Should church executives drive high-end four wheel drive vehicles that are sold at hefty amounts knowing that the church operations including the purchase of the vehicles are primarily funded by the church members?
As the Methodist Church gets ready to have its conference next week, its church members are expected to pay up their annual levies as a contribution towards the running of the church.
In the past, issues have been raised on the amount of money some churches spend on buying four wheel drives or other vehicles for the executives and whether the church should utilize funds for a greater purpose that would go towards helping the members.
We asked the Church Assistant General Secretary, Reverend Tevita Nawadra on how many of these types of vehicles have been purchased by the church.
We asked Reverend Nawadra how much of the members’ levy given to the church is being utilized to buy the vehicles.
He said he does not know the actual models of the vehicles and how much they cost.
Reverend Nawadra said for some executives, they need the four wheel drive vehicles because they have to travel to the interior of Fiji. Meanwhile he also said church circuits in the country decide on what and how they should provide for their circuit ministers, as Reverend Nawadra said the ministers are paid below the poverty line.
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The conference will be held at the Centenary Church from the 23rd to the 25th of this month.
Story by: Vijay Narayan & Paradise Tudrau
Feature
Church clarifies issue in relation to vehicles
