Pacific Conference of Churches to mark 50-year anniversary

The largest ecumenical church grouping in the Pacific region is planning to celebrate its 50-year anniversary from August 30 to September 4 in Samoa.

“The 50th anniversary is a celebration of the achievements of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) over the last five decades,” the conference said in a statement released to ENInews. “The occasion will also give the opportunity for the PCC to look at what’s in store for it in the immediate and long term future.”

The PCC was established in Samoa in 1961, noted general secretary, Fe’iloakitau Tevi. The celebration will look back at highlights of the PCC’s contribution to the formation of the Pacific region, its independent countries and the issues that Pacific island countries and its people have had to address.

In doing so a number of key speakers, former staff members and other experts will contribute, Tevi said. It will also look at contextualising the issues facing people today and how the church is responding to these issues, he said. The PCC secretariat will be presenting many of its programmes together with those partners that are able to be there at the celebration, according to Tevi.

It will also look at the challenges of the future. “This is an opportunity for the Pacific Conference of Churches to lay out and present the concept of ‘Rethinking Oceania,'” he said.

“This concept is now the underlying premise of the work of PCC and in its essence, it calls for the re-introduction of the notion of self-determination into the discussions of our societies and how well we can be equipped to face the challenges of the future,” Tevi explained. “In addition there will be numerous celebrations of the ecumenical movement in the Pacific in true Pacific style,” he said.

The organization said at its website (https://www.pcc.org.fj/) that it is also asking people in the region to send any stories or pictures to share with them so that they can use them in publications they are preparing to mark the occasion.

By Hisashi Yukimoto, Ecumenical News International