Rising Social Issues tops Methodist Church Conference Discussion

Our main agenda for this year’s annual conference will be based on the rising social problems Fiji is facing.

Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma president, Ili Vunisuwai, made this clear while delivering his sermon at the Centenary Church in Suva yesterday.

The service was an official opening to the 57th annual conference meeting, set to start today until Friday, September 1.

Heavy showers failed to hinder the hundreds of church ministers from all over Fiji and beyond pack the Centenary Church to worship and officiate the annual conference.

Reverend Vunisuwai said the constant queries from the media about the rising social issues had allowed him to ponder on the church’s responsibility towards its people.

“From teenage pregnancies to consumption of illicit drugs among youths and the increasing risk of street dwelling, I have been questioned about what the church is doing to address this,” he said.

“The church cannot stand from the side-line and watch the issue create problems for our people; we have to confront it. We cannot turn away from it or be silent about it.”

With a budget allocation of $2.5 million, Reverend Vunisuwai said the preparation to discuss the agenda would hopefully be properly addressed and contained.

“We are not going to do justice to our work as a church and the body of Christ if we don’t properly address this issue,” he said.

Church leaders were urged to look into the matter with seriousness.

“You are not called to take the people up to heaven and forget about the person’s dilemma, but we are called to engage in the name of Christ to engage in the world seriously with this problem,” he said.

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