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A local congregation and a group worship service (GWS) were recently established in Espiritu Santo, which is the largest island of Vanuatu, an archipelagic country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, and northeast of Australia.
These were the Local Congregation of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu and the South Espiritu Santo GWS, which each held its inaugural worship services on October 27 and 26, 2024, respectively. Brother Seth Guttierez, supervising minister of the New South Wales, Australia District, officiated at both gatherings.
South Espiritu Santo GWS
The inaugural worship service for the South Espiritu Santo GWS took place in the residence of its members. Renovated to become a fitting place of worship, it is located in the village of Nakere, South of Santo.
In his Bible-based preaching, Brother Guttierez taught that actively worshiping God is an integral part of life of His chosen servants. It is during such gathering, he explained, that they receive God’s words and spiritual strength.
“This is a proof that the Lord God continues upholding His work of salvation even at remote areas. The brethren gratefully receive His love through the Church Administration, sending ministerial workers who will tend to their spiritual welfare. We thank the Father for hearing our prayers and leading the efforts of the brethren to fruition,” said Brother Guttierez.
Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Local Congregation
On the 27th, the supervising minister inaugurated the first local congregation in the Republic of Vanuatu through a worship service held at the Port and Harbour Hall in Luganville, Espiritu Santo Island.
Formerly a GWS for more than five years, the new local congregation’s place of worship is situated at Second Canal in the city of Luganville.
During the worship service, Brother Guttierez taught from the Scriptures that above anything else, serving God must always be the brethren’s top priority.
“When I was baptized, our congregation was very small. But as time passes by, the members shared their faith with others, bringing more people into the Church. Now, the number of members has grown significantly,” said Timothy Tungu, head deacon. “That we started as a small group and now looking at our place of worship full of people, fills my heart with joy, seeing how God has greatly helped establish the Church here. It’s truly God’s work that more and more people are joining the Church Of Christ,” he added.
Among the first converts of the Church Of Christ from Espiritu Santo, deaconess Linda Peta Shem, reminisced, “One of the challenges we faced was having a place to worship. We moved from house to house. Despite the difficulties, we continued to worship, remaining unhindered. I’m grateful to God because our congregation has grown so much. I see God’s blessings upon the Church as we continue to grow.”
“Happiness is all over the hearts of the brethren,” Brother Marwyn Daeniel Galang, a pioneering ministerial worker in Espiritu Santo, remarked. “We are far from the Church Administration in distance, but we never feel left out. Challenges abound but we promise to always trust God. We will further be active in our faith.”— With assistance from Karl Adrian Alvarez and Kriziel Manday
