On Sabbath afternoon, May 14th, the Cook Islands Community Seventh-day
Adventist Church group was officially organised. Pastors Alban Matohiti (President), Cheonneth Strickland (General Secretary) and Andre Vieira (Ministerial Secretary) represented the Greater Sydney Conference at the celebration service.
The group, which came from an independent congregation, accepted the leading of the Greater Sydney Conference and the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church by becoming part of it. They adopted a community service and fellowship goal that focuses widely on the community, and they chose to reflect that focus in their name.
This new group, located in the Macquarie Field area and worshipping at the Guise Public School facility, is happy to be part of the Greater Sydney Conference. Strengthened by a vision to be a bigger congregation one day, the church leadership and members came up with an idea of how to do just that—by being nice; respecting others; advancing in the name of Jesus; and, most importantly, letting the gospel touch hearts in the community with power and conviction. Understanding that this can only happen if one stands up and takes that first step, the newly organised Cook Islands Community Church is committed to serving Christ in the community.