Our Minister

Rev Apelu Tielu was ordained as Minister of the Word, of the Uniting Church in Australia, by the Canberra Region Presbytery, in 2011. He served three years at the Yass Uniting Church, and then six years at the Papakura Pacific Islanders’ Church of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, till the end of 2019.

Apelu was born in Samoa, but he migrated with his family to Australia in mid-1995. He studied education and mathematics in New Zealand, agricultural science in the Philippines, postgraduate economics in Canada, and theology in Australia. Apelu has published book chapters and refereed papers on economics and science; he has published articles in newspapers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Samoa; and ANU published his novel in 2003.

Apelu taught mathematics at schools in Samoa and economics at the University of the South Pacific from 1991 to 1995. He worked as a trade economist with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics from 1995 to 2008, when he candidated for ministry.

Apelu is married to Amy Grace Tielu, and they have two daughters, Amabel Sera and Amy Jane.

You can contact Apelu via email from our contact us page, or in an emergency call him on 0409 550 088