Church of Tuvalu
The Christian Church of Tuvalu, in Tuvaluan - Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu - is the national church of Tuvalu. It comprises 92% of the 12,000 inhabitants of the archipelago.
Christianity first came to Tuvalu in 1861 when Elekana, a deacon of a Congregational church in Manihiki, Cook Islands became caught in a storm and drifted for 8 weeks before landing at Nukulaelae.[1] Elekana began proselytizing Christianity. He was trained at Malua Theological College, a London Missionary Society school in Samoa, before beginning his work in establishing the Church of Tuvalu. In 1865 the Rev. A. W. Murray of the London Missionary Society – a Protestant congregationalist missionary society – arrived as the first European missionary where he too proselytized among the inhabitants of Tuvalu.
By 1878 Christianity was well established with preachers on each island. In the later 19th Century and early 20th century the ministers of what became the Church of Tuvalu were predominantly Samoans, who influenced the development of the Tuvaluan language and the music of Tuvalu.[2] [3] In 1969, the Church acquired its independence from the LMS, since which time it has sent some missionaries to serve Tuvaluan migrants in Fiji, New Zealand, Hawaii, Australia, and the Marshall Islands.[4]
The church is Calvinist in doctrine and congregational in organization. Being the de facto established church, the Church of Tuvalu dominates most aspects of social, cultural and political life in the country. The church operates Fetuvalu High School, a day school, which is located on Funafuti.[5] [6] [7]
The church is a member of the World Association for Christian Communication, the Boys' Brigade International Fellowship,[8] the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Council of Churches and the Pacific Conference of Churches.
The church publishes a bulletin in the Tuvaluan and English languages.
Rev. Sir Filoimea Telito, a former Governor General, presided most recently over the Church until his death in July 2011.[9][10]
[edit] References
- ^ Laumua Kofe, Palagi and Pastors, Tuvalu: A History, Ch. 15, U.S.P. & Tuvalu (1983)
- ^ Laumua Kofe, Palagi and Pastors, Tuvalu: A History, Ch. 15, U.S.P. & Tuvalu (1983)
- ^ Munro, D. (1996). "D. Munro & A. Thornley (eds.) The Covenant Makers: Islander Missionaries in the Pacific". Samoan Pastors in Tuvalu, 1865-1899. Suva, Fiji, Pacific Theological College and the University of the South Pacific. pp. 124–157.
- ^ "Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu". Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ "Fetuvalu High School (Funafuti)". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ Semi, Diana (23 November 2006). "Fetuvalu High School ends the year with a prize giving day". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ Holowaty Krales, Amelia (10 March 2011). "TB Workshop at Fetu Valu Secondary School". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ :- Global Fellowship of Christian Youth / ORGANISATION -:
- ^ "The Rev. Filoimea Telito passed away", Tuvalu News, 22 July 2011
- ^ "State Funeral of the late former Governor General of Tuvalu, Reverend Sir Filoimea Telito, GCMG, MBE". Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 01/2011). 25 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
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