Church celebrates its 40th anniversary

One of the three multicultural congregations for Auburn Uniting, Rodger Page is named after an Australian missionary and religious leader in Tonga.
The church’s present Reverend Mosese Taufa said Page (1878-1965) was a royal chaplain to Queen Salote for over 20 years and a long-serving president of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
He trained for the Methodist ministry in Sydney and was posted to Tonga in 1908.
“He played a key role in the 1924 reunification of the Methodist churches in Tonga and assisted with relief efforts in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic during which he dispensed medicines to hundreds of people and then, sick himself, drove via horse and sulky about the villages, distributing medicine and inspiring hope and courage,” Rev Mosese said.
Page retired to Sydney but his ashes were returned to Tonga for interment in the royal burial ground.
With over 600 attached to the parish which is Tongan-speaking, Rodger Page Congregation offers child and youth ministries, with a Sunday school, Friday night youth group, women’s fellowship on Thursday from 10am and choir practice on Saturday at 7pm which is followed by a men’s fellowship around the Gava bowl.
Services are held on Wednesdays from 10am and Sundays from 10am and 3.30pm.
Rev Mosese, who has been at the helm for eights years, said you would not find a more welcoming or friendly group of people.
“We invite all to come along, share in our blessings and be inspired,” he said.
For more info, call Rev Mosese on 0476 031 087.