Church president urges ministers to prepare for life after service

Some Methodist Church ministers are reaching retirement after decades of service without a house or land of their own, prompting a warning from Church president Rev Dr Semisi Turagavou for clergy to start securing their financial future early.

Addressing the Church’s Ministerial Session at its Annual Conference in Suva, Rev Turagavou said ministers needed to take greater responsibility for retirement planning and avoid waiting until the end of their careers.

“Many of our ministers do not retire well,” he said, pointing to situations where ministers have no house or piece of land of their own when their active ministry ends.

Rev Turagavou identified financial pressure and inadequate retirement preparation as forms of “bondage” that ministers must confront during the Church’s proposed period of liberation and reformation.

He urged ministers to use the resources available to them during their working years to acquire land and build a home where possible.

He also encouraged ministers to exercise discipline in their spending, distinguish between genuine needs and unnecessary purchases, and reduce financial burdens before retirement.

Rev Turagavou encouraged ministers who were not members of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) to consider voluntary membership.

He said contributions made during a minister’s working life, even if modest, could grow into a meaningful source of financial support for the minister and family in retirement.

The Church president also raised concerns about ministers carrying unnecessary debt.

Rev Turagavou said excessive credit purchases and unnecessary borrowing could become “chains” around ministers, affecting their peace of mind, families and emotional wellbeing while distracting them from their ministry.

He called on ministers to examine what was financially burdening them and begin the disciplined work of freeing themselves from unnecessary financial obligations.

The message forms part of the Church’s broader push for reform, with Rev Turagavou arguing that liberation must begin with the personal lives and discipline of its leaders.

For ministers approaching retirement, his message was clear: preparation for life after active ministry should begin well before their final years of service.