During Dr. Greg Williams’ visit to Australasia, the Fiji Avenue champions and their teams gathered in Nadi, Fiji, for a two-day retreat. Greg and Superintendent Heber Ticas led the equipping discussions. Also present were Pastor Frank Boyd and Emily Boyd, and my wife, Sue Richards, and I.
Commissioned in late 2023, Love Avenue Champion Eugene Panuve, Faith Avenue Champion Jason Raki, and Hope Avenue Champion Epeli Nakautoga and their teams avidly absorbed the material presented. They appreciated the instruction, but they especially enjoyed the many stories and practical tips emerging regularly during the retreat. Dr. Williams began with the relational flow of Christ’s love, faith, and hope into and through our lives that is foundational to the health, vibrancy, and work of the church. Supported with stories from his experiences, Mr. Ticas encouraged us toward having a missional mentality and “posture,” and he described the missional flow between church and community.
On the second day, Greg proposed we tackle the questions submitted earlier as a practical exercise. Given questions appropriate to their Avenue, the teams spent the morning brainstorming and strategizing goals, action steps, point persons, and completion dates. Then they presented their suggestions and received feedback. What a good job they did! They had generated basic ministerial action plans (MAPs) and proven the ability of the teams to work together on difficult issues.
While Dr. Williams returned home on Sunday, Mr. Ticas stayed to speak to the Suva congregation. He gave tips on staging Love Avenue events at that venue, signage to advertise the church’s presence, the importance and placement of greeters, and the role of contact cards for following up with visitors. How encouraging this visit was! The emerging leaders are fired up and excited about the future growth and health of the church in Fiji, and the future looks positive.
Blessings,
By Dennis Richards, Regional Director, New Zealand and the South Pacific
Palmerston North, New Zealand
