The 2016 general conference of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa which will open July 17th, will be its 31st .
The conference will have about 300 delegates however a much bigger number will be traveling here as part of delegations from the US mainland, Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia.
The malaga will include youth groups and members of the womens fellowship.
CCCAS General Secretary Rev. Reupena Alo says the theme of the conference which will open July 17 at the church headquarters which reads in part, “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?..and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love, march and walk humbly with GOD.”
The general assembly is held biennially and since the last conference in California, the first time the church has ever met off island, several new congregations or parishes have been set up.
Rev Alo says these new churches would be confirmed by the Committee of Reverend Elders prior to the conference opening.
The week before the general assembly will be taken up by meetings of the various CCCAS committees.
Aside from the reverend elders, Education, Budget, Mission and Development and Miscellaneous Committee.
The CCCAS conference is a booster for the local economy as many delegates rent vehicles, some stay in hotels before or after the conference, and local churches and family members of the off island delegates spend money buying sua, the traditional presentations and food or asiga for their relatives who are delegates.
It’s usually a busy time for restaurants, hotels, rental car companies and stores.
The CCCAS conference generates good sales for stores that sell material for the many uniforms that the youth groups and other church organizations will use for their entertainment and other activities prior to and during the conference.
