A new leader has been elected to serve as president of the South Pacific Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
On Sunday, August 26, 2012, Dr. Richard Waugh was elected to serve the new region, which is part of The International Wesleyan Church and includes the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Australia, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of the Solomon Islands, and the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bougainville.
The three-day conference took place in Brisbane, Australia, where Dr. Alberto Patacsil (General Superintendent of the Philippines General Conference of The Wesleyan Church and chairman of the International Conference of The Wesleyan Church) installed Dr. Waugh on the final day of the event. The significance of a new Wesleyan regional conference is underlined when one considers that this could be a step on the way to eventually becoming a sister General Conference of the denomination.
Special guests at the inaugural conference also included Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church.
The new regional board of the South Pacific Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church will consist of:
- Dr. Richard Waugh (National Superintendent of Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand)
- Rev. Rex Rigby (National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia)
- Rev. Hall Malasa (National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of the Solomon Islands)
- Rev. Nashon Nosuri (National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bouganville)
- Doug Ring (lay leader, Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia)
- Barry Fisk (lay leader, Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand)
A Samoan choir joined in the celebration, illustrating the diverse ethnicity of the South Pacific region.
Pictured top: The new South Pacific Conference board is installed.
Bottom: President Richard Waugh
