▁at ▁school ▁or ▁to ▁attend ▁religious ▁cer emon ies ▁at ▁school , ▁and ▁the ▁right ▁not ▁to ▁" take ▁an ▁o ath ▁or ▁make ▁an ▁aff irm ation ▁that ▁is ▁contrary ▁to ▁his ▁religion ▁or ▁belief ". ▁ ▁History ▁Christian ity ▁first ▁came ▁to ▁Tu valu ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁when ▁Ele k ana , ▁a ▁de acon ▁of ▁a ▁Cong reg ational ▁church ▁in ▁Man ih iki , ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁became ▁caught ▁in ▁a ▁storm ▁and ▁dr ift ed ▁for ▁eight ▁weeks ▁before ▁landing ▁at ▁N uk ula ela e . ▁Ele k ana ▁began ▁pros ely t ising ▁Christian ity . ▁He ▁was ▁trained ▁at ▁Mal ua ▁The ological ▁College , ▁a ▁London ▁Mission ary ▁Society ▁school ▁in ▁Sam oa , ▁before ▁beginning ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Tu valu . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁the ▁Rev ▁A . ▁W . ▁Murray ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Mission ary ▁Society ▁– ▁a ▁Protest ant ▁con greg ational ist ▁mission ary ▁society ▁– ▁arrived ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁European ▁mission ary ▁where ▁he ▁too ▁pros ely t ized ▁among ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Tu valu . ▁Murray ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Rev . ▁Samuel ▁James ▁Whit mee ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁past ors ▁were : ▁Io ane ▁at ▁N uk ula ela e ▁( 1 8 6 5 - 8 8 ); ▁Kir is ome ▁at ▁N ui ▁( 1 8 6 5 - 9 9 ); ▁T ema ▁at ▁Fun af