IRCA Oceania Conference 26-30 May 2025 - Western Fiji
Theme - Listening to One Another
Sharing Together Struggles and Joy of our Rural Churches in Oceania
Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Matthew 11:15 Let anyone with ears listen!
Host: Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma (with local and overseas partners)
Guest Speaker: Revd Dr Semesi Turagavou, President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma
Location: To be announced - it will be one of the Divisions of the Methodist Church that are in close proximity to Nadi Airport.
Programme
The programme will focus on Veitalanoa - hearing stories from around the region, prioritising Pacific Stories and with time for input from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Contributions will include from people working with, and those directly impacted by, issues like Climate Change, Seasonal Workers to Australia and New Zealand, the incursion into Fiji of international drug cartels, modern day slavery, and safety and well-being of women and families.
For further information go to https://irca.online/irca-oceania-2025/
Expressions of Interest
A maximum of 50 people are able to be hosted by the Fiji church and local community. If you are interested in attending this conference among the quota for Aotearoa New Zealand, your expression of interest is invited now. The goal is to create a conference which allows maximum benefit from interaction and learning, along with resourcing for churches in rural and isolated locations, and which makes Pacific interests and needs the priority. Selection will be based on willingness and ability to listen and learn, and on what you, on the basis of personal skills and interests, can contribute to the concerns of the Pacific region.
To express interest go to https://irca.online/irca-oceania-2025-expression-of-interest/
Support for Pacific Participants
The heart of this conference will be the Pacific contribution. People in the IRCA Oceania network are invited to seek funding, as they are able, to enable Pacific people from within Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to attend, and to assist with fundraising for Pasivika people (those living in the Islands). Initiatives using local or friendship networks could be taken to raise and airfare or part thereof, as well as approaches to denominational church funding.
The cost to be covered is airfares and a contribution to the conference budget, namely AUD250 or NZD250 or whatever is possible in the currency of origin.
Up to date information on the Conference can be found at irca.online/irca-oceania-2025/
A presentation that may help with promotion and fundraising can be accessed here https://irca.online/irca-oceania-2025/