Close to a thousand people gathered at the Seventh Day Adventist (S.D.A.) church headquarters at Lalovaea on Friday to mark the church's 132nd years anniversary.

Specialist guests at the celebration included the member of the Council of Deputies, Le Mamea Ropati, the Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, the Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, and senior Cabinet Ministers and Government leaders as well as S.D.A. church leaders from Australia, Fiji, and Samoa who joined students and the church faithful in the celebration.

The celebration of the church’s 132nd anniversary at Lalovaea was timed to coincide with Samoa’s 60th Independence anniversary. 

The S.D.A. Trans-Pacific Union President, Pastor Maveni Kaufanonga, set the scene for the occasion on Friday morning as part of his devotion in a special service.

He said the S.D.A. has come far in Samoa since its humble beginnings in 1891 with three Samoans taking over in the running of the church’s affairs, while the spreading of the word has also culminated with the establishment of 68 churches in Samoa which today caters to 7,743 baptised members.

Samoans, following their conversion to the SDA ethos, have also traveled beyond the shores of Samoa to other parts of the world to set up the church, according to Pastor Kaufanonga.

“The people of Samoa have scattered right around the world and established a lot of SDA churches around the church and I noticed also that their children have become pastors and leaders of our church overseas,” he said. “They’ve become lecturers in our universities, they’ve become presidents of mission union conferences overseas, and we praise the lord for that accomplishment. 

“One hundred and thirty-two years of the S.D.A. church here in Samoa, what is the message that God has for us today?”

Turning to the S.D.A. faithful, Pastor Kaufanonga quoted two chapters from the Book of Romans in the Bible and its biblical authors said their salvation is now near than when they first received it.

The Prime Minister congratulated the S.D.A. on its 132nd anniversary and said the church has contributed to the country’s development through spiritual guidance, health, and education as well as relief assistance for Samoa’s vulnerable families and communities.

The church opened its first medical clinic in 1895 at Matautu-tai to usher in a suite of health-related teachings in Samoa, according to Fiamē, in addition to general practice, surgery, and dental procedures.

She said these were essential services that came courtesy of the church towards the turn of the century. Additionally, the S.D.A. also provided holistic, curricular, and educational programs for its schools in Samoa and American Samoa.

Fiamē said the Samoa Government continues to support the work of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) in its provision of relief assistance for vulnerable Samoan families and the community.

“In this connection, I thank the church’s past and present leaders and members for their contributions to the spiritual, social, and economic well-being of Samoa,” she said. “The church has certainly grown in faith and in the delivery of its services to Samoa.

“May the grace of our lord continue to strengthen the church in its journey into the future. Congratulations on your 132nd anniversary.”