One has been in the making for more than 10 years.
The Greenlane Presbyterian Church has nurtured the development of a Tongan community in their congregation for many years, and this I believe has given birth to something new. (I have been proved this additional information about the roup being recognized as a "fellowship" rather than a congregation-The Tongan Fellowship was established on
18th December 1988 by Tauni Uasike, under Rev Len Currie's ministry...)
Tani and the leaders of the Tongan community will continue to work with the Council to establish a structure that can meet the growing need of the Tongan young families, youth and infants.
Multicultural model of Church will depend on how the Council would see the future development of the members. As long as one that nurtures the fakaTonga ways and allows Tongan language, Church culture, aspects of their Methodist upbringing such as the recognition of the Setuata (stewart a Methodist term relating to a specific role).
Many of the migrant members of the congregation have Methodist Church (Wesleyan) affiliations. If they were to travel back to Tonga, they no doubt will resume their place in the home Church where they were born and raised to. Even if this is the reality of home church connection, we need to recognise that they are Presbyterian members,that would like to also include in their worship and their mission and ministries, aspect of their expressions that ought to be Tongan.
For the members that are NZ born, second generation; their needs may be slightly different to those of their parents, however, their family traditions, their respect for the parents and the elders of the community exist and continue to be enforced while they are gathered with the migrant parents.
There will be continued work in managing this inter-generational issue. This is an aspect of training that I plan to organise and run as a necessary part of Cross cultural and inter-generational approach to mission and ministry.
I attended the worship service of the Tongan congregation in the Greenlane Presbyterian Church today and presided over Holy communion, unfortunately I received the Tongan version of the Communion liturgy. I found the contemporary feel to their worship. The modern set up of the Church sanctuary helped this in some way, with Tani offering leading in a mix of both contemporary and elements of Tongan Methodist ways, as well as a bilingual approach to all espect of the Service.
The majority of the service was conducted in Tongan, however for the benefit of non Tongan speakers, Tani busied herself typing directly onto power-point translation, saving time and improving communication which I found refreshing as well as it being innovative.During the time of my sharing, she showed great skills in translating my English to Tongan, and when I spoke in Niuean (Many similarities) she was also able to translate Niuean to Tongan.
The Communion I conducted in English, and in some regards used aspects of the method they were accustomed with during the distribution of the elements.The Spirit of God I did feel strongly was with us as we offered an open invitation to all, to come forward and receive the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus.
I do hope to approach the local minister of the other Presbyterian Churches that have Tongan members at the PT C hevalier Presbyterian of the possibility of discussing some joint events. with the Greenlane Presbyterian Tongan community (fellowship).
Tani has also established connection with Tongan students studying at the Laydlaw College in Lincoln Rd Henderson. She reported this to be welcomed by the College and has linked in to her involvement with the c ollege where she gained her undergraduate degree.
Malo Aupito.
May the love of God continue to be with you our Tongan brothers and sisters until we meet again.
AMEN.
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