Reverend Vavatau Taufao says taxing church ministers is just the first step.

"If this colonial mindset is allowed to continue, when will it reach the matai (high chiefs), taulelea (untitled men) … but that's my view. I'm very disappointed."

Vavatau made the comment in response to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's use of old issues of the government-run Savali newspaper to show that church ministers paid taxes when Samoa was governed by Germany.

"These Savali issues are from 1906," Vavatau said in a special programme aired on church-run television station EFKS TV.

"Listen to the words: Ia lafo tupe a matai ma faifeau lotu, ia tofu ma le 12 maka, a'o taulelea, ia tofu ma le tai 8 maka."

[In English: Matai and church ministers were to pay twelve deutschmarks, the untitled men were to pay eight deutschmarks.]

Vavatau went on to say the church has a deeper concern, one that underlies the tax question - the reference to the pastor being an employee.

He said the EFKS membership can never belittle their pastors like that because they value their covenant relationship.

"If the Pastor is the employee, his only employer is God. They are workers for God.

"So unless the Government want to retrieve the tax from God, then they can go ahead and do that themselves."

The Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, has warned that all church Ministers have until 31 July 2018 to comply or face the consequences.

Source

• sobserver.ws
• sobserver.ws
• Image: 123rf.com

Documents leaked to the Samoa Observer show that the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (CCCS) will not observe a law requiring all church ministers to pay income tax.

According to the minutes of their meeting on 14 March 2018, the church will agree only after a discussion at their annual Malua conference this month.

The Prime Minister said unless it is officially announced by the church, he will not respond in case the report by the Samoa Observer is "inaccurate".

He reiterated the law targets the church ministers.

"It is directed to the church ministers meaning the hammer will fall on the head of the nail."

"That is why it is important to know that if the elders of the church try to interfere, we look back to the law which indicates that is being a party to a crime."

Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt declined to comment on what actions the Government will take if the church ministers do not follow the law.

"I'm sorry but no comment from me."

The Samoa Observer asked the Minister if he was scared of the church but he said: "I am not scared, I just don't want to elaborate on the issue."

It was put to the Minister that it is going on four months since the tax became effective.

"Currently the church ministers are undergoing registration, however, taxes should have already been paid as of January 2018," said Tialavea.

"The question as to how many church ministers who have not paid or have paid, I cannot say because I don't know."

Source

• samoaobserver.ws
• Image: pacificislandtimes.com

The station had incurred losses since its launch four years ago and the conference looked at a recommendation to either shut it down or lease it out. Read more

and also read Proposal to sell Church TV

Tavita Sa'u from Si'ufaga, Falelatai, did not enter a plea when he appeared before Judge Talasa Lumepa Atoa Saaga.

The statue has been at the centre of a controversy between Reverend Opapo Soanai of the Si'ufaga Church and the Elders Committee of the E.F.K.S Church.

Soana'i, the father of Toaipuapuaga Opapo Soana'i (Toa), the woman who claims to be carrying the marks of Jesus Christ's suffering,

Last Month he said he been stripped off his pastoral by the Elders Committee.

Soana'i protested his innocence saying he has done nothing wrong.

"In the Church Constitution, there is nothing in there against statues of Mary and Jesus."

"If you look at all the churches, there are images of Jesus and Mary everywhere. Those are statues too."

Soana'i added that he did not acquire the statues himself.

"See, I didn't get those statues myself. They were brought over as a present and our church membership are fearful to reject it because they are of Jesus and Mary. If it was of anything else, then they might've considered rejecting it."

There is a history to the statues.

"When the statues were brought over, Toa received a message which said "if anyone rejects them, they will suffer forever… So what we are saying is that if they want to remove it, they can come and do it themselves but we can't because we received the translated message in Hebrew."

Source

• sobserver.ws
• Image: samoaobserver.ws

However, that ban comes with exceptions, urging that "wisdom and conscience" are used.

C.C.C.S. Secretary General, Reverend Dr. Iutisone Salevao said the decision was finalised during last year's gathering.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Dr. Salevao made it clear that the change is to "lighten the burden on people".

Reading from the Annual Meeting's Resolution 2013 booklet, he said, "There shall be no more traditional presentation of fine mats inclusive of food feasts presentation in dedication of church buildings."

Around this time last year, at the 2013 conference, many Reverends voiced their dismay on the traditional practices causing "people to leave churches".

One of the Ministers told the conference last year that the church should set an example to "stop taiga sua to avoid the heavy burden on people".

"If we take these gifts away we would feel a lot cooler and relaxed."

Under fa'alavelave custom, family and friends are expected to donate money, food, clothing and artefacts during a wedding, funeral or other significant occasions.

This is on top of regular tithes, with some church goers donating up to half of their income.

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Image: unesco.org

Samoan church bans gift-giving]]> 58395 https://cathnews.co.nz/2014/05/27/financial-viability-church-run-efks-tv-scrutiny/ Mon, 26 May 2014 19:03:41 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=58267

The financial viability of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa's (C.C.C.S.) television Network, called EFKS TV, was brought under the microscope last week at the Church's annual conference. EFKS TV was launched in May 2013 at a cost, which has been variously reported, to be between half a million and 1.1 tala. The money was Read more

The General Secretary of the Council Reverend Ma'auga Motu says a letter of objection has been received and will be discussed in next month's executive meeting.

He says the objection is based on using LMS because the Congregational Christian Church was formerly known as LMS before it changed its name 50 years ago.

The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa traces its beginnings to the arrival in 1830 of missionaries sent by the London Missionary Society, accompanied by missionary teachers from Tahiti and the Cook Islands and a Samoan couple from Tonga.

This Samoan church has continued to forge ecumenical relationships with other churches locally, regionally and internationally. Now it has become a transnational church with eight Districts (synod or diocese) outside Samoa: one in the USA, one in Hawaii, three in Australia and three in New Zealand. It has one congregation each in Fiji and American Samoa.

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• CCCS.org.ws
• Image: Facebook

EFKS media opened with 80 percent coverage of the country.

"We hope to have complete coverage in three months," says Chairman of the General Assembly, Rev. Elder Tautiaga Senara.

Both the radio and TV outlets will be under the operational leadership of Tuiasau Uelese Petaia, a former CEO of TV One, who also ran his own television station and has wide experience in the print media.

When Tuiasau was named manager of the stations, the appropriateness of the appointment was questioned because Tuiasau has been convicted of 67 counts of theft and given an 18 month jail sentence which he completed last year.

Asked about the concerns raised by the appointment, General Secretary of CCCS, Rev. Dr. Iutisone Salevao responded with a question of his own.

"Who was crucified together with Jesus, was it an angel?" he asked.

"However, he has the experience needed to realise the church's dream of operating a radio and television service for her members and the community," he said.

Initially the focus will be on youth; all programmes are to be broadcast in English and Samoan.

Salevao has previously revealed the need to address the problems faced by youth and hopes the programmes will help them choose a better road in life.

Both media are co-funded by the Council for World Mission in Singapore and London, but the church hopes for financial self-sufficiency in the future.

Source

• Talamua
• Talamua
• Talamua
• Image: Bebo

His coffin was draped with the national flag and shoulder-carried by Police pall bearers.

"Reverend Oka was a man who was not easily swayed by others' opinions," Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi noted in his state eulogy during the reverend elder's funeral service at the Safotulafai EFKS church Tuesday morning.

Source

• Savali News
• Image: Savali News