POSTCARD - CEREMONIAL GATHERING IN SAMOA (early 1900s)
I love this postcard. It conjures up pictures of old Samoa, from storytelling sessions my father shared with me of historical events of his time. He always referred to the sacredness of life and of God. He often reminded me of the sacred tie between parents and children and the changing roles of parent and child. That was how he ordered the universe for me. Always - always was the central focus of God and his acceptance that Samoan culture was ordered along God given lines of accountability based on respect, reciprocity and relationships.
As I watched Tagata Pasifika on Thursday evening, a panel of prominent Pacific people discussed the relevance of church, trading hours and young Pacific people moving away from the traditional Pacific churches to the more pentecostal forms of worship. I was amazed at how our traditional Pacific clergy are so defensive about their denominational faith and that newer established churches were dismissively referred to as "that or those churches" as if such churches were too modern to be accepted as serious christian affiliation.
Like everything else, youth move to where it's more relevant. So also with youth moving in ever increasing numbers to more pentecostal churches. Not because more traditional churches are wrong, NO - but there is a movement toward seeking the relevant message for everyday life.
Sadly there appears to be a declining number of young members attending mainstream Pacific churches. Today fewer Pacific parents practice Sunday as a day of rest. How much harder it is to preserve Easter weekends as sacred? I always marvel at my Muslim friends who answer to no one when prayer vigils for Ramadan or other occasions are required. How much more will our loss of the sacred also contribute to losing our souls? In the mean time let's remember that mental unwellness is at an all time high.
