The Methodist Church in Fiji has taken a spiritual approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Close to 200,000 Methodist followers in Fiji and abroad had embarked on a two-month nationwide chain prayer beginning on May 1, 2021.
In a statement, Methodist Church in Fiji general secretary Reverend Iliesa Naivalu said while church members were taking turns in praying and fasting for a period of 61 days, they were also urged to heed all government restrictions and health procedural measures.
He said the Methodist Church would not rest on its laurels and it would use all its spiritual resources to fight against the pandemic.
“The scriptural text for this program is 2 Chronicles 7:14: If my people are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land,” Mr Naivalu said.
He added that it was not enough to just say ‘pray for it’ or ‘let us pray about it’.
“If we really want God to heal Fiji from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to realise that as Christians, we are called by His name; it is a relationship and this is the authority on which we have to ground our faith,” Rev Naivalu said.
“After our assurance of that faith, we need to follow the conditions set out in this text: where we need to humble ourselves, really pray and earnestly seek God’s countenance, while at the same time turn away from our sins through deep repentance; then God will hear our prayers and heal our land.
“This is in line with the directive sent by the President, Reverend Ili Vunisuwai, last week to the 59 divisional superintendents within the church Fiji-wide urging all members to engage themselves in this spiritual warfare.”
In his directive, Rev Vunisuwai called on all ministers and lay members to follow the example set by the people of Waya, Wayasewa and Viwa in the Yasawas who prayed and fasted for two weeks during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1919.
The epidemic passed over the islands without causing harm or death to the members of the three islands.
“Now this spiritual warfare has been extended to all Methodists beginning on Saturday, May 1, and will end on Wednesday, June 30.
“Each divisional superintendent is assigned 24 hours for his members to engage in prayer and fasting, which begins from 6am to 6am the next day. Several hours are allocated to Circuit ministers who then divide the hours among members of his local churches.
“All in all, there are 59 divisions of the Methodist Church in Fiji with over 300 circuits and over 1500 local churches. Large divisions would comprise over 8000 members while small divisions comprise 500-1000 members.
“The spiritual program began with Ba Division on May 1, followed by Bau on May 2, Beqa on May 3, Biaugunu on the 4th, and Bua on May 5.
“It will follow this alphabetic order until June 29 where the head office staff round it off before the Methodist Church members in Canberra, Auckland and other overseas congregations join us in ending the program on June 30.
“The church leadership understands the war against COVID-19 is going to be a long and a difficult one so it needs stringent measures.
“Our faith must go a level up in tapping our spiritual resources and our resolve to succeed must be firmly grounded on the miraculous power of the Almighty as evident in the Holy Scriptures and in the experience of fellow believers over the past 2021 years.”
Rev Naivalu advised all church members to heed the instructions of the Health Ministry and Police department in regards to COVID-19 health restrictions.
Relatives of deceased persons are also requested to liaise with the divisional superintendents in the use of churches for funeral services.
Attendance of funeral services is limited to 20 people only.
