LA Tongan SDA Church History (English Version)
Our Tongan SDA Story in the U.S. As a gift to reflect upon our history, I pause to say a few words about my childhood church. Allow me to outline a crucial portion of our vast history. I am blessed to share the narrative of my parents Taione Tu'ikolovatu and Makeleta Taione who are founding members of the LA Tongan SDA church. Our LA Tongan SDA histo
ry dates back to the late 1970’s. There were existing Tongan SDA families in the Southern California area such as Siupeli & ‘Alisi Lolie and family, Sifa Laulile and their family, Palaki & Vainiaku Paea and their family. The Tongan SDA community at that time held quarterly church services at each of the respective locations in Southern California: Riverside, Culver City and Hawthorne SDA Church. My father, Taione Tu’ikolovatu, arrived in 1978 and joined the rotation of church gatherings. There was a desirable goal by some of the members to establish a Tongan SDA church. In the early 1980’s with the gym opening for Compton Samoan SDA (on Santa Fe Rd. in Compton, California) built by Pulumu Poulivaati, Sione Kamoto Tovi, Lesieli Mafi, Osai Saafi the SDA conference recognized the sizeable group of Tongans that attended. With the goal of the collective to establish a church in mind coupled with the recommendation from the SDA conference, in addition to a young pastor and his family who had recently graduated from La Sierra University (ie Sonatane and Tupou Vunlieva), the LA Tongan SDA Church was born. In 1986, LA Tongan SDA church was officially established with Pr. Sonatane as senior pastor and recognized as the only Tongan-led church with the focus of ministry, Tongan language, culture and community. Some of the founding members include but are not limited to the following families. Lēmani Fehoko, ‘Ilaisaane Fehoko, Sione Savieti, Toa Savieti, Sēkola Tonga, Sione Tonga, Pōhiva Vaipulu, Sela Akaveka, Lesilī Mafi, Paea Mafi, Maiko Langi, ‘Akosita Langi, Ma‘ata Fonua, Siō Fonua, Tiola Tukuafu, Ngahe Tukuafu, Kolona Kailea, Kali Kailea, Fate Malu, Tauleva Malū, Lātū Lavulo, Lu‘isa Lavulo, Lavinia Steiner, Max Steiner, Faifekau Sonatane Vunileva, Tupou Vunileva, mo homau fāmiliʹ, Taione Tu‘ikolovatu mo Makeleta Taione. Ko e kau Talavouʹ: Similiti Lutu, Kaufana Taione, Noa Vunileva, Sione Vea, Fitu Kailea, Sela Malū, Matilda Steiner, Siua Onetoto Vaipulu, Toa Lutu, mo Fainga‘a Tulikihakau. Places of Worship
Paramount SDA Church + Lennox United Methodist Church
Prior to LA Tongan SDA being an organized church, the Tongan collective met at Paramount SDA Church for divine service and later gathered at the Lennox Tongan United Methodist Church 4556 Lennox Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90304 for Adventist Youth (AY) services. The negotiations to host AY at Lennox were headed by Sela and Pohiva Vaipulu with the understanding and support of Faifekau Langi at the time. Because Sela and Pohiva Vaipulu had relationships with the local Tongan community prior, this was a relationship that contributed to the Ahofitu members at the time and the support was easily given as the Methodist Church sought to support efforts to establish a place of our own. In 1911, The Watts church, now the Tamarind Avenue SDA Church, was established with a charter membership of 16, P.B. Bontemps served as pastor http://www.blacksdahistory.org/1900-1944.html The address is listed as 417 S Tamarind Ave, Compton, CA 90220. Sonatane Vunileva visited Tamarind’s Church (a black established church) to ask if they can serve as our mother church and whether they can provide a place for worship. We do not have the name of the pastor at the time, but the last senior pastor serving before the Tongan collective left was Pr. They were incredibly generous with our Tongan community and they provided not only a space, but a welcoming spirit that truly encapsulated “mother” as our mother church. The dates are approximate, but we worshipped at Tamarind between 1984-1986. Paramount 8021 Somerset Blvd, Paramount CA
The church was established in 1986. LA Tongan SDA grew in membership throughout this time. We attended the Paramount church (address TBA) for about 2-3 years before moving to Lynwood Academy. The need for space coupled with limited resources left us in a predicament that took us from Paramount to Lynwood Academy. Lynwood Academy (estimated at 1989-1993)
LA Tongan SDA Church grew in numbers as migration from the islands of Tonga continued. There was a need for a larger space, but also an affordable meeting space. One can only imagine that our people worked seasonal manual labor jobs such as ‘iate/yard work/construction work or places like LAX airport upon arrival from the islands. While we used the large cafeteria space as our worship area at Lynwood Academy, there was a need for us to move yet again. The passage found on Los Angeles Adventist Academy’s historical timeline notes:
“In 1993, the campus of Lynwood Academy was closed due to the state of California’s eminent domain claim to relocate the City of Lynwood’s High School to our beloved academy’s campus site. The Southern California Conference elected to relocate Lynwood Academy on the campus of Los Angeles Union SDA school. Through the merger of these two institutions, a new school was formed known today as Los Angeles Adventist Academy (LAAA).” https://laaa-alumni.org/history/ Here's more history on Lynwood Academy https://laaa-alumni.org/history/
Carlin Church (1994-2006)
From about 1994-2006, LA Tongan rented a church space in Lynwood at 4207 Carlin Ave, Lynwood, CA 90262, affectionately known to many of the members as “Carlin Church.” Many of the young adults ages 25-35+ and young married couples of LA Tongan SDA know this church well as it is the church that many of them grew up in. Paytee visited many times and was treasured by the LA Tongan community. There was a time when Pr. Paytee both preached and was recognized with gifts that included a “pani” or quilt with his name on it. LAAA Paytee (2006-2017)
We spent about 11 years in what was meant to be a temporary move to LAAA with the support of Pr. Paytee. Not only did they provide an auditorium for us to worship in, they provided space at rock bottom pricing for the space and area at the time. Read more about the location that we called home for 11 years https://laaa-alumni.org/los-angeles-adventist-academy-history/ It is noteworthy to mention that in 2016, Pr. Paytee passed away. He was instrumental to not only our stay at LAAA, but the overall work of LA Tongan SDA. Bellflower (2017-present)
After moving between multiple locations over the years, it was imperative to secure a permanent location for worship. Once the decision to buy a church passed, the church search committee members worked hard to bridge the cultural barriers. With months of going back and forth between the committee, LA Tongan SDA purchased its first church in Bellflower at 8718 Cedar St, Bellflower, CA 90706. LA Tongan SDA where the Tongan congregation continues to worship at said location to this day. Conclusion
Our LA Tongan SDA history is one of our treasured mats--woven by many hands with prayers, gifted with the humility of love, rooted in Christ. Many hands that offered prayers, worked through ministry or helped to set up chairs in the sanctuary are now resting in the love and peace of our Heavenly Father. To them, we honor their many memories and hold fast to the promise that we will someday be reunited. We honor our Tongan SDA families in the U.S., Tamarind Church and our Black SDA community who graciously
