Church members gather in American Samoa for first South Pacific lectures
TAFUNA, AMERICAN SAMOA — Churches in the territory of American Samoa participated in the first South Pacific Lectureship, which brought about 110 church members to the Tafuna congregation recently, said missionary David Willis .Guest speakers included Steve Raine, of New Zealand; Alan Wright, a missionary in Fiji; and Kent Hartman, former missionary to Australia and instructor at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. Malaetia Misa translated each lecture into the Samoan language.
Rebecca Jerkins and Julie Chilton, mission interns in Tafuna from Abilene Christian University in Texas, conducted a Vacation Bible School for children during the lectures.
“The young people have fallen in love with these two young ladies,” Willis said. “They are being great examples for Christ during their stay.”
Mara Ashley conducted a class for women each morning. Ashley and her husband, Lynn, moved to American Samoa in the early 1990s and assist the church. Members Salimu Tamapolu and Luaao Soli, along with Misa and Willis, led morning classes for men.
“All three congregations in American Samoa were represented at the lectureship, and it was a very strengthening and unifying experience,” said the Ashleys’ daughter, Colleen. Churches plan to make the lectureship an annual event.
Sept. 1, 2006
Rebecca Jerkins and Julie Chilton, mission interns in Tafuna from Abilene Christian University in Texas, conducted a Vacation Bible School for children during the lectures.
“The young people have fallen in love with these two young ladies,” Willis said. “They are being great examples for Christ during their stay.”
Mara Ashley conducted a class for women each morning. Ashley and her husband, Lynn, moved to American Samoa in the early 1990s and assist the church. Members Salimu Tamapolu and Luaao Soli, along with Misa and Willis, led morning classes for men.
“All three congregations in American Samoa were represented at the lectureship, and it was a very strengthening and unifying experience,” said the Ashleys’ daughter, Colleen. Churches plan to make the lectureship an annual event.
Sept. 1, 2006
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