The Secretary General of the National Council of Churches, Reverend Ma'auga Motu, has commended churches that stopped Sunday services for the safety of children.

In an interview with Samoa Observer, Rev. Motu said there is nothing wrong with the decision of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to stop Sunday services.

"We all want prevention for our kids and because during services, if there are ten kids in the church and one of them is affected, then surely everyone of them will be affected as well," he said.

"It's very risky so it's not wrong from my own opinion, for the Mormon to stop their Sunday services and maybe worship honestly."

Rev. Motu said it is not God's ways of testing Samoa as a Christian nation but it's the mind of the people who have been tasked to protect Samoa from the deadly virus.

"It would be foolish in front of God if we were to still bring our children to churches where we know they can be affected."

He suggests that it's better to keep the children at home and families should worship from home, which is what a Samoan family would always do.

But he said that does not mean he condemns those churches that continue to hold Sunday services, because at the end of the day they should make sure the children at kept safe from infection. 

Speaking on behalf of the Council, Rev. Motu said the Council does not plan to penalise any church that held Sunday services and would rather leave that decision to the individual church leaderships and their congregations. 

"Only if they discuss together on board to stop the services then we can stop," he said. "But so far, no leader of each churches has come on board for a special meeting regarding this matter."

To stop Sunday services, Rev. Motu also sees it as an opportunity for families to pull in their children who are have been avoiding Sunday services and get them to worship with them in their own houses.

"There are some kids who are living freely from God so it's the best chance for parents to pull in their kids to rebuild their souls again and their spiritual lives," he said.

As a parent and a church minister, Rev. Motu believes that most children are taking for granted the risk of infection with measles.

"They don't think about the children that have lost their lives to the measles. It's for their best to put this to attention and it's paramount for parents to be careful for their children." 

Rev. Motu also urged Samoa to pray for the people working for the Ministry of Health.

"These are one of the people who are putting their best efforts in treating measles and what they're doing is also risky for them."