NB. This is archived material from Assembly 2004

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The Role of the Moderator Task Group

<typohead type="2">Report
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<typohead type="3">1. Task Group Members</typohead>

Margaret Feist, Allan Paulin, Heather Kennedy, Anne Thompson, Apa Leali’ifano, & Martin Stewart (Convener).

<typohead type="3">2. Form of the Report</typohead>

(a) Position Description (A summary of the task group's conclusions in the form of a position description).

(b) Comments and Reasons.

(c) Notes (allocation of the moderator’s time and ‘add-ons’) .

(d) Narrative of the process.

(e) Matters not within our terms of reference.

(f) Appendix Book of Order Appendix D-8: Office of the Moderator of the General Assembly.

Note: Numbers in Section 4. Comments and Reasons, correspond with the numbered sections of Section 3. Position De scription. It is helpful to read them together.

<typohead type="3">3. Role of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church</typohead>

3.1 Purpose

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to strengthen and unite the Presbyterian Church in understanding of, and commitment to, its mission

to moderate the General Assembly

to speak for the Presbyterian Church to its members and to the community

to represent the Presbyterian Church on formal and ceremonial occasions

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3.2 Relationships

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Council of Assembly

Assembly Executive Secretary

Service Team leaders

Moderators of Presbyteries and Synods

Leaders of other denominations

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3.3 Knowledge, Skills, Personal Attributes, Experience

Knowledge

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Of the mission, direction, structure and processes of the Presbyterian Church

Of reformed theology, history, ethos

Of New Zealand society which is th e context of the Mission of the Presbyterian Church

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Skills

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Communication - preaching, teaching, advocating

Inter-personal - listening, negotiating

Intellectual - analysing and applying knowledge

Ability to work with other people

Capacity to see the "whole picture" (to see detail in the context of the whole mission)

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Personal attributes

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Commitment to the Church’s mission statement and direction set by the Assembly

Ability to inspire confidence, growth and action

Ability to examine and challenge policy proposals

Sensitivity and grace towards people of different ethnic or cultural ackground, opinion, gender and orientation.

Willingness to trust others

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Experience

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Membership in a congregation of the Presbyterian Church

A record of effective ordained leadership (ruling or teaching) in "Making Jesus Christ known in nurturing and teaching, in loving service, in proclaiming the gospel, in transforming society, and in caring for creation."

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3.4	Key Result Areas	Key Tasks
	3.4.1 Mission	Inspire, encourage and affirm the Presbyterian Church in "Making Jesus Christ known in nurturing and teaching, in loving service, in proclaiming the gospel, in transforming society, and in caring for creation", taking account of the Church’s principal strategies and directions.
	3.4.2 Faces of Mission	Offer leadership in developing to greater depth one or more of the five aspects of mission.
	3.4.3 Policy Formation	Contribute a prophetic voice and mission focus to policy formation through membership of Council.
	3.4.4 Unity and Resolve	Moderate General Assembly, its worship and work, to inspire energy and enthusiasm for mission.
	3.4.5 Information and Identity	Speak for the Presbyterian Church, expressing the vision, beliefs, values and direction to the membership and to the wider community, religious and secular, national and international.
	3.4.6 Ceremonial, Celebration	Represent the Presbyterian Church in confirming and celebrating achievement in mission at congregational and regional levels. Represent the Presbyterian Church at formal occasions in wider community.

 

<typohead type="3">4. Comments and Reasons</typohead>

4.1 Purpose (these relate to Section 3.1)

4.1.1 We have altered the priorities of the moderator’s role as set out in the Book of Order to give prime focus to furthering the Church’s mission attempting to marry the mana, dignity and, hopefully influence, that go with being moderator, to a focus on leading the Presbyterian Church in mission.

4.1.2 We have taken into account the desire for mission focussed leadership together with our conviction that moderating the business of Assembly, speaking for and representing the Presbyterian Church, are also necessary and important tasks.

4.1.3 From the list in Appendix D- 8 we have omitted:

1.3.a ‘Pastoral care of Presbyteries and of those ordained to ruling and teaching ministries in the church and the wider community and the support and encouragement of Presbytery moderators."

