elder and founder of this congregation retired from his position as Elder late this year. On the other hand, we are thankful to God for his vision, his leadership, and for the extended time that he has been our leader. We wish him and Asena God’s blessings as they travel this Australian continent for the next twelve months in their retirement. · Mr. Henry Smith has taken on some of the responsibilities that Jim had previously undertaken. Henry is also the elected representative of the Congregation to the Presbytery of Port Phillip East. · We have gratefully received Mr. Viliame Turaga who is willing to replace Mr. Smith as lay preacher and elder and also temporary "Vakatawa", since we the Church Council is working towards getting someone from Fiji to eventually take up that position. On behalf of the Congregation, Rev. Dr. Sutton commissioned Viliame as interim leader at a service on Sunday 29th December, 2009 · The Congregation consists of 30 members including the children and all are regular in their attendance. · our services each Sunday starts at 12pm for an hour after the Trinity's service from 10 to 11am. Our service is followed by the Cook Islanders worship from 2 to 3pm. The three congregations combine for worship every quarter. We also join with Trinity for Easter and Christmas services. · The children are now involved with regular Christian Education program and through this are learning the elements of the faith and occasionally during the worship time they present some of the songs they have learned · The Church Council was formed a few years ago and, under provisions of the Uniting Church Regulations for smaller congregations, the Church Council consists of all the adult members of our congregation. · We have an Executive Committee which helped Jim Smith run programs and projects for our group with the help of Rev. Dr. Sutton. This Executive meets and discusses proposals which are brought as recommendations to the Church Council who makes the final decision. · Bible studies are held each Friday at a proposed members house. · We have also developed a leadership roster for each Sunday where each congregation member assist in the leading of the service even though there may be a different person preaching. This makes provision for every one to take a leadership role. · Some of our male members provide support on the 1st Saturday of the month supervising on the CORE roster. · We also are part of the CIFT Co-ordinating group which usually meets every second month to co-ordinate the operations on the property of the cook Islands, Fijian and Trinity congregations – this group will have vital work in 2020 as the property undergoes a major re-development · Our Annual General Meeting is held every November each year. It appointed Rev. Dr. Graeme Sutton and Radini Rosslyn Sutton to represent the Congregation at the Darwin Conference along with Sireli. · The Congregation has a healthy balance sheet and contributes to the Synod Mission and Service Fund and also makes a contribution for ministry to the Trinity Congregation. · Despite the difficulties surrounding the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma, Lewe Tolu Vakalou undertook specific fundraising to contribute to an offering from Australia.
Congregation Chairperson: Mr Nigel Bitu Secretary: Mrs Vesi Volavola Treasurer: Mr. Keni Naulumatua Elders: Mr. Henry Smith, Mrs Rachel Bitu, Mr Jim Smith
In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.
Mrs. Vesi Volavola Rev. Dr. Graeme Sutton 29th December, 2009. |
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