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Overture 1

About Resolution 96.150

At St Andrew's Church, Hastings on 21 March 2002 the Presbytery of Hawkes Bay met and was constituted.

Among other things it was moved, seconded, and carried that the following overture from the Session of St. John's Church, Hastings, be transmitted simpliciter to the General Assembly appointed to meet in Wellington on 22 September 2002

Whereas the General Assembly Resolution 96.150 states, "that the Assembly declare that the status of Ministers, Licentiates and Elders who are practising homosexuals and in full standing with the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is not prejudiced by the ruling of this Assembly (96.129) and that as a special exceptional circumstance, Assembly rules that any student accepted as a student for the ordained ministry of Word and Sacrament before June 1996, may not be refused licensing on the grounds that he/she is practising homosexual.";

And whereas we believe that this regulation is an offence to God being contrary to His revealed will in Scripture, and a hindrance to the spiritual well-being and mission of the Church:

And whereas our desire is that the Presbyterian Church remain faithful to, and be consistent with its own standards

And whereas Resolution. 96.150 is still a matter of deep spiritual and moral concern to the conscience of the congregation of St. John's, Hastings, who while affirming God's love for all people have no desire to compromise the clear Word of God, or to disregard the serious error tolerated by the General Assembly.

It is hereby overtured that the General Assembly repent of its error, and fall from the decision of the 1996 Assembly -Resolution 96.150- to protect the status of Ministers, Licentiates and Elders who are practising homosexuals.

Or that the General Assembly determine otherwise as in its wisdom it shall consider best.

The Presbytery appointed Mrs Heather Hill and one other to support the overture before the Assembly.

Extracted from the records of the Presbytery by

Nolan Martin

Presbytery Clerk

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