Fofo and Alataua Parish of the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa had their annual “faigataulaga” for 2017 this past Sunday.
More than half a million dollars of love offerings for the parish church ministers and donations through various “taulaga” was recorded.
A total of $524,046 was collected from the Fofo/Alataua parish which includes the villages of Fagamalo, Fagali’i, Poloa, Amanave, Asili and Afao, Amaluia and Leone.
The amount exceeds last year’s contribution by a few thousand dollars.
A combined church service was held at the Leone CCCAS led by Rev. Elder Tony Holister of the Tualuta and Leasina parish to bless the offerings.
Elder Deacon for the Fofo/Alataua parish, Savali Talavou Ale, during his special remarks indicated that he was somehow embarrassed of his parish’s contribution.
He shared being a guest to the Tualauta/Leasina “faigataulaga” the previous Sunday indicating that Fofo/Alataua’s contribution is nothing compared to the contribution made by the members of the Tualauta/Leasina’s parish.
Savali did not reveal how much the sister parish contributed.
Tualauta/Leasina parish consists of churches from Aoloau, Aasu, Iliili, Pava’ia’i, Vaitogi and Faleniu.
Savali urged and pushed the church members to increase their contributions and said their good deeds are not enough and they should rise up and give more.
But Rev. Elder Tony Hollister emphasized sacrificing and giving everything.
He pointed out that some parishes which contributed more last year are not churches who were contributed more last year than this year’s and vice versa.
He said it’s not the quantity of what’s been given as the offering, but the quality reflected by the spirit of being grateful to what God has done with His provision in the lives of His people.
Rev. Elder Hollister thanked the Fofo/Alataua parish for not only their monetary donations but for their contribution through hymns for the service and different forms of contributions to the development of the church.
