Book of Order Rewrite Task Group

<typohead type="2">Report

</typohead>

<typohead type="3">1. Introduction </typohead>

1.1 The Task Group continues its work.

1.2 It is now able to report to the General Assembly the proposed structure for the New Book of Order. This structure has previously been advised to and approved by the Council of the Assembly at its meeting in November, 2003.

<typohead type="3">2. Proposed Structure of the New Book of Order </typohead>

Part 1

Chapter 1    The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Chapter 2     Statement of Purpose

Chapter 3     Definitions

Chapter 4    Guidelines

Part 2

Overview    Functions of the Congregation, the Church Council, the Eldership (Teaching and Ruling) and Presbytery

Chapter 5    Membership

Chapter 6    The Congregation

Chapter 7    The Church Council

Chapter 8    Eldership

Chapter 9    Presbytery

Part 3

Chapter 10 Training, Ordination and Commissioning

Chapter 11 Settlement

Part 4

Chapter 12    Te Aka Puaho

Chapter 13    The Synod of Otago and Southland

Chapter 14    The Pacific Islanders´ Synod

Part 5

Chapter 15 The General Assembly

Part 6

Chapter 16    Procedures

Chapter 17    Discipline

Chapter 18    Property and Finance

Part 7

Chapter 19 Transitional Procedures

<typohead type="3">3. Other Documents </typohead>

3.1 Conditions of Service Manual

Theological Documents

Constitutions of related organisation

The Beneficiary Fund

Guidelines

3.2 As at July, 2004, all but three of the 19 proposed chapters of the New Book of Order had been placed on the web for comment. The feedback has been extremely helpful and led the Task Group to revisit material offered for review.

3.3 Through this process of consultation, however, the Task Group has noted a range of concerns relating both to some of the developing content of the New Book of Order and the context within which the discussion is taking place within the Church.

3.4 It notes that:

3.4.1    While the Task Group had believed it could bring the full text of the New Book of Order to this General Assembly, it is conscious that not all chapters would have been available for the initial mailing to commissioners.

3.4.2    As a consequence it may be that there are inconsistencies of voice between material submitted for the first mailing to commissioners and material developed after that date.

3.4.3    There is already concern that the level of consultation that can be undertaken before the General Assembly is not as extensive as many would like.

3.4.4    There is concern that the consultation process is limited to electronic access and response.

3.4.5    There is a climate of some distrust which is compounded by 3 and 4 above.

3.4.6    For the New Book of Order to be useful to the Church it should have as broad an ownership as possible within the Church.

3.4.7    It may be helpful for the General Assembly to give consideration to the status of the Westminster Confession without having the issue of adopting the New Book of Order also before it at the same time.

3.5 Accordingly the Task Group has decided not to bring the text of the New Book of Order to this General Assembly for adoption. Instead it recommends the following process:

3.5.1 The Task Group will continue to incorporate appropriate feedback and comment on the book received through the website.

3.5.2 A complete New Book of Order be subjected to rigorous editing in the second half of 2004 to ensure that hard copy of the New Book of Order be made available for comment early in 2005.

That revisions based on feedback and response generated by the consultation process be undertaken.

3.6 That the New Book of Order be presented to a Special Assembly to be held in September 2005 for adoption under the Barrier Act at the General Assembly in 2006.

Sir Rodney Gallen and Chris Nichol
Co-Convenors