CHURCH HEAD: NO MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS
COUNCIL WILL RELOOK AT DECISION OF MULTI MILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT PLAN “The A.O.G. Church took mismanagement of funds seriously and this was definitely not the reason why the proposed investment plan was pushed down the line.”
Homosexuality is a key issue that every church in Fiji is facing. We are at a point in time when this particular subject is staring in our faces. We have to face it now. The church has its perspective and its position. Mosese Cakau General superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church in Fiji
The Assemblies of God Church in Fiji general superintendent, Mosese Cakau, has brushed aside comments that multi-million dollars investment plans have been halted because of mismanagement. Mr Cakau said the investment plans, which included a luxury apartment hotel in Suva and a shopping mall complex in Koronivia had been mooted by the executive council. An executive council has been formed with very capable people whose task is to look at this particular
issue.
The council will present its report in 2020.
“We are waiting for our 2020 general council meeting,” Mr Cakau said. “I cannot comment much at this point but at the council meeting, I will have the details concerning some of our plans that we have.
“There is a need to relook at it and for the decisions that we need to make at that council meeting.”
Mr Cakau added the church took mismanagement of funds seriously and this was definitely not the reason why the proposed investment plan was pushed down the line.
He said following the stepping down of former general superintendent Pita Cili, changes were made. “There has been a change in leadership and we have made the changes last year. In August last year, the people elected new leaders through the general council elections and he (Peter Cili) decided to step down as general superintendent,” Mr Cakau said.
“At this stage, we are trying to improve where we have been, where we have come from. The executive brethren are meeting at the end of September, 2020, all our divisional councils will be sitting also to help us chart our way forward.
“We have gone through constitutional changes. Now we will develop a strategic plan and we are trying to implement that strategic plan in the stages that have been approved.” The executive council is being headed by Dr Seru Rokosava.
And apart from the church’s investment plan, the council will look at pressing issues.
Mr Cakau said these issues include homosexuality in the church, marriages and divorces, the threat from drugs, planting of yaqona and other social issues. “Homosexuality is a key issue that every church in Fiji is facing. We are at a point in time when this particular subject is staring in our faces. We have to face it now. The church has its perspective and its position,” he said.
“Similarly, the church is also looking at the issue of planting yaqona. While members are saying that it is for financial support, does that financial well-being come at the cost of moral bankruptcy?
“This council has been tasked to deal with those issues and come with a report, which will be endorsed in 2020 after discussions.”
The conference in Labasa ends tomorrow.
Reverend Jasa Tora believes that the theme for their week-long divisional conference is apt in that it will help realign their faith to the will of God. The Assemblies of God in Fiji Central Presbytery was speaking in Day 3 of their conference in Suva. The theme for the conference nationwide is ‘Renewal, to Return and to Revive’.
It is based on verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version) which reads: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.
In an interview yesterday, Reverend Tora said: “People are supposed to be looking to the church for answers, unfortunately we are not doing that as a church.
“We are supposed to be the solution to the problems, but now it is the other way around, sometimes we are the culprits of what is happening.”
He said people had shifted from what they were supposed to be doing to what was happening now. “We are trying to bring back a renewal into the fellowship to take us forward,” Reverend Tora said.
Service from the heart
Miliakere Drugunalevu is a familiar face at the Assemblies of God Central and Maritime Conference, held at the FMF Gym.
That’s because she is the woman in charge of the Tailevu District Women’s Ministry that’s catering for 1000 pastors at the conference. With 20 churches under her leadership, Ms Drugunalevu said it was a challenge she took on to be able to communicate and deliver updates within the various churches. “Communication is very important in any event or situation and there is quite a distance between the 20 churches that I look after but I am thankful to God for giving these women a heart of unity and love for doing such a catering as this,” she said.
“We are doing these for God’s work in taking care of these pastors because some of them are from very distant places. It is the least we can do.”
The women represent both Tailevu North and Tailevu South and financial contributions towards the catering comes from their freewill offering.
The conference ends on Friday.