From Martoa Dickinson in Sydney (11 December 2001)
Graduating in the Work of the Church
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Rev. Fesaitu Marseu completed his studies at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, California, USA, last year and was graduated in May 2001. The degree conferred on him is a Doctorate in Ministry. He is the first Rotuman to have received the degree in this field of theology and mission. Fesaitu and his wife, Emeli, worked as lay-people with Wesley Methodist Church in Suva, Fiji, in 1969 serving a few families at the St. Matthews Anglican Church in Mead Road, Nabua. Fesaitu completed his studies at the Pacific Theological College, Veiuto, in Suva with a Bachelor of Divinity and began full-time ministry with the Wesley Methodist Church in 1984 where a permanent congregation was established at Yarawa Road in Raiwasa as a result of the growth in membership. The congregation, which included Europeans, Fijians, Chinese, Indians, Pacific Islanders and Rotumans, has grown in numbers and strength, and has become a vital group of the Wesley Division, which is the English-speaking section of the Methodist Church in Fiji.
From Wesley Methodist Church in Suva, Fesaitu and Emeli were appointed in 1991 to the Coronation Methodist Church in Lautoka, Fiji, a Fijian-speaking congregation. They also worked with our Rotuman people in Lautoka. After a short term of ministry at Lautoka, they were sent to the Wesley Mission in Sydney, Australia, to help the Rotuman congregations in their work within the Uniting Church in Australia. In January 1996 they were sent to serve at the Rylstone-Kandos Parish in the Central West of New South Wales and in January 2000 they were called to serve at the Kyogle Multi-Centre Congregation on the far north coast of New South Wales.
On Saturday, 26 May 2001, relatives and friends in California gathered together for a kato'aga of thanksgiving with Fesaitu and Emeli celebrating their joy and gratitude to God for His help and love to the people of Rotuma. The kato'aga was held at the home of Supapelu and Margaret Susau. Supapelu is Rev. Fesaitu's sigoa and a cousin to Emeli. On 2 November the New South Wales Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia held a recognition service for Rev. Fesaitu and others who completed their studies in the year 2001. This was held at the United Theological College at North Parramatta, NSW, Australia. On 2l November, members of the Kyogle Multi-Centre Congregation, where Rev. Fesaitu and Emeli are serving at present, held their service of thanksgiving to God. This was followed by a luncheon celebrating Rev. Fesaitu's hard work. His accomplishments will enhance the value of his services to Rotumans and to others in Australia and other parts of the world. I was very glad to to be present at these moments of thanksgiving at North Parramatta in Sydney and at Kyogle in the Far North Coast.
We thank God for bringing the Good News from Rotuma to Fiji, Australia, USA, Hawaii, UK, NZ, the Pacific Islands and other parts of the world by Rotumans and their families. It seems that this is the wonderful purpose God has shown to all Rotumans who have left their home island and moved across to live in other parts of the world--to take their God-given abilities as gifts to the Church and to the communities in which they live. These gifts can enrich and nurture relationships with other people with whom we live, work, and worship. Our thanks to Fesaitu and Emeli for responding to God's call to them (and to all Rotumans). May God help their service to flourish among the people they serve and may God's name be exalted and glorified forever!
