Overture 17: Assembly Assessment

At St Andrews Uniting Church, Whangarei on 21 June 2004, the Northland Uniting Church Council met and was constituted.

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

The Council agreed to transmit simpliciter the following overture from the Session of St Andrews Uniting Church, Whangarei, to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand appointed to meet in Christchurch on the 19 September 2004.

Whereas the prime agent for mission is the local congregation

And Whereas the process of implementing the Assembly Levy has lacked transparency and full consultation

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 tax rate

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

And Whereas this turns presbyteries/UDC´s into tax collectors and not mission resources

And Whereas Assembly Assessment is in conflict with the church´s ?healthy congregations´ directive by placing national needs above local congregational mission.

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

Abandon the current single assessment levy immediately

Levy all churches (including co-operative ventures) a charge of $5,000 ($3,000 for co-operative ventures with a Presbyterian component) to support the work of the national church and work with those for whom these figures would be a struggle (this figure is set at about 7.5% of a healthy congregation budget which is supporting one full time staff and other missional work.).

This levy is to be effective immediately and cover the 2004/2005 financial year.

These figures to be adjusted annually in line with the CPI beginning June 2005.

Instruct the Administration and Finance Policy Group to produce a balanced budget for Council of Assembly based on those figures to begin from 1 January 2005 to cover the remaining 6 months of the current financial year and balanced budgets from this point going forward.

</typolist>

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

The Uniting Church Council appointed Rev Wayne Matheson to support the overture before the Assembly.

Extracted from the records of the Uniting Church Council by

Mary Jones
Secretary