Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa

Distribution (membership):
American Samoa: 29,000
Overseas: 10,000 (Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and continental USA)

(congregations overseas included).

The early history of this church is the same as that of the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa. As the Congregationalists in Western and in American Samoa were living in different political situations – though sharing in the same cultural and confessional tradition – there was a movement from 1964 to create an independent Congregational assembly in American Samoa. In 1980 this assembly was constituted. The division was difficult for Congregationalists in both Samoas but in December 1982 officials of the two churches together made a public declaration of reconciliation. Both sides have committed themselves to further mutual recognition.

The CCCAS is a self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating church. In 1983 it established its own theological college in Kanana Fou, which offers a diploma in theological studies and a BD degree, and serves also the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu. It runs also an elementary and a high school. The church emphasizes youth activities both locally and at the national level, and has undertaken the construction of a multi-purpose youth centre. It is concerned with problems in the Samoan society such as drug and alcohol abuse and the influx of religious sects. The church has sent and continues to send its own missionaries and fraternal workers to Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, to other Pacific nations and to the United States.

The area of church planting has been a new focus for the mission programme of the church, especially with an emphasis on those localities where a sizeable number of Samoans reside in the military communities. Having an ecumenical thrust, the CCCAS played a key role in creating a national council of churches in American Samoa together with the Methodists and Roman Catholics and other local groups. Over the years, the church has also become an active participant in the wider ecclesial fellowship through its membership in the Pacific Conference of Churches and other global ecumenical bodies. During its 2005 general assembly, the CCCAS celebrated its 25th anniversary since its inception in 1980.