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Appendix H-5: Preamble and Questions for Use at Ordination and/or Admission of Elders/Deacons

(Regulations 52, 73, 105)

A) Elders

Preamble

The narrative shall be read, and, the elders-elect having taken their places before the Session, the Moderator shall declare as follows:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King and Head of the Church, who, being ascended on high, has given gifts for the edifying of the body of Christ, we are met here as a Session to ordain A, B, C, D, etc, to the eldership, and to admit E, F, G, H, etc, into that office in this Congregation.

In this act of ordination and/or admission the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, as part of the Holy Catholic Church worshipping one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – affirms anew its belief in the Gospel of the sovereign grace and love of God, wherein through Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, incarnate, crucified, and risen, he freely offers to all, upon repentance and faith, the forgiveness of sins, renewal by the Holy Spirit, and eternal life, and calls them to labour in the fellowship of faith for the advancement of the Kingdom of God throughout the world.

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand acknowledges the Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, to be the supreme rule of faith and life.

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand holds as its subordinate standards the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, recognising liberty of opinion on such points of doctrine as do not enter into the substance of the Reformed Faith, and claiming the right, in dependence on the promised guidance of the Holy Spirit, to formulate interpret, or modify its subordinate standards; always in agreement with the Word of God and the fundamental doctrines of the Reformed Faith contained in the said Confession and other subordinate standards, of which agreement the Church itself shall be sole judge.

Then the Moderator, addressing the elders-elect, who are to stand and make answer to the questions put to them, shall say:

In view of this Declaration, you are now required to answer these questions:

1)     Do you believe in one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and do you confess anew the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord?

2)     Do you believe the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith contained in the standards of this Church; do you promise to seek the unity and peace of this Church, to uphold the doctrine, worship, government, and discipline thereof, and to take your due part in the administration of its affairs?

These questions having been answered to the satisfaction of the Session, and the Formula (Appendix H-9) having been signed by the elders-elect, the Moderator, by prayer, shall ordain them to the office of eldership.

Thereafter the Moderator shall add these words:

(I now declare you to have been ordained to the office of the eldership, and) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King and the Head of the Church and by the authority of this Session I admit you to office in this Congregation. In token thereof we give you the right hand of fellowship.

The words in brackets are omitted when the elders-elect have been already ordained.

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B) Deacons

When deacons are appointed for life and are ordained to office the procedure is the same as in the case of elders with due alteration of details. The preamble, questions, and formula are the same, the word ‘diaconate’ being substituted for the word ‘eldership’.

When deacons are elected for a limited period, they are set apart to their duties by prayer in the presence of the congregation. They are not ordained. The preamble is not read, and the Formula is not signed; but the questions used are those used at the ordination of elders.

The narrative shall be read, and the deacons-elect having taken their places, the Moderator shall follow the procedure as above, thereafter adding these words: (I now declare you to have been ordained to the office of the diaconate, and) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King and Head of the Church, I admit you to office in this Congregation. In token thereof we give you the right hand of fellowship.

The words in brackets are omitted for deacons elected for a limited period.