The growth in the number of Methodist Church synods outside Samoa has been highlighted at the annual conference as one of the church's key achievements this year.

The expansion of the church's presence overseas was confirmed when it was revealed that the number of synods in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and American Samoa has increased to 10 which is three more than the seven synods that currently exist in Samoa. 

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, the Church Secretary, Reverend Eteuati Tuioti said the growth outside Samoa is one of the many achievements of the church this year.

"The demand from members and churches overseas has grown, and if you look at it, many of the church members are now overseas because there are currently 10 synods overseas and 7 locally," he said. "It's a challenge for the church when it comes to its members moving abroad wanting to remain, members of the church, while they're overseas.

"If you look at it, the numbers [in the church's membership] overseas have grown because of people moving abroad."

Rev. Tuioti said the church's missionaries living overseas will also assist with the growing number of the church's members overseas. He said their role is to also find more members of the church in overseas countries as well as establish new churches.

He also clarified the difference between a Samoan Methodist Church and the Palagi (European Methodist church) as there is still misunderstanding.

It is believed that some Methodist Church members who moved abroad chose to become members of the European-led Methodist Church which is not considered part of the Samoan Methodist Church.

"There is the New Zealand Methodist Church, in Hawaii and America, as well as the Uniting Methodist Church in Australia and it is up to the members who have moved abroad whether they want to remain members of the Samoan or European Methodist Church.

"That's why we establish our own Samoan churches overseas because some want to remain members of the church with church customs and tradition that they're used to such as the Samoan language, tradition, culture and so forth which is practised in our Samoan Methodist."

He also stressed that these European-led Methodist Churches are not included in the Methodist Church of Samoa's annual conferences held every year.