THE Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma has told its congregation that the increase in the cost of living cannot be avoided.
And this unavoidable increase needs to be reflected in the amount of tithes given to the church by its members, participants at the conference heard.
This was the word from former Methodist Church president Reverend Ame Tugaue when he opened the Methodist Church Conference on Wednesday.
"Na toso cake, tubu cake ni sau in bula e dua na ka eda na sega ni levea rawa. (The increase in cost of living is something that cannot be avoided)," Mr Tugaue said.
He said that 70 per cent of the church's income was derived directly from tithes and the previous levy of $10 was insufficient to meet the amount needed for the running of the church.
"Ena uasivi mo ni na rogoca vakavinaka nai tukutuku ni noda dauniyau ena kena sa takiveiyaga na $10 ka sa dodonu meda na vakauqeti meda sa na tosoya cake na noda itavi lavo ki na cakacaka levu. (It is vital that you heed the treasurer's report that the $10 levy is insufficient, we should be encouraged to increase members' levy in order to meet the financial needs of the church)," he said.
Mr Tugaue said a person's spirituality would be shown in the charity of their spirit.
Increasing the levy is one of the issues to be decided at the Methodist Church conference.
New church president Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu had earlier told The Fiji Times the church was considering increasing members' levy to allowcontinued support for schools managed by church funds, social welfare institutions such as the Dilkusha Home and to cover operating expenses of the church's headquarters.