Overture 5

<typohead type="2">Seeking Removal of Ageism from the Book of Order</typohead>

At Cust Church, Oxford on 13 July, 2004, the Presbytery of Christchurch met and was constituted.

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

The Presbytery agreed to 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 Church has chosen not to follow the Government´s recommendation that the private sector adopt the Human Rights Legislation making compulsory retirement at 65 illegal

And whereas public opinion has moved to consider such retirement policies as inappropriate

And whereas most mainline churches have adopted the Government´s recommendation leaving the Presbyterian Church alone in practicing ageism

And whereas there are ministers still in good health who are arbitrarily retired because of the retention of the requirement to cease tenure of a parish

And whereas pastoral relationships are thus arbitrarily disrupted

And whereas for many people greater wisdom comes with maturity of years, parishes are deprived of the benefit

And whereas almost six years have elapsed from the implementation of the Government's legislation giving sufficient time for the Church to anticipate the implications for itself

Under such proposed alterations:

1.While retirement at 65 years would still be the norm, if minister and parish wish an extension beyond that age then, subject to satisfactory health and competency and with the approval of the presbytery, the minister would continue, perhaps on an annual basis.

2.Beneficiary Fund increments could be fixed at 65 years.

</typolist>

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

Delete all reference to age based retirement or cessation of tenure from the Book of Order.

</typolist>

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

The Presbytery appointed Rev Aubrey Stevenson and Rev Glenn Livingstone to support the overture before the Assembly.

Extracted from the records of the Presbytery by

Mary Stanton
Presbytery Clerk