Iglesia Cristiana Congregacionalista de Niue

Christianity was brought to Niue in 1846 by a Niuean missionary who received training in Samoa. Later on the work was supported and consolidated by Samoan pastors and missionaries from the London Missionary Society (LMS). The church became autonomous and took the name Ekalesia Niue in 1970, and is officially recognized as the Ekalesia Kerisiano Niue (Congregational Christian Church of Niue), which represents 75 percent of the total population. In 1996 a branch of the Ekalesia Niue was established in Auckland, New Zealand, to minister together with its partner churches, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Congregational Union of New Zealand, to the migrant community of Niueans there. The agreement between the three churches was signed in 2001. Emigration is one of the main problems the church is facing. It is related to questions of unemployment, low standards of education and the economic situation of Niue.

The Christian education section of the church provides Bible lessons to the only two government schools, as well as to the Sunday schools of the congregations. The training of the laity, and ministry to the youth, Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades are among the main activities of the church. The women’s fellowship known as the Federation of Christian Women plays an active role in the church; it is made up of fellowships from each of the congregations and includes also women from other denominations. The Ekalesia is ecumenically committed and active in the Pacific Conference of Churches.