Location: New Zealand
Member Since:
July 07, 2020
Sisofa Pole
Biography
Rev Siosifa Pole was born in the Kingdom of Tonga and brought up in the villages of Lapaha and Fua’amotu.
His parents were Kalafitoni and Neomai Kakala Nai Pole.
He was educated in Tonga and worked for the Tongan government before coming to New Zealand in 1986, for theological study at the Bible College of New Zealand, where he graduated with a Diploma in Ministry in 1989. Siosifa also holds a Diploma in Ministry from the Australian College of Theology, and a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Theology from Melbourne College of Divinity. He trained for presbyterial ministry at Trinity Methodist Theological College in Auckland, with a focus on pastoral care and leading worship in English language settings.
In 2002 Siosifa was stationed to Wesley Roskill Methodist Parish, in Auckland. He was ordained in 2003 and served the parish for nine years. His second appointment was to Dunedin Methodist Parish where he served for seven and half years.
During his time in Dunedin, he started to write theological reflections from Tongan perspective to widen the understanding of this mainly palagi parish. Siosifa now serves as the Acting Director for Pasifika Ministries in the Mission Resourcing section of the Methodist Church of New Zealand.
The content of this book reflects Rev Pole’s journey of ministry in the Methodist of Church of New Zealand, and also his desire to share his experiences as a Tongan migrant who is practicing ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand.
He is married to Naomi and they have four children.
His parents were Kalafitoni and Neomai Kakala Nai Pole.
He was educated in Tonga and worked for the Tongan government before coming to New Zealand in 1986, for theological study at the Bible College of New Zealand, where he graduated with a Diploma in Ministry in 1989. Siosifa also holds a Diploma in Ministry from the Australian College of Theology, and a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Theology from Melbourne College of Divinity. He trained for presbyterial ministry at Trinity Methodist Theological College in Auckland, with a focus on pastoral care and leading worship in English language settings.
In 2002 Siosifa was stationed to Wesley Roskill Methodist Parish, in Auckland. He was ordained in 2003 and served the parish for nine years. His second appointment was to Dunedin Methodist Parish where he served for seven and half years.
During his time in Dunedin, he started to write theological reflections from Tongan perspective to widen the understanding of this mainly palagi parish. Siosifa now serves as the Acting Director for Pasifika Ministries in the Mission Resourcing section of the Methodist Church of New Zealand.
The content of this book reflects Rev Pole’s journey of ministry in the Methodist of Church of New Zealand, and also his desire to share his experiences as a Tongan migrant who is practicing ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand.
He is married to Naomi and they have four children.
Where to find Sisofa Pole online
Website: https://pgpl.co.nz/
Where to buy in print
Books
Fisi’inaua ‘I Vaha – a Tongan Migrant’s Way: A Methodist Minister Applies Tongan Social Concepts in a New Zealand Setting
by Sisofa Pole
Price:
$6.99 USD.
Words: 38,170.
Language:
English.
Published: July 7, 2020
by
Philip Garside.
Categories:
Nonfiction » Social Science » Customs & Traditions, Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Christian Ministry / General
Rev Siosifa Pole highlights Tongan cultural and social concepts and explores how they relate to his experience as a minister in English language, New Zealand parish settings. He hopes the book will improve the understanding by other people of the Tongan way of thinking and of doing things.