Address

Oneroa, Mangaia, Cook Islands

Office Bearers

Membership

Oneroa Ekalesia CICC Church services 3 Puna’s, Keia, Tavaenga and Veitatei.

• Mataora Harry (Kavana)
• Tuaine Papatua (Uirangatira)
• Teina Ngametuatoe (BB Lieutenant)
• Taoi Nooroa (Uirangatira)
• Peiaa Teinangaro
• Toa Pole
• Vaikaute Paio (BB Lieutenant)

• Metu Ruatoe
• Taaki Ruatoe (Kavana)
• T erepai Ruatoe
• Takapi Ruatoe
• Harold Ruatoe (Chairman for the Y outh)
• Raymond Tangatakino
• Nooroa Samuel (Jnr)

• Tuaiva Mautairi (Kavana)
• Maire Kareroa
• T euanuku R. Koroa (Uirangatira)
• Thomas Kareroa
• Tiare Makiiti

Ekalesia
Members – 65
Elder Ekalesia – Wendy Pakuunga , Mr & Mrs Nooroa Samuel, Mrs Tuaongo Paio

• Mrs Takake Rimamate
• Mrs Porohu Koroa
• Mrs Rouru Moeara
• Mrs Kauarenga Makike

History

The arrival of the gospel on Mangaia was not received openly. John Williams arrived in the year 1821 and there were conflicts at that time with locals and the gospel was not accepted. Davida and Tiere (Tahitian) landed on Mangaia in 1824, 15th of June, and the prophecy foretold by the Mangaia warrior Arokapiti comes true. It was believed that the prophecy probably took place in 1800. (It chants in maori...... “Tera ake oa to Atua e aere maira na te aka o te rangi, a te kaokao rauaika tea te tu”....)

Davida and Tiere properly proclaimed the true God on the marae Akaoro and this could be initially the first site of the church on Mangaia. (Tahitian Pastors were first received on the marae Orongo but local chief Numangatini reminded that they should move to the marae Akaoro as people lived inland.). The people of Mangaia realised then that the present site is not good as it is the site for spilling blood and sacrificing humans to the gods of the heathens. In the same year the church moved to a new location at Akarangi in Keia district, about 300 metres from Akaoro marae close to the makatea cliff on the western side of Mangaia.

The next church, a wooden chapel, was built in 1830 at Ari-ari-o-te-rangi (door- way to heaven). That site is the location of the present hospital. Years later the church was damaged by the cyclone. The present-day church stands at Taukea, and named “Salema e Punanga.”

• 1830 construction of wooden chapel at Ari-ari-o-te-rangi on the makatea
• 4 August 1845, William and George Gill work on alterations to the Mission House including installation of the first glass windows on Mangaia
• 27 August 1845, foundation stone laid by Numangatini for new stone chapel on makatea and work is commenced, due for opening May 1846
• 17 March 1846, hurricane destroys stone chapel on Oneroa makatea site
• 1846 temporary chapel erected
• 26 September 1849, opening of a new three roofed stone chapel at new Oneroa beach location, replacing the makatea chapel lost in 1846
• 1848/9, Rev. George Gill supervises construction of Oneroa Mission House at current beach site
• 1851, building erected in Oneroa mission ground for Bible Classes for young men
• December 1852, Oneroa chapel repaired and reopened
• August 1863, Oneroa chapel fully repaired
• 27 March 1866, cyclone up-roofs church at Oneroa
• March 1868, stone wall built around mission
• 29 April 1874, opening of the new Oneroa Church
• August 1888, Oneroa chapel foundation stone laid
• 12 August 1891, opening of the new Oneroa Church which is the one still standing today

Administration

Management in the church comprises the Minister as chairperson for all meetings except departmental ones. The overall administrator is the Secretary, assisted by Secretary (Deacon) and the Deacon‘s meeting. The Treasurer looks after the church’s finances and reports regularly to church meetings. The church follows the terms of reference and other guidelines contained in the CICC Manual 2010

Departments

• Deacons’ Meeting
• Boys’ Brigade
• Team Section
• Girls Brigade
• Girl Guides
• Youth groups (Keia Youth, Tavaenga Youth, Veitatei Youth)
• Women’s Fellowship
• Sunday School

