Brief History of the Samoan District Council of the Assemblies of God, USA
The official recognition of the National Samoan Fellowship in 2003 as a fellowship under the General Council of the Assemblies of God, ultimately became the impetus that led to the establishment of the Samoan District Council.
With General Council support and endorsement, the National Samoan Fellowship under the leadership of pastor Si’upapa Vaovasa, met in 2004 and appointed a Task Force known as the Tofa Saili (translated ‘the sought after will’) with pastor Tu’ugasala Le’iato Ulualetuiatua Fuga as its chairman, to research the prospect of establishing a Samoan ethnic/language district. After a nine (9) year feasibility study, the Tofa Saili concluded that the establishment of a Samoan district would greatly enhance the mission of local Samoan churches toward propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 2005, the National Samoan Fellowship voted overwhelmingly to approve the establishment of the Samoan language district, encompassing the entire United States of America and her territories of Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
With the Tofa Saili working relentlessly and vigorously to ensure compliance with the General Council policies and by-laws, the 55th General Council, August 2013, approved the establishment of the Samoan District Council of the Assemblies of God, with its opening day of operation officially set for January 1, 2014.
During the Anchorage, Alaska Conference, September 10 – 13, 2013, the National Samoan Fellowship adopted the new Samoan District Constitution and By-laws and elected the first executive district officers: Tu’ugasala Le’iato U. Fuga, Superintendent; Sualua Tauala, Assistant Superintendent; Timoteo Uelese, Secretary; Faafetai Roberts, Treasurer.
The new Samoan District Council (SDC) is currently made up of five (5) Sections: Hawaii, Alaska, Northwest, Northern California, and Southern California. Each Section elects a Sectional Presbyter to provide oversight of their section, and these provisions of oversight come from the office of the District Superintendent and Executive Leaders. The Presbytery constitutes the official board comprising of the District Superintendent (Chair Person), Assistant Superintendent, Secretary, Treasurer, General Council Presbyters, Executive Presbyters and Sectional Presbyters. The Samoan District Council headquarter is located in Des Moines, Washington.
In May 20 – 22, 2014, the Samoan District Council held its first district council conference in Des Moines, Washington.
Sina Otootoga i le Amataga o le Fono Itumalo Fa’apotopotoga a le Atua Samoa, USA
O le avea o le Felosipi a Samoa ma vaega o le Fono Tele Aoao (General Council) a le Fa’apotopotoga a le Atua i Amerika i le 2003, na fai ma aloi afi na a’e ai se finagalo ma se tofā ua ao ona fa’avaeina se Fono Itumalo a Samoa i Amerika. I le lagolagosua ma le sapasapaia a le Fono Tele Aoao, sa tofia fa’apitoa ai e le Felosipi a Samoa i lalo o le ta’ita’iga a le susuga ia Si’upapa Vaovasa i le 2004, se komiti e ta’ua o le ‘Tofa Saili’, ta’ita’ia e le susuga ia Tu’ugasala Le’iato Ulualetuiatua Fuga, e iloiloina pe alagātatau pe leai, ona faia o se Fono Itumalo a Samoa i Amerika. E iva (9) tausaga o sailiili lenei Komiti, ma mautinoa ai ua matua alagatatau ona faavae se Fono Itumalo a Samoa i totonu o le Fono Tele Aoao a le Faapotopotoga a le Atua i Amerika, ina ia faaleleia atili ai le tala’iiga o le Talalelei a Iesu Keriso e ekalesia Samoa.
I le 2005 na palotaina ai e le toatele o sui o le Felosipi a Faapotopotoga a le Atua Samoa i Amerika lea lava manatu, ma fa’amautu atili ai le manatu i le faavaeina o se Fono Itumalo Samoa i Amerika e aofia ai ma ona teritori o Virgin Islands ma Puerto Rico.
Sa galulue loa le Tofa Saili e faamautinoa le tausisia o aiaiga, i’ugafono ma tulafono fa’avae a le Fono Tele Aoao e faasino i le faatuina o fono itumalo fou. I le Fono Tele Aoao 55th, Aukuso 2013, sa pasia aloaia ai loa le fa’avaeina o le Fono Itumalo Samoa, ma lona amataga ia Ianuari 01, 2014. I le fono a le Felosipi a Samoa i Anchorage, Alaska, Setema 10 – 13, 2013, sa pasia ai le ulua’i Faavae ma I’ugafono mo le Fono Itumalo a Samoa. Na palotaina ai foi ma le ulua’i Komiti Faafoe e ta’ita’ia le Itumalo fou: Tuugasala Le’iato U. Fuga, Ta’ita’i; Sualua Tauala, Sui-Ta’ita’i; Timoteo Uelese, Failautusi; Faafetai Roberts, Teutupe.
O le Fono Itumalo Faapotopotoga a le Atua Samoa, USA e lima (5) ona Pulega ua amataina ai nei: Hawaii, Alaska, Northwest, California i Matu, ma California i Saute. E tofu le Pulega ma le Presbyter, ua faa-Samoaina, Toeaina. E saili lava e le Pulega lo latou Toeaina e fa’afoeina galuega ma tiute fa’a-le-Pulega e tuuina atu i ai e le Ta’ita’i ma le Komiti Faafoe. O le Fono a Toeaiina e aofia ai le Ta’ita’i o le Itumalo Fono (Ta’ita’ifono), le Sui-Taitai, Failautusi, Teutupe, Toeaiina Fono Tele Aoao, Toeaiina Faufautua, ma Toeaiina o Pulega. O le Ofisa Tutotonu o le Fono Itumalo Samoa o loo i aai o Des Moines, i le Sitete o Uasigitone.
Ia Me 20 – 22, 2014, sa usuia ai le uluai fonotaga a le Fono Itumalo Samoa i lona laumua i Des Moines, i le Sitete o Uasinitone.