CWM

Congregational Christian Church in Samoa

Thursday, 19 July 2007 18:20

Main languages:

• Samoan, English

Main religions:

• Christianity (97%), other (3%)

Government:

• Commonwealth country. Governed at present by a head of state for life, a prime minister, a cabinet and a legislative assembly.

National and community concerns:

• Lack of socio-economic infrastructure: public roads, water supply, electricity, hospitals.
• Global warming and climate change.
• Youth crime, drug abuse, suicide, domestic violence.
• HIV and AIDS, diabetes, heart disease.
• Shortage of doctors.
• High cost of living.
• Village to town population movement.
• Erosion of traditional and cultural values.
• Educational opportunities.

Church priorities and programmes:

• Help individual congregations become self-supporting.
• Developing programmes for young people - youth, junior youth group, Sunday school, pastors' school, Boys' and Girls' Brigade.
• Providing spiritual nourishment for local and national communities via weekly Sunday worship services, monthly fellowships, daily television and radio broadcast services.
• Training teachers to help with theological education.
• Development and resourcing of church school - buildings, teaching resources - and reducing drift of staff members to government schools.
• Supporting mission work overseas.

Members/Congregations:

• 70,000/329

Women's representation in church:

• Each parish has a women's committee.
• Women are represented in all levels of church governance and activities.

Youth activities:

• Youth activities include camps, Bible study, music, cultural events and sports.
• Church youth sometimes affiliate with government youth programmes, seminars and workshops.
• National youth day; sports week; cultural week.

Missionaries sent and received through CWM:

• Rachel Zote, teaching, from the Presbyterian Church of India.
• Vanlalthanpuii Chawngthu, teaching from the Presbyterian Church of India.
• Lalengzami Chhakchhuak, teaching, from the Presbyterian Church of India.
• Lise Talia, teaching, from the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu.

For more information:

• Rev Dr Iutisone Salevao, General Secretary

Prayers:

• For action to reduce global warming.
• For students on government and church scholarship programmes overseas.
• For the CCCS missionaries working overseas.
• For all those working to assist the Christian nurture of youth.
• For the members of parliament and the government.