Overture 24: New Book of Order

At St David's, Richmond, Nelson on Tuesday 8th June 2004 the Presbytery of Nelson and Marlborough met and was constituted.

Among other things

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 Christchurch on 19th September 2004.

Whereas the proposed new Book of Order has not yet been made available in final draft form,

And whereas only incomplete parts of it are available on the Presbyterian Church Website,

And whereas the Presbyterian Church in its wisdom has the Barrier Act 1697 to ensure that "...the whole Church have a previous knowledge thereof, and their opinion be had therein, and for preventing any sudden alteration or innovation... in either doctrine or worship, or discipline, or government thereof..."

And whereas Article XII of the Agreement for Union 1901 states that "The Barrier Act shall apply to all proposals for fresh legislation,"

And whereas REG 374 in the matter of the Church passing fresh legislation, which is to become a binding rule is limited by the Barrier Act 1697,

And whereas the Book of Order is a document whereby the Presbyterian Church organises its life consistent with, and an expression of, her Supreme and Subordinate Standards, and Constitution set out in the heritage of the Church, inter alia in the New Zealand Presbyterian Church Act 1875, The Presbyterian Church Property Act 1885, The Agreement for Union 1901, The Presbyterian Church Property Act 1885 Amendment Act 1914, the current Book of Order, Chapter 1, Section A- Standards, Reg. 475 Standards,

And whereas it would be both wise and pastoral for Elders and Church Members to have the opportunity to carefully study the proposed changes to ensure that the current regulations regarding Supreme and Subordinate Standards by which teaching and conduct are tested are preserved in the proposed new Book of Order,

And whereas the Book of Order regulates matters of Church court(s) structure, function, membership and moderatorship, matters of censure and discipline, appeals and reviews, reflecting the Church's Standards,

And whereas it would be both wise and pastoral for Elders and Church Members to have the opportunity to carefully study the proposed changes before being subject to those changes;

And whereas replacing the Book of Order with a completely brand new version is a very significant decision in the life of the Church,

And whereas the Presbyterian Church is not a church in a hurry,

It is hereby moved:

That the new Book of Order be tabled at the 2004 Assembly for distribution to the Church in either electronic form or in hard copy by request.

That a period of at least 1year be extended for any Church Member, or Church Court, to recommend changes to the new Book of Order directly to the Book of Order Re-write Task Group.

That the Book of Order Re-write Task Group be invited, after making any amendments, to offer up a final draft to the next Assembly that meets after the 2004 Assembly for amendments by Notice of Motion and further consideration for adoption under a Barrier Act Motion.

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

The Presbytery appointed the Rev Hamish Kirk and Rev Ralph Penno to support the overture before the Assembly.

Extracted from records of the Presbytery by

Robert McPhail
Presbytery Clerk