Pastor Maveni Kaufononga elected as first SPD vice president

Pastor Maveni Kaufononga.

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Pastor Maveni Kaufononga has been elected as the first vice president of the South Pacific Division (SPD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“It will be great to have an experienced leader who is strategic, a great communicator, spiritual and mission-focused to work alongside me,” said SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend.

The decision was made today at a meeting of the full SPD delegation attending the General Conference Session.

Pastor Kaufononga has been serving as president of the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) since 2015. Prior to this, he held the role of TPUM secretary. He has also served as the Union’s youth ministries director and special assistant to the president.

Originally from Tonga, Pastor Kaufononga has ministered across the Pacific, including serving as youth ministries director in the Cook Islands—where his wife is from—and as a university chaplain in Fiji.

Although the appointment is effective immediately, Pastor Kaufononga is expected to transition to his new role following the upcoming TPUM Session.

In related news, David Potter has been elected associate secretary of the SPD.

“David is an experienced administrator who has served in the Pacific and Australia,” said Pastor Townend. “He will focus on policy, systems and processes.”

Mr Potter was previously general manager of SPD People Services.

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