Cook Islands Christian Church

The Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) is the largest religious denomination in the Cook Islands. It belongs to the Reformed family of churches.[1] The CICC is a Christian Congregationalist church and has approximately 18,000 members,[2] including around half of the residents of the Cook Islands.[3] The church also has congregations in New Zealand and Australia.[2]

CICC church in Avarua, Raratonga
Cook Islands Christian Church
AbbreviationCICC
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationReformed
PolityCongregational
ModeratorRev. Tuaine Ngametua
AssociationsWorld Council of Churches, Pacific Conference of Churches
RegionCook Islands; Australia, New Zealand
HeadquartersRarotonga
FounderLondon Missionary Society
Origin1852 (as Cook Islands LMS Church)
1968 (became autonomous)
Congregations61
Members18,000
Official websitewww.cicc.net.ck

History
Ebenezera Church

The CICC has its origins in the work of the London Missionary Society (LMS), which began work in the Cook Islands in 1821. In 1852, the LMS founded the Cook Islands LMS Church.[2] The church became autonomous in 1968 with the passage of the Cook Islands Christian Church Incorporation Act by the Parliament of the Cook Islands.[4] This Act officially changed the church's name to the Cook Islands Christian Church.[2] The first president of the CICC after the Act was passed was Bill Marsters, who in the late 1970s was forced to resign his position when he became involved in a scandal involving church funds that went missing.[5]

Modern day
Titikaveka Church

In 1978, the CICC established its first congregation in Auckland in order to accommodate church members who had emigrated to New Zealand. Today, there are 24 congregations in the Cook Islands, and 22 churches in New Zealand and 15 in Australia. The church employs 74 pastors, who are trained at Takamoa Theological College on Rarotonga. The CICC is a member of the World Council of Churches.[6]

With the passage of the Cook Islands Christian Church Amendment Act by the Parliament of the Cook Islands in 2003, the CICC is permitted to alter its constitution without any action from Parliament.[4]

The church has sister church relations with the Uniting Church in Australia, Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Congregational Union of New Zealand and the Maói Protestant Church.[7]

Presidents
# President Term
1 Rev. Bill Marsters 1968–1970s
Rev. Turaki (Turaliare) Teauariki Early 1980s [8][9]
Rev. Tekere Pereeti c. 1991 [10]
Rev. Tangimetua Tangatatutai c. 2000–2010 [11][12]
Rev. Tuaine Ngametua c. 2013–present [13]

Notes
  1. www.reformiert-online.net/weltweit/land.php?id=32&lg=eng
  2. Cook Islands Christian Church Archived 2011-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, oikoumene.org, accessed 2008-03-19.
  3. Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Cook Islands, cia.gov, accessed 2008-03-19.
  4. "Bill signals change for Cook Islands Christian Church" Archived 2008-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, press release, 3 July 2003, cook-islands.gov.ck, accessed 2008-03-19.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2013-04-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2013-04-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2013-04-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Atiu: An Island Community. editorips@usp.ac.fj. 1984-01-01. ISBN 9789820201637.
  9. Fer, Yannick. "Polynesian Protestantism, from the Local Church to Evangelical Networks". Archives de sciences sociales des religions. No 157 (1). ISSN 0335-5985.
  10. "In search of the Cook Islands | New Zealand Geographic". www.nzgeo.com. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  11. "Minutes of the Ninth Assembly" (PDF). Uniting Church in Australia.
  12. "Pacific Manuscripts Bureau" (PDF).
  13. "Home". www.cicc.net.ck. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
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