Overture 9

<typohead type="2">Single Assessment</typohead>

At St Peter's Presbyterian Church Ellerslie on 13 July 2004, the Presbytery of Auckland met and was constituted.

<typohead type="3">Among other things:</typohead>

It was moved seconded and carried that the Presbytery adopt and transmit the following overture to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand appointed to meet in on 19 September 2004.

Whereas the prime agent for mission is the local congregation

And whereas the process of implementing the Single Assessment Levy has lacked consultation and subsequent buy in by the local congregations

And whereas the Assembly levy fundamentally changes the nature of giving (from gift to direct tax)

And whereas no missional justification has been given for the amount of the tax rate

And whereas the Financial Services Department cannot demonstrate fiscal responsibility and accountability

And whereas this turns Presbyteries into tax collectors and not mission resourcers

And whereas Single Assessment is in conflict with the church´s "healthy congregations" directive by placing national needs above local congregational mission

<typohead type="3">It is overtured that the General Assembly:</typohead>

That the current single assessment levy be abandoned immediately.

That the services provided by the be only those that the local church willingly and freely funds.

That all other services be either locally provided, self funding or cease.

</typolist>

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

The Presbytery appointed the Rev Andrew Norton and Mr. Forbes Worn to support the Overture to the General Assembly.

Extracted from the records of Presbytery by

Trevor Mosley
Presbytery Clerk