We accept that pastoral care offered by moderators has been appreciated, perceived to meet a felt need, and has also been one of the more satisfying elements of the role for some recent moderators, however, we consider, as described in D-8, it is far beyond the scope of one person. Pastoral moderators will work pastorally, but we do not see pastoral care as a key result area for the moderator.

1.3.b " ...to bring unity to the chur ch" included in first purpose.

1.3.c We have omitted "Consultations" as a separate item considering that it is subsumed in items 3 and 4 under Purpose and in Key Result Areas ‘Faces of Mission’ and ‘Policy Formation’.

4.1.4 We received a suggestion that the moderator’s role should be reduced to that of presiding at Assembly and ‘leadership’ should reside elsewhere. "Corporate leadership has become no leadership... the moderator has no power, no authority, no accountability and is unable to call anyone to account." We see the implications of this suggestion are that leadership and authority should be vested in one person. However, we believe that this would overturn the authority of Assembly and, in effect, abandon the Reformed tradition of church government. If it were presented to the Assembly as an overture, sent down to parishes under the Barrier Act and confirmed at the subsequent Assembly, the Presbyterian Church would, in effect, cease to be Presbyterian.

4.1.5 We consider that there are two essential conditions necessary before the purposes we have proposed can be achieved.

1.5.a The first is genuine agreement on what constitutes mission. It was clear that some of our minister correspondents think of mission in narrower terms than the five aspects of "M aking Jesus Christ known". That ‘genuine agreement’ needs to go deep into the grass roots of the Presbyterian Church through Courts to Congregations. A challenge: one of our correspondents wrote: "I don’t know what the vision of the Presbyterian Church is, how can a moderator articulate it when it is so unclear?"

1.5.b The second is a willingness by ministers (whose attitudes do affect the attitudes of their people) to accept and respect the role of moderator, with the mana that attaches to it.

4.2 Relationships (these relate to Section 3.2)

4.2.1 Council of Assembly: Moderators are members of Council for one year before taking office, for two years in office and one year after leaving it.

2.1.a Council is the body responsible for ensuring that decisions of Assembly, the Presbyterian Church’s governing body, are actioned. Through membership, Moderators are able to gain an overall view of the Presbyterian Church.

2.1.b Council is also the place where policy proposals from policy groups are examined, co-ordinated and refined. It is in this aspect of Council’s work that Moderators can and should exercise a ‘prophetic’ role, offering insights, questioning assumptions, keeping focus on the mission.

2.1.c One of the most common reservations among correspondents was that the moderator would be perceived as a puppet parroting and publicising the decisions of Council. A more positive way of stating the same fear was that perception of the Moderator as independent and impartial had been a valuable aid to previous moderators and should be preserved. Moderators need to have a record of being able to be independent without being separatist. Council needs to allow space to the prophetic role. However, it would be disastrous to appoint a Moderator – Mission Leader who saw the role as running counter to or unconnected with Assembly policy.

4.2.2 Assembly Executive Secretary: The AES is required to " advise and support Moderator and Moderator designate" . The relationship would normally be mutually supportive.

4.2.3 Service team leaders: The formal relationship is through the AES. Service team leaders are one channel through which understanding of the Presbyterian Church at large, and in its many operations, can reach the moderator. There may also be situations in which moderators’ work or initiatives can be assisted by service teams.

4.2.4 Moderators of presbyteries and synods: The relationship should be partnership in furthering understanding of, and commitment to, mission at the regional and local level.

4.2.5 Leaders of other denominations: co nsultation, mutual support in public statements on which denominations are in agreement.

4.3 Knowledge, Skills, Personal Attributes, Experience (these relate to Section 3.3)

4.3.1 Knowledge may be gained academically or experientially, preferably moderators would have one, reinforced by the other.

4.3.2 The knowledge listed should underp in but not constrict the moderator’s role. It is hard to see how leadership in mission could be effective without the first and third. The second is likely to prevent time-costly blunders.

4.4 Key Result Areas (these relate to Section 3.4)

4.4.1 Mission: We have put Mission first, defining it as the current statement of mission, but see section 1.5.a and taking account of the key strategies and directions adopted by the General Assembly.

4.4.2 Faces of Mission: an attempt to answer the question, "what will the moderator as mission leader do?"

4.2.a I f purposefully focussed on one or more aspects of the Presbyterian Church mission and shaped by the skills, interests and experience of the moderator, the already developed idea of a moderator’s menu has potential.