In Rotuman
Fekau Fesaitu (Rev. Dr. Fesaitu Marseu) ma O'hon ne Rotu Emeli Marseu 'e San Francisco Theological Seminary, California, USA (May 200 1) 'e a'vahiag ne rako ne mou se Fekau ma 'on naag ne faki'oag ne mou se rak te'is, Doctor of Ministry. Te'is le' mumuet 'e 'is lelea' Rotuma la po la hele' 'e tekae hete'is 'e garue fakrotu (Theology and Mission). Fekau Fesaitu ma Emell kamat garue se 'iris kaunohoag he his 'e St. Matthews Anglican Church 'e Mead Road, Nabua ne mou se Wesley Methodist Church 'e 1969 ka a'vah tape'ma 'on rak Fekau 'e Pacific Theological College, Veluto 'e 1984 ma 'on naag ne faki'oag hete'is, Bachelor of Divinity. Fekau Fesaitu kamat 'on garue fak-fekau 'e Wesley Methodist Church 'e Suva ka a'ti se' se kakai rotu 'e Yarawa Road 'e Raiwasa ne mou se lelea' fifisi, fiti, jaene, intia ma se 'os kainag Rotuma, ma kota inia vae hoi'ak la garue 'e Coronation Methodist Church 'e Lautoka se lelea' Fiti ma se 'os kainag Rotuam 'e Lautoka 'e 1991. 'E hual ne Okosita 1991, Rotu he' hoi'ak iria se Wesley Mission 'e Setne la garue se 'os lelea' Rotuma 'e Uniting Church 'e Australia. E Janueri 1996, Fekau Fesaitu a'sok he' te ne rotu la garue se Rylstone-Kandos Parish (Central West) 'e NSW, Australia. 'E fau 2000 ta rotu he' hoi'ak iria se ta ut ne garue 'e Kyogle MultiCentre Congregation (Far-North Coast) 'e NSW, Australia.
'E teran A'iat ta 'e ran 26 ne Me, 2001 kainag Rotuam ne noh 'e Califormia a'sok se ta kato'ag ne 'ua'ua'aki se Fekau Fesaitu ma Emell 'e reko 'oris 'ofa ma 'ua'ua'aki se Gagaj 'Aitu 'e reko 'on haiasoaga ma hanisi se lelea' Rotuma. Kato'ag te'is a'sok'e ri 'on Margaret ma Supapelu Susau (sigoa 'on Fekau ka saghanit se Emeli). 'E ran 2 ne Novempa 2001, Synod ne Uniting Church 'e NSW a'sok ta Rot ne A'fumou'akiget se Fekau (recognition service) ma iris his ne a'vah vah'a oris garue ne rako 'e fau 2001. Rot te'is a'sok 'e United Theological College 'e North Parramatta, NSW, Australia. E ran 21 ne Novempa 2001, kakai rotu 'e Kyogle MultiCentre Congregation, utut ne Fekau Fesaitu garue sin a'sok tape'ma 'oris rot ne 'ua'ua'aki se 'Aitu ma teag'esea fak-kaikai rotu 'e ta ate ianinet 'e reko garue fe'en ne Fekau a'sok vahia, ne la po la es'ao se lelea' Rotuma ka tape'ma se kainag tutu ne te'is 'e Australia ma 'e ut tutu ne rante'. Otou huga oaf ti' pau ne gou po ma teag'esea ma Fekau Fesaltu ma Emeli 'e Parramatta ka tape'ma se utut ne iria garue sin 'e Kyogle. 'Is 'ua'ua'ak se 'Aitu 'e reko 'on Ho'agam ne Rog Heg ta 'e os 'atmot ta Rotuma se Fiti, Australia, Mereke, Hawaii, UK, NZ, ka sok tape'ma se 'os kainag ne Pasifiak ta, ma 'ut tutu ne rante'. Kop te'is amnak pumuet ma kel'ak te ne 'os Gagaj 'Aitu na vahia se 'isa la po la 'is lelea' Rotuma ne rou vahia 'os hanue ta 'e Rotuma ka nohoesa 'e ut tutu ne rante' la po la a'es'ao'ak te fakhanis ne 'is hoamea 'e Rotuma hun se 'os hai'ineag ma 'Aitu se te' ne kainag tutu ne 'is leuofua la noh garue ka maur agesea mar.
'Ua'ua'ak se Fesaitu ma Emell 'e oria a'sokoag ne He' te 'on Gagaja 'Aitu se iria ka tape'ma se 'is lelea' Rotuma. Gagaja la haiasoag ka a'es'ao'ak a'fuamamau oria mauri se a'kolor'akiag ne 'on As Ha'a.