The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa's (C.C.C.S.) Annual Conference has started at Malua, attracting hundreds of people to the church's headquarters in Samoa. 

For the past couple of days, members of the different committees within the biggest denomination in Samoa have met to deliberate on issues to discuss and to be submitted to the main conference which will commence on Monday. 

This year's conference is guided by the theme, "Maintaining constant love for one another." It is the first time since 2019, that members of the church residing abroad are able to gather at Malua for the annual pilgrimage. 

The C.C.C.S. church usually host its annual conference on the week after Mother's Day Holiday in May, however, because of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 and the lockdown, it was pushed back to this month. 

The conference is the biggest event in the church's calendar year, with its membership gathering at Malua for two weeks to discuss developments and issues facing the church.

Members of the church from all over Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, the United States of America, Hawai'i and American Samoa are congregating at the Malua Theological College compound for the event. 

For two years, members of the church residing overseas were only able to join the conference virtually. 

Over a week ago, elders of the church and members of the Constitution Amendment Committee gathered at Malua to review the Constitution of the church which is one of the main agenda of this year's conference. 

The report from the Committee will be deliberated this week on whether any proposed amendments will be approved by the different committees and sub-committees as well as members of the Fonotele this week. 

Another topic that will be on the C.C.C.S. agenda this week is the election of its Secretary General, a position currently occupied by Reverend Vavatau Taufao. 

The selection of a new Secretary will be conducted on Friday of this week as well as the election of a new Deputy Chairman of the Church. 

At the moment, Reverend Elder Tunumoso Iosia is the Deputy Chair of the C.C.C.S. Fonotele. According to the Constitution of the church, he will automatically become the Chairman of the church at the end of this year's conference while the church will elect a new Deputy Chair. 

Reverend Elder Iosefa Uilelea from Lotofaga is currently the Chairman of the church. He was elected in last year's fonotele. 

Last week, the Secretary General of the Church, Reverend Vavatau announced that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy across the globe did not affect the church's faiga taulaga (offerings). 

He prepared a detailed report of this year's faiga taulaga for the Talalelei which was held on the second Sunday of September comparing it to last year's total. 

Furthermore, the church also appointed new members of the different committees within the church to replace those who have passed on and those who are retiring this week. 

On Wednesday, there will be a special service held at the Jubliee Church to honor those who will be retiring from the ministry after reaching the age of 70. 

The C.C.C.S. is the biggest church denomination in Samoa and has a membership of over 70,000. The church recently celebrated 192 years of the arrival of Christianity at Sapapalii which was a milestone that attracted thousands of church followers from abroad and locally.

Following the church's announcement in May of the postponement of its annual conference, Rev. Taufao said that the church took into consideration the time that will be given to members of the church to prepare for the conference. 

Samoa officially opened its borders in August enabling those residing overseas to visit the islands after its borders closed for more than two years due to the pandemic.