Formation of the Rotuman Congregation in Fiji

Article by Reverend Raki Mama’o
Churchward 
Rev Dr C M Churchward: A Divisional Supt. for the Rotuma Division. Dr Churchward (1888-1968) was a noted linguist. As a Methodist missionary at Rotuma in the 1930s, he prepared a Rotuman Grammar and Dictionary, which was published in 1940. He also published A New Fijian Grammar (1941) and an English-Tongan dictionary. He revised the Rotuman New Testament (1930) and the Tongan New Testament (1959-61) and was working on the Old Testament in Rotuman at the time of his death in Suva. The Churchward Chapel Church is named after this great man of God who was also a Divisional Superintendent in Rotuma.
Formation of the Rotuman Congregation in Fiji.
The Rotuman Congregation in Suva started way back in the early 1960’s with only a catechist in charge and was under the Rewa Division [Suva Area] under the watchful eyes of the Rev Setareki Nasilivata due to the fact that Rotuman’s were migrating to Suva in large numbers. With the permission of the Suva Quarterly Meeting a Rotuman church service started. Rotuman’s use to worship on Sundays at different churches in the larger Suva Area which include the Centenary Church, Butt Street Wesley Church, Raiwaqa Methodist Church and the Dudley Methodist Church under the Indian Division. Services were held at 7 o’clock in the morning and also at 1 o’clock after the Host churches service at 10 in the morning. Resident Minister that looks after the Centenary Church normally conduct the Holy Sacraments on the first Sunday of every month.
He was also in charge of other aspects which include weddings, funerals, and other events. If there was 5 Sundays in a month, than the fifth Sunday service will be held at the Centenary Church. Bible Classes was formed in 1964 to help prepare lay people to conduct the Rotuman Church Services. Later a church choir was formed followed by a youth fellowship.
The building of its own church that was established in 1984 was historical event for Rotuman Methodists. At last they were able to worship freely with no interference. They named the Church after one of the most prominent ministers that ever served in Rotuma, the Rev Dr C.M Churchward. A few Years later, the Suva Rotuman Congregation changed its name to become the Churchward Chapel Congregation due to the establishment of the first ever Rotuman Church in Fiji in 1984.
The Annual Methodist Conference approved that Churchward Chapel Congregation to be part of the Rotuma Division. There was a lot of controversy over this matter in which the majority wanted to remain as part and parcel of the Suva Division. With the backing of the Resident minister at that time and the minority, Churchward became the 4 circuit of the Rotuma Division under the name Churchward Circuit. Reasons to stay part of Suva Division was because they wanted to maintain the prayers of the early Church Fathers “Nanumi Viti kei Rotuma” This is a Methodist concept due to the distance and the only binding factor was the prayers.

The Rotuman Congregation in Suva started way back in the early 1960’s with only a catechist in charge and was under the Rewa Division [Suva Area] under the watchful eyes of the Rev Setareki Nasilivata due to the fact that Rotumans were migrating to Suva in large numbers.

With the permission of the Suva Quarterly Meeting a Rotuman church service started. Rotumans use to worship on Sundays at different churches in the larger Suva Area which include the Centenary Church, Butt Street Wesley Church, Raiwaqa Methodist Church and the Dudley Methodist Church under the Indian Division.

Services were held at 7 o’clock in the morning and also at 1 o’clock after the Host churches service at 10 in the morning. Resident Minister that looks after the Centenary Church normally conduct the Holy Sacraments on the first Sunday of every month. He was also in charge of other aspects which include weddings, funerals, and other events. If there was 5 Sundays in a month, than the fifth Sunday service will be held at the Centenary Church. Bible Classes was formed in 1964 to help prepare lay people to conduct the Rotuman Church Services. Later a church choir was formed followed by a youth fellowship.

The building of its own church that was established in 1984 was historical event for Rotuman Methodists. At last they were able to worship freely with no interference. They named the Church after one of the most prominent ministers that ever served in Rotuma, the Rev Dr C.M Churchward. A few Years later, the Suva Rotuman Congregation changed its name to become the Churchward Chapel Congregation due to the establishment of the first ever Rotuman Church in Fiji in 1984. The Annual Methodist Conference approved that Churchward Chapel Congregation to be part of the Rotuma Division.

There was a lot of controversy over this matter in which the majority wanted to remain as part and parcel of the Suva Division. With the backing of the Resident minister at that time and the minority, Churchward became the 4 circuit of the Rotuma Division under the name Churchward Circuit. Reasons to stay part of Suva Division was because they wanted to maintain the prayers of the early Church Fathers “Nanumi Viti kei Rotuma” This is a Methodist concept due to the distance and the only binding factor was the prayers.

This word has nothing to do with Rotuma being part of Fiji due to the fact that Rotuman’s are Sovereign people ceded by its forefathers to the Queen of England. Methodist Churches in Fiji has always opened their Churches for Rotuman’s to worship before the establishment of the Churchward Chapel and hence, Rotuman’s wanted to remain part of the Fijian Circuits and Suva Division. Malha’a Circuit was disbanded in 2013 due and returned to the Oinafa circuit under the Divisional Superintendent Rev Jioje Taito.

Consequently, this reduced the number of Circuits to three [3]. Today after the Church was handed over to indigenous leaders, seventeen (17) church buildings stand on the island of Rotuma [Noatau 2, Oinafa, Paptea, Lopta, Malha’a 2, Hapmak, Ahau, Motusa, Fapufa, Losa, Itumuta, Hapmafau 2 and Faguta 2]. Rotuma Division started with 2 Circuits [Motusa and Oinafa], later increased to [3] circuits [Motusa, Malha’a, Oinafa] further increased to [4] circuits [Motusa, Oinafa, Malha’a, Churchward] and has reduced to three [3] circuits [Motusa, Oinafa and Churchward] with Malha’a due to difficulties faced is no longer a ministerial post.Today with inclusion of Solog Asa Circuit in Nadi, Rotuma has altogether 4 circuits to date.