First Pasifika minister appointed at St Andrew's Church in Wellington

St Andrew's Church on the Terrace in Wellington has appointed its first Pasifika minister - Reverend Dr Feiloaiga Taule'ale'ausumai.

Rev Taule'ale'ausumai has been a Presbyterian minister for 31 years and says it's not the first time she's been associated with St Andrew's.

"I've had four different St Andrew's in my ministry. When I first trained, I ended up at St Andrew's Levin and then after that, I was called to the UK, to Birmingham, to St Andrew's College.

"Then I came back and became the University chaplain in Auckland and then St Andrew's in Henderson called me."

The Samoan minister was inducted last night, where members of her previous parish, Pt Chevalier Co-operating Church, supported the reverend's move into her new home.

“An induction into the Presbyterian church is a bit like a marriage. 

"Your previous employer and your family walk you up the aisle and they literally say 'who gives this bride to be married to this man?' or 'who gives this minister to St Andrew's?' and then Pt Chevalier said, 'with God's love we send her away'."​

Reverend Taule'ale'ausumai says St Andrew's progressive theology ticked all the boxes in what she was looking for in a parish.

"The blessing of this place is that it's an inner city parish. It's inclusive, it's a rainbow church and they were into social justice and things that I'm very passionate about. 

"I grew up a conservative evangelical and progressive is my natural leaning, so it's nice to come where I can be my natural self."​

Reverend Taule'ale'ausumai hopes her appointment can attract more Pasifika to the inner-city church.

"The thing that excites them and me is that I am a Samoan and the first Pacific Island minister in this church and I just happen to be a woman and a feminist woman at that. 

"I'm hoping to bring the Pacific to St Andrew's in culture and language. It's predominantly Palagi, but I already hear of recruits lining up at the door to come and I'm really excited to 'browning' the church and I know they are too."

She also encourages members of the rainbow community to worship at St Andrew's.

"I just hope to bring my history of social justice and standing up for the underdog and for the gay and the lesbian - they have got a home, this is their home, they belong here," says Taule'ale'ausumai.

"I'm encouraging all of our disillusioned fa'afafine that are out there on the streets that have nowhere to worship, this is the place for them to come."

Taule'ale'ausumai led the prayer of forgiveness and reconciliation during the Dawn Raids apology last August and has reflected on how Pacific communities have fared since the government's apology.

"When I was preparing for it, it really needed to be done in Samoan and English, which talked about the harsh realities of the cruelty and imprisonments and all the things that happened to our people. 

"The scholarships are now coming out, the ones that Aupito (William Sio) introduced, I think they're starting to come to fruition and also, if we can win Efeso's seat as mayor of Auckland, that would be the icing of the cake in terms of claiming our space as Pacific people in the wider political scene. 

"I think the government is slowly trying to respond to the promises that they made. I think the government feels duly forgiven and I think our people feel as if we have duly forgiven them. 

"History has a long memory and let's just hope we talk positively about our relationship."​