Nauru Congregational Church

Nauru Congregational Church in Aiwo District

The Nauru Congregational Church (NCC) is the largest religious denomination in Nauru, claiming as members approximately 60% of Nauru's population of about 10,000.[1][2][3]

In the 2011 census, it was noted that those affiliating to the NCC made up 35.7% of the island's population, 3,552 out of 9,945 people.[4] In the following census, 10 years later in 2021, 4,001 people, out of a population of 11,680 people (34.3%) claimed affiliation with the NCC. This was followed very closely by the Roman Catholic Church with 3,959 (33.9%).[4]

The NCC is a Protestant Congregationalist denomination. It has seven congregations in Nauru.[1] Each of the congregations is headed by a deacon. Rene Harris, a former president of Nauru, has served as the general secretary of the church.[1]

In 2015, Pastor Wanda Joleen Hiram and Pastor Ruth Omodien Garabwan became the first women to be ordained as ministers in the NCC.[5]

  1. ^ a b c Council for World Mission: Nauru Congregational Church, cwmission.org.uk, accessed 2008-03-31.
  2. ^ "Nauru", 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica.
  3. ^ Uniting World website
  4. ^ a b Nauru 2021 Population and Housing Census - Analytical Report (PDF). SPC’s Headquarters, B.P. D5, 98 848, Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia (published August 2023). 2023. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-982-00-1510-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Council for World Mission website, article dated December 1, 2015