4.2.b " One or more..." Church comm unities vary greatly in their situations. Some need nurturing and teaching; some proclaim the gospel beyond their walls; some struggle with how to transform society; some are very effective in one aspect but reluctant to move beyond it. The concept of one mission, "to make Jesus Christ known" with five faces offers congregations the confidence that comes with unity and with being recognised and respected in their diversity.

4.2.c Several sources among our correspondents suggest working with key mission leaders in parishes, presbyteries or regions. In the words of one, "the Presbyterian Church is only as strong as its local congregations. A mission leader has to be free to develop and encourage local mission."

4.2.d The importance of visibility was also mentioned: "The Church needs to be visible in the flesh, not anonymous in bland missives issuing from a distant office..."

4.2.e The following might help moderators in planning and impact:

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consultation with Resourcing for Mission Policy Group

follow-up by Mission Resource Team

sharpening criteria for deciding where to offer the moderator’s time.

developing strategy for ensuring opportunity is taken up (subsidised regional conferen ce/specified minimum time allowance at regular presbytery meeting)

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4.4.3 Policy Formation: Moderators must understand and be committed to the mission of the Presbyterian Church as adopted by Assembly. They cannot function as Key Mission Leaders if their concept of mission is markedly different. Their role and opportunity in Council, where they have an independent voice, is to help shape the policies through which the Church will carry out its mission. If they cannot convince Council, they are unlikely to be able to convince the Church.

4.4.4 Unity and Resolve: Assembly can be impressive and inspiring. Focus on a shared task can energise.

4.4.a Moderators have a role in setting the tone and focus of Assembly and enabling commissioners to see how what they, as commissioners, are doing fits into the whole mission picture.

4.4.b I f moderators are to carry out this key task their voice must be heard in the planning of Assembly and setting the priorities of business.

4.4.5 Information and Identity:

4.5.a Moderators inform and connect people to the national church in a way that information on paper cannot do. See also 4.2.d.

4.5.b See 2.1(c).

4.4.6 Ceremonial, Celebration:

4.6.a Confirming and celebrating achi evement in mission allows scope for moderators’ imagination and enthusiasm. Moderators can promote good will to the whole church through focussed visiting and making connections.

4.6.b We think all Presbyterians should have the opportunity to experience the moderator’s leadership in mission.

We believe that routine visits to half the presbyteries are no longer a good use of the moderator’s time and often are not valued or used effectively.

4.6.c. We suggest regional gatherings aimed to reach congregation members which can:

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inspire through the experience of being in a large company

include elements of celebrati on, affirmation, information

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<typohead type="3">5. Notes</typohead>

5.1 Use of the Moderator’s time

5.1.1 We assume the Moderator is in office for 52 weeks (i.e. half time for two years) and that annual leave is taken in parish time. Then, allocating time for high priority or non-negotiable activities, we think the pattern should be something like this:

52 weeks less exit leave = 50 weeks
50 less 3 Assemblies (2) = 47
47 less3 Council ( 6 x 3) = 44
44 less 4 Synods ( 3 ) = 40
40 less 24 Mission Leadership (itinerary) = 16
16 less 10 Preparation* = 6
6 less 2 in house liaison** = 4
4 less 2 external liaison*** = 2
2 Less 2 everything else = 0

* for Mission leadership in regional meetings, seminars with key mission leaders, Assembly,

Council, other

** with AES, Council , synod, presbytery, moderators etc.

*** with Partners in Mission, ‘Related organisations’ [Year Book pp. 4,5]

5.1.2 Note, no separate time has been allowed for travel in NZ or overseas. 20% of the total has been allowed for preparation. The quality and effectiveness of public presentations and activities such as seminars depends heavily on adequate preparation which is likely far to exceed the time taken by the event itself.

5.1.3 "Add-ons" should not be allowed to eat into the moderator’s time. Requests should be evaluated by criteria such as:

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does it fall within the key result areas?

is it important enough to displace some other projected activity not yet committed to

can someone else (e.g. with the mana of an ex moderator) be delegated to do it – this could apply particularly to difficult pastoral situations in which Presbyteries ask for moderator-level help

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Appendices

• E6: Appendix 1 - Proposed Amendment to Book of Order

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