uti ▁( 1 8 7 0 - 8 9 ); ▁and ▁Jer emia ▁at ▁V ait up u ▁( 1 8 8 0 - 9 5 ). ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁the ▁minister s ▁of ▁what ▁became ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Tu valu ▁were ▁pre domin antly ▁Sam o ans , ▁who ▁influenced ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Tu valu an ▁language ▁and ▁the ▁music ▁of ▁Tu valu . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁Church ▁acquired ▁its ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁L MS , ▁since ▁which ▁time ▁it ▁has ▁sent ▁some ▁mission aries ▁to ▁serve ▁Tu valu an ▁migr ants ▁in ▁F iji , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁Hawai i , ▁Australia , ▁and ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁ ▁The ▁former ▁Governor - General ▁of ▁Tu valu , ▁Rev ▁Sir ▁Fil o ime a ▁Tel ito , ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁Church ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁Church ▁currently ▁publish es ▁a ▁bullet in ▁in ▁the ▁Tu valu an ▁and ▁English ▁languages , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁one ▁church ▁in ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁A uck land , ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁The ▁Re ver end ▁Kal ah ati ▁K ile i , ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Tu valu ▁Church ▁and ▁Past or ▁for ▁the ▁island ▁community ▁of ▁Fun af uti , ▁died ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁at ▁Princess ▁Margaret ▁Hospital . ▁ ▁Bel ief s ▁The ▁Church ▁is ▁Cal vin ist ▁in ▁doctrine ▁and