Each department has its own regular programmes and activities which, except for the first, are linked to those at the national level

Meetings

All departments hold regular individual meetings to monitor the progress of their own programmes. The parish as a whole has a combined meeting at the end of every 3 months. In these quarterly meetings, developments in each of the departments are reported, as well as reports from the Minister, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Deacon’s group. Irregular meetings are also convened as and when the need arises

Protocols

Religion is very much a way of life for most Cook Islanders irrespective of their denomination. Church-goers cherish this a lot and portray it in the way they dress and attend services. On communion Sundays, men wear white suits and women wear white dresses

On church parade Sundays, children and youth wear their designated uniform. Special apparel is also worn during special services. On normal Sunday services, church goers usually wear their best clothes. Informal/casual wear is not the norm and not encouraged

• Quietness at all times unless part-taking in the hymns
• No cameras & videos are to be used inside the church except for special functions (e.g. wedding) which must be arranged beforehand
• Casual wear (singlet’s, shorts, etc.) is not preferred

After the services, feel free to meet and chat with the Minister and members.

Sermons

The CICC follows the Scripture Union Bible Reading Plan which sets out daily scripture readings. It is quite common for all services to be based on the day’s reading. Sermons are conducted in the local language (Cook Is Maori), unless visitors are present in which case the Minister makes a brief translation of his message in English. No other foreign language is used

Sermons are prepared and presented by the Minister, Deacons and fully ordained members of the church who are talented, through practice and training, to undertake such task.

Whilst in the past only men are allowed to conduct services, women after attaining set standards, criteria and ranks, have recently been allowed to make presentations. Certain types of services and sermons are earmarked for Ministers, Deacons and ordinary members only

• Sunday early morning service:
• Main service:
• Evening service:
• Wednesday and Friday morning service: 6.00am

• Rekapi (pre-communion): Wednesday prior to Oroa
• Oroa (communion): 1st Sunday of each month
• Etene (post-communion): Wednesday after Oroa
• Pentecost:
• Teretere Apii Sabati:
• Teretere Mapu:
• Church parade:
• Youth rally:
• National Gospel Day:
• Mangaia Gospel Day:
• Boys’ Brigade Day:
• Girls’ Brigade W eek:
• Easter:
• Christmas/New Year:
• Mothers/Fathers Day:

• 3rd Sunday of May & November
• 3rd Sunday of February & August 2nd Sunday Feb. to Nov.
• 2/3 per annum on set dates October 26
• June 15
• October 8
• 1st week of June As per calendar
• As per calendar As per calendar

1. Invocation
2. Reading of Creed
3. Notices and announcements
4. Offering and its dedication
5. Sunday School hymn (imene Apii Sabati) ♦ Prayer of confession/Lord’s prayer
6. Bible reading
7. Traditional hymn (imene tuki)
8. Bible reading
9. Prayer of thanksgiving/intercession
10. Traditional hymn
11. Sermon
12. Sunday School hymn
13. Vesper

A normal service of the above order runs for about an hour, with the actual sermon taking from 15 – 25 minutes. Variations of the above order happen during special services. Functions and ceremonies are also held in the church, for example baptism, marriage, bereavement service

Seating

Seating is arranged in 3 rows partly to coincide with the 3 districts; Veitatei, Tavaenga and Keia. Visitors may sit anywhere, but are usually escorted towards thefront. Secondfloorseatingatthebackisrarelyused,butmaybepacked during special services like Gospel days, ANZAC, Christmas and the New Year services

Other Information

Oneroa Ekalesia is a member of the Mangaia CICC Council and participates in all programmes and activities organized by this council. Furthermore, it complies with the resolutions passed by the CICC General Assembly. It has 5 properties: church building, Sunday School Hall, minister’s residence, Ekalesia old minister’s residence and the old Oneroa CICC Youth Fellowship Hall

Contact for more Information

Minister: Rev. Tereora Tereora Phone: 34038
Secretary: Teina Ngametuatoe Phone: 34323 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.