wfn.org | UCC approves ministry partnership with churches in American Samoa

[George Conklin <gconklin@wfn.org>]

United Church of Christ
Office of Communication
700 Prospect Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
contact: Barbara Powell
phone: 216-736-2222
email: powellb@ucc.org
http://www.ucc.org

PROVIDENCE, RI - July 6 1999 - 

CCCAS/UCC Partnership
        The United Church broadens its spiritual diet with GS22's overwhelming
approval of a partnership in mission and ministry between the Congregational
Christian Church in American Samoa and the United Church of Christ. 
        A Synod committee member asked what gifts the CCCAS would bring to a
partnership with the UCC. “In terms of money, nothing,” answered Elder
Masalosalo Sopoaga, secretary of the CCCAS council of elders, tongue in cheek.
He continued, “I hope you will learn some spiritual food from our culture and
our religious way of doing things.” 
         “To serve God better, we need to work together,” added the Rev. Iese
Tuuao, pastor of Fourth Samoan Congregational Christian Church, Long Beach,
Calif. Tuuao has represented UCC pastors of Samoan heritage in partnership
talks over the last two years.     
        Tasting new spiritual food is only part of the need for the
partnership.  The CCCAS has about 70 congregations in the Pacificcoast mainland
United States and Hawaii.  Many are neighbors of United Church Samoan
congregations.  “There is already significant moving back and forth between our
churches,” explained the Rev. John Thomas, executive assistant to the president
for ecumenical concerns. 
        That moving back and forth includes congregants and pastors.  Under the
terms of the partnership, both communions would work toward “more coherent
protocols for how those (ministerial) exchanges take place,” Thomas said. 
        The CCCAS will also have new spiritual dining options as a result
of the
partnership.  One committee member asked if women serve in CCCAS pulpits. “We
are working toward accepting women to our ordained ministry  perhaps quicker
than some expected,” answered Sopoaga.  The CCCAS has invited a delegation of
ordained UCC women to American Samoa to share their pastoral experiences.
        Addressing the full Synod,  Elder Pita Elisara, CCCAS vice moderator,
hoped the partnership would strengthen the CCCAS to deal with difficulties
literally on the horizon of American Samoa.  “With the American influences
infiltrating the lives of our people, your help in preparing our pastors and
Christian educators to address the problems that come with them is badly
needed,” Elisara said.  
        The GS22 document calls for a Partnership committee made up of
representatives from both churches. The committee is to meet at least once a
year to provide leadership in developing opportunities for cooperation in
mission and ministry  and clearer channels of accountability for ministers
moving between the two